In what is getting to be an all too familiar refrain for Coach Dave Arinella and the East Boston High School AquaJets coed swim team, Eastie was bested by Latin Academy 56-46 last Friday during the two teams’ annual rivalry meet.
With Coach Arinella heading into his 36th year as Eastie’s swim coach, he and his team have not had much luck against their nemesis in competitive swimming.
“It’s really frustrating to swim the times we had and not be able to win,” said Arinella. “Jonathan Smith swam a near Eastie record in both the 50 and 100 yard free style while Salim Medjahed, a new competitor swimmer swam two great races in the 200 yard individual medley relay and 100 yard butterfly.”
Chris Villanueva also swam a near Eastie record in the 100 yard butterfly.
While it was a close meet and Arinella and his assistant coaches John Hall and Daniel Mariforte felt they put some of their best swimmers up against the Dragons they fell short.
“We kept up all meet,” said Arinella. “We were not finishing third or fourth with BLA swimmers finishing in the top three. We kept up a good pace and their swimmers would finish first while our swimmers were consistently coming in second place.”