Jacob Plourde
Equinox Staff
While Drew Ledwith gets most of the attention as a sophomore competing for a national championship, two other sophomore swimmers, James Black and Jared Hyde are also making runs at national championships.
James Black is from Lynn, Mass. and went to Bishop Fenwick. While swimming at Fenwick, Black was a senior captain, and was named Catholic Central League Boy MVS [Most Valuable Swimmer] his senior year.
[singlepic id=843 w=320 h=240 float=right]
He was also named to the Boston Globe and Lynn Item All-Scholastic Teams.
Jared Hyde went to Tolland High where he lives in Tolland, Conn.
He was a four-time All-Conference swimmer.
He was All-State his senior year, when he also got All-American Consideration. He came in fourth at the State Open meet in the 200 IM. Hyde also pitched for his high school’s baseball team.
Hyde swims in multiple individual events at Keene State. “I compete in the 200 medley, 100 free, 100 breaststroke, and the 50 free,” Hyde said. “I also compete in all the relay teams.
The relay teams Hyde competes on this season are the 200 and 400 medley relays, and the 200 and 400 free relays.
Hyde’s best time in 100 free this year was a 46.48 and he scored a 1.00.21 in the 100 breaststroke.
Black swims in three individual events this year along with several relay teams. “I do the 50 and 100 free and the 100 breaststroke,” Black said.
Black also competes on the 200 and 400 free relay teams and the 200 medley relay team.
In the 50 free, Black’s best time is a 21.38.
For the 200 and 400 free relay teams that Black and Hyde are both a part of their best times are 1.24.00 and 3.07.00 respectfully.
Black and Hyde are both had great starts to the year competing at the New England Invitational early in the season.
Both members placed fourth or higher in an individual events, Black coming in fourth in the individual 100 breaststroke and Hyde placing second in the 50 free, while both placed second in three relay teams, the 200 and 400 free relay teams and the 200 medley relay team.
Hyde was also a part of a third place 400 medley relay team.
As a freshman, Hyde had an outstanding showing at the NEISDA Championships.
He placed first in the 100 breaststroke, the 400 free, and the 100 free as a single competitor. On top of that his relay teams placed first in the 800 free relay, and the 400 free relay.
Hyde was also part of the 200 free relay team that went to the NCAA Championships last year as a freshman.
While Black was hurt part of his freshman year, he still had a successful year.
At the NEISDA Championships he place fifth in the 50 free, seventh in the 100 breaststroke, and fourth in the 100 free for individual events. He was also a part of the record setting 200 free relay team who’s time was 1.24.55 at the ECAC Championships.
Coming back from injury, Black said he feels completely healed. “It has been great. I am completely healed,” Black said. “I feel good in the pool and I’m ready to win a championship.”
Black and Hyde, along with Ledwith, are all close friends outside of the pool. “We are all best friends,” Ledwith said, “and Jared is my roommate.”
Black and Hyde agree about their competitive relationship. Black said, “Me and Jared are friends out of the pool and work well together. We are both competitive and we push each other in the pool.”
“We are close friends out of the pool,” Hyde said, “but we really push each other and are extremely competitive in the pool.”
Ledwith thinks the competitive nature that Black and Hyde bring to the pool brings a competitiveness to the whole team.
“They are both faster sprinter then me,” Ledwith said, “so I push myself to keep up.”
Both swimmers have similar goals for the rest of the season.
Both have desire to make nationals in the three relays that they are a part of along with a few other individual goals.
“I want to qualify for Nationals in the relays and possibly in an individual event at the NEISDA Championships,” Black said.
Hyde said, “I’m trying to make Nationals in the 200 IM and the 100 free.”
Both Black and Hyde have had tremendous years this year and last and both are expected to follow in Ledwith’s footsteps to Nationals this year or in the years to come. If one thing is for certain, these two sophomores are part of the catalyst of Keene State’s swimming and diving team.
Jacob Plourde can be contacted at jplourde1@ksc.mailcruiser.com