READING, MA — A new era begins for the Reading Memorial High School Rockets Boys Swim team as Mike Houlihan takes the helm as head coach, with Ryan Sacco returning as assistant coach. With their season already underway, both coaches are energized and eager to build on the strong foundation laid by legendary program founder and recently retired head coach Ken Holbrook.
Senior captains Liam Green, Andrew McCarthy, and Rory O’Neil are leading the Rockets this season, all Middlesex League All-Stars. Green is coming off a stellar season, claiming the 100-yard breaststroke title at the Middlesex League Meet and earning a spot in the State Division I Championships for the breaststroke. He also narrowly missed qualifying in the 200-yard individual medley. Known for his versatility, Green is also the team’s fastest 50-yard freestyle sprinter.
McCarthy, another States qualifier in the 100-yard breaststroke, also narrowly missed the cut in the 200-yard individual medley at Sectionals. A sprinter by trade, McCarthy consistently delivers under pressure. Meanwhile, O’Neil showcased his prowess last year by qualifying for the North Sectional Championship in the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle events. A true all-rounder, he shines in butterfly, backstroke, and mid-distance races.
Junior Aidan Herlihy, a returning Middlesex League All-Star, adds depth to the lineup as the team’s distance specialist. After placing third in the 500-yard freestyle at the league meet and qualifying for States, Herlihy is poised for another standout year. His skills in the 200-yard freestyle and butterfly further strengthen the team. Last season, together, these four returning All-Stars qualified for the 400-yard freestyle relay at the State Championship.
Senior David McCann, another returning All-Star, was a critical anchor on the 200-yard medley relay team that secured third place at the league meet. This year’s squad also features promising new talent in freshman Dragomir Mateev, who has already shown potential as a breaststroker.
The team’s 14-strong roster includes returning seniors Leo Deidrich, Dylan Mehta, Deep Nandi, and Justin Raimo, who are ready to make their mark in their final season. Juniors Thomas Cockrell and Michael Jenney, along with sophomores Kai Richardson and Alex Coffil, are also showing significant improvement, with Jenney and Coffil achieving personal bests during recent time trials.
Coach Houlihan is thrilled about the team’s potential: “These boys are chomping at the bit to compete at the highest level in the Middlesex League and beyond. The energy at practice is electric, like stallions ready to race. Coach Sacco and I are excited to see how fast they’ll swim this season.”
The Rockets kick off their season on the road against the combined Arlington-Watertown team on Thursday, December 12. Their home opener is set for Friday, December 20, against Burlington at the Burbank YMCA at 7 PM.
