Turners Falls' Liam Bliss (swim), Mahar's Stellina Moore (track) competing this weekend

Turners Falls’ Liam Bliss swims the backstroke in the medley relay against Ludlow in Montague earlier this season.

Turners Falls’ Liam Bliss swims the backstroke in the medley relay against Ludlow in Montague earlier this season. STAFF PHOTO/PAUL Franz

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

Staff Writer

Published: 02-21-2025 7:38 PM

Turners Falls’ Liam Bliss will get to test himself against some of the fastest swimmers in the state on Saturday. 

Bliss is the lone Thunder athlete to qualify for the MIAA Division 2 Swimming & Diving Championships, where he’ll compete in the 50-yard freestyle. The junior qualified with a time of 23.23 seconds, which earned him a spot in the third heat of the race. 

The meet is scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. at Boston University. 

Bliss qualified for the race at the Western Mass. championship meet, saving his best for the end of the season. 

“I’m excited to get out there,” Bliss said. “I did better than I expected at Western Mass.” 

Racing against the best in the state, Bliss said he hopes that can propel him to put together an even better time on Saturday. 

“I’ve never swam at BU before,” Bliss said. “I’m obviously hoping to get a better time. I’m just excited to be there. It’s definitely an exciting event to get to go to.” 

A junior, Bliss has raised his game to a new level this year. He credits the coaching staff for continuing to push him to new heights he didn’t know were imaginable.

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“I think this has been my best year so far improvement wise,” Bliss said. “Our coach [Abby Heathwaite] has been pushing us hard and giving us good workouts. The coaches make my give me best even when I don’t want to or I’m tired. They tell me to keep going and all that hard work has paid off.” 

Indoor Track

Meet of Champions

One local athlete qualified for the MIAA Meet of Champions on Saturday. 

Mahar’s Stellina Moore did so in the girls high jump, where he top leap of 5 feet, 2 inches clinched her a spot to compete against the best in the state. She hit that mark during the opening meet of the PVIAC season. 

That height seeds the sophomore 23rd going into the meet, with Norton’s Zoe Santos the top seed with a top jump of 5-6. Moore placed sixth at the MIAA Div. 5 state meet with a jump of 5-0. 

The Meet of Champions is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. The girls high jump is slated to begin at 11:10 a.m.