WELLESLEY - As soon as Methuen's Laura Moriarty popped her head out of the water she, in unison with her fan club, immediately looked up at the giant scoreboard that hung to the right of the pool.

The next thing they did was erupt in ear-piercing cheers.

"Every time it's a shock," said Moriarty, with a few tears of joy in her eyes. "I'm the happiest I could be. This is the best outcome I ever could have hoped for."

Her massive cheering section had reason to holler yesterday at the Division 1 State Swim Meet, as Moriarty set the state records in the 100-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard individual medley.

"Seeing her swim from her freshman season, you could tell she was special," said Rangers coach Jason Smith. "She has had a phenomenal career and I think, in the back of her mind, (state titles) were always something she was striving for. I am so thankful she chose high school swimming."

The University of North Carolina-bound Moriarty won the 200 IM in 2:03.97, breaking her own state mark she set a week ago at North Sections (2:04.27). The previous record (2:04.41) was set by Katie McCann of Bishop Feehan in 2000.

"I knew that would be a matter of time," she said, referring to the fact she expected to win handily. "I had to remember not to think about the record and just worry about scoring my best time possible time."

Those in attendance then spent the next 11/2 hours buzzing about whether Moriarty could pull off the double, and she did not disappoint.

Moriarty blew away the rest of the pack to snap the state record in the 100 breaststroke. She finished in 1:03.39, shattering the record previously held by Karri Charpentier of Gardner, who swam a 1:03.63 in 1997.

The records cover all meets for both fall and winter swimming, according to Smith.

"She did so awesome," said Andover's Ellen Cody, who joined a major post-race celebration for her club swimming teammate. "She has worked so hard and I was rooting so hard for her to get those state records."

It was the fourth straight Division 1 state 100 breaststroke title for Moriarty, the 2006 Eagle-Tribune Swimmer of the Year.

It was the first time she swam the 200 IM at states. She had previously finished second three times in the 100 butterfly. And when she wasn't breaking state records, she also swam the anchor leg on Methuen's 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay, which finished sixth and fifth, respectively.

"I've been swimming since I was seven," she said. "I knew that States could be a big day, but I never would have thought I would have ended up with two state titles."

Record-setting day

Laura Moriarty set a pair of state records yesterday at the Division 1 State meet. Here's how she matches up with the previous marks:

Previous record

Event%name%time%year

200 IM%Laura Moriarty%2:04.27*%2007

100 breaststroke%Karri Charpentier%1:03.63%1997

Moriarty's day

Event%time

200 IM%2:03.97

100 breaststroke%1:03.39

* - Moriarty set the mark a week ago at North Sectionals. The previous mark was held by Katie McCann (2:04.41) in 2000.

In the company of greats

Here is some background on the swimmers Laura Moriarty erased from the record books:

Katie McCann - Qualified for the Olympic Trials while in high school, won four state titles at Bishop Feehan, was an All-SEC swimmer at Florida

Karri Charpentier - Eight-time state champ for Gardner High, swam collegiately at Texas A&M