All the action has been in the water for South over the past couple of weeks, with South’s girls’ team taking home its 11th straight Mercer County Tournament Title and with South’s divers dominating at their own county meet.
The South girls’ swim team, led by Most Outstanding Swimmer Jocelyn Yuen, had eight first-place finishes on its way to the Mercer County Tournament championship on February 5.
Yuen recorded first-place victories in two individual events. She swam the 100-meter butterfly in a time of 1:03.33 — a record — and also took home first in the 50 free, with a time of 27.04. She also was part of two relay teams that won — the 200 free and the 400 free.
Also leading the Pirates was Cori Michibata, who won the 100 free with a time of 1:00.26 and the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:07.02. She also swam on the winning medley and 400 free relays.
Contributing to the Pirates’ 11th championship was Amanda Grant, who won the breaststroke with a time of 1:15.83 and swam on two relays, as well as Annie Bonazzi, who swam on both freestyle relays and finished fourth in the 200 free.
The Pirates have also advanced in the state tournament, picking up wins against Jackson Memorial in the sectional quarterfinal and Toms River North in the semifinal.
Meanwhile, South’s diving team had a successful run at the Mercer County Tournament on February 9, where two of the team’s divers brought home first-place medals and qualified for the state meet at the College of New Jersey on Tuesday, March 1.
For the boys, Colin Hall finished as a repeat Mercer County champ with a score of 237.4. His highest-rated dive was a back one-and-a-half somersault with a one-half twist, earning him 47.25 points.
For the girls, Alice Eltvedt finished with a final score of 249.45. Her highest-rated dive was a back one-and-a-half somersault pike that earned her 47.5 points. She became the first county champion from South in the girls’ diving competition’s 32 years.
South Track Also Brings Home Titles. Both of South’s winter track teams not only swept the team titles at the Mercer County Meet earlier this month, but the teams each brought home NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III championships as well.
The state title is the first in school history for the boys’ team, while the girls earned their third Central Jersey title.
For the boys, Brian Schoepfer had first place finishes in two events — the 1,600, which he finished in 4:23.6, and the 800, which he finished with a time of 1:59.08. Zach Rosenberg won the 55 meters in 6.34. In the pole vault, Dan Callahan finished with a personal best of 14-0, which earned him a gold medal.
For the girls, Caroline Kellner continued leading the Pirates with her first place finishes in the 3,200, which she finished in 11:14, and in the 1,600, where she finished with a meet record of 5:10.09. Mariame Fadiga, who also won the shot put title at the Mercer County Meet, took home first place at the state event with a throw of 40-1.5. The girls’ 4×400 relay team of Dahlia Amade, Emily Mauro, Ingrid Simon, and Ashleigh Delemos captured first place, with a time of 4:08. They also won the title in the Mercer County meet.
