When it comes to girls’ swimming, the rivalry between South and Westfield could be considered more potent than any crosstown rivalry between South and North on any given day.
For the fourth time in as many years, South faced Westfield for the state championship meet. The battle on February 28 did not disappoint. Despite tying its seemingly annual opponent for the title with a score of 85, the Pirates still took home a title.
For South swimming coach Paul Hamnet, the tie means his swimmers have successfully defended their title. “A tie is definitely an interesting feeling,” said Hamnet. “We felt we were an equal team to Westfield, and I know it can be looked at a number of different ways,” but to the team, “we defended our state championship.”
But the feat is bittersweet, as it was the final meet for two of the best swimmers to have ever entered the pool at South — Rebecca Lewinson and Meredith Ketchmark, and for the rest of the veterans who have led the team for the past four years. That list includes Gabby Giambagno, Tori Lee, Karen Campbell, and Tara Nelson — all of whom will graduate in June.
“Realizing that you’re losing pretty much the best class of swimmers that has ever come through West Windsor-Plainsboro, it’s definitely bittersweet,” Hamnet said.
“For not only what they do in the pool, but what they do out of the pool, I can easily say this is the best class we’ve ever had,” Hamnet added. “They’ve put in four amazing years, and it really meant a lot to the school and the program.”
High School South has faced no one but Westfield for the past four years in the state tournament.
After falling to 11-time champion Westfield in 2007 and 2008, the third time was the charm for the Pirates, who defeated Westfield last season, 90-80, winning their first title since 1995.
South was off to a good start at the state championship this year, winning the first four events, including the 50-yard freestyle, where Jocelyn Yuen took first with a time of 23.95 for the upset. The time was a school record and a top state time.
Lewinson won the 100-yard butterfly, with a time of 57.20, and Yuen and Amanda Grant went second and third in the 100-yard freestyle, with times of 53.28 and 55.69, respectively. South’s 200-yard freestyle relay team, including Yuen, Grant, Lewinson, and Ketchmark, took first with a time of 1:08.06. Ketchmark also won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:53.40 and was second in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:10.88.
Cori Michibata won the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 58.49. In the 100 breaststroke, Grant took first place with a time of 1:08.06, while Kim Chiu placed second with a time of 1:09.10.
The win capped off another great season for the Pirates, who claimed the Mercer County title for the 10th straight time last month. Lewinson won the 200 IM and 100 breast for her fourth straight year and was named the meet’s Most Valuable Swimmer for the third time.
More WW-P Success. There are two North teams making waves in the state tournaments. The North hockey team defeated Manalapan in overtime, 4-3, on March 1 in the first round of the state tournament.
And Jenna Greenstein kept the season alive for the North girls’ basketball team on March 3 with a buzzer-beating three-point field goal to lift the Knights over Wall, 63-61, in the second round of the Central Jersey Group III state tournament.
The girls will head to Neptune for the sectional semifinal on Friday, March 5.
Meanwhile, South’s Sam Macaluso won the 1,600, with a time of 4:14.94, setting a record, at the Group III Indoor Track Championship on February 20. He followed it up with a third-place finish in the 1,600, with a time of 4:14.57 at the Meet of Champions on February 27. Also at the Meet of Champions, North’s Corey Abernathy took second, with 59-4.
