Cougar girls contribute to co-ed swim win over Raiders
By: Justin Feil
Depth proved to be the difference as the Montgomery High boys’ and girls’ swim teams combined to defeat Hun, 97½-72½, in a co-ed meet on Thursday.
"It’s incredible. We’ve never has this kind of depth before," said MHS head coach Claire Scarpa. "In the past, we’ve had people who could get firsts. But we’d get first, then sixth. It’s the third, fourth and fifths that are sometimes more important than firsts."
That was evident on Thursday. Montgomery held just a 6-5 advantage in events won. But in the co-ed environment, it was swimmers like Meghan Heil that added the depth Montgomery needed to turn a potentially close meet into a convincing win. The win went on the boys record, making them 1-2.
"When you’re swimming, I don’t think you think about it being co-ed," said Heil, a freshman. "Everyone was swimming different events (Thursday)."
It was the first co-ed meet of the season for the Cougars, who will also face Pennington in a co-ed meet this season. Heil did her part Thursday to give MHS depth. Normally one of the top swimmers on the girls’ team, she took fourth in the 200 freestyle and fifth in the 500 free, while sharing in the 400 free relay team’s third-place finish.
"It was different. It felt like you weren’t going to get as good a time because you weren’t in the top," said Heil, who also does the 200 IM at meets. "But the times were comparable. When the boys got too far ahead, it doesn’t help. But when they’re with you, it pushes you a lot."
So far, this season, MHS has shown plenty of motivation. Scott Ellebracht set a new 100 butterfly record for the Cougars on Thursday. Mike Kuzmich also broke his 100 freestyle record and Laura Sibbald established a new 200 individual medley mark. Hun’s Nick Vacca, a West Windsor resident, won the 200 individual medley and 500 free and the Raiders took the 200 free, 100 free and 200 free relay.
"Nick Vacca had some good swims in the 500 free and 200 IM," said Hun head coach Madeline Jones, whose team dropped to 1-4. "We just didn’t have enough depth. And they were a nice team."
Montgomery used good balance to win the 200 medley relay, the 50 free, 100 fly, 100 back, 100 breast and 400 free relay. The Cougars had contributions from everyone.
"It’s mostly freshmen and sophomores that make up our team, but the juniors and seniors are just great," Scarpa said. "It’s given us a great start."
The girls are 4-2, their best start ever, and the most games above .500 that the Cougars have been since Scarpa took over. It’s something that the third-year head coach has tried to convey.
"I tell them all the time how well they’re doing," Scarpa said. "And we can still do more."
To do so, it will be freshmen like Heil that make it possible. Though just 14, she has shown great promise and is an example of the greater dedication to the pool that the younger Cougars have.
"She does distance for us," Scarpa said. "She swims for the Hillsborough Y, so I had an idea that she was on the stronger side. Our first meet of the year was against North Brunswick, my alma mater, and after the 500, their coach came over and said, ‘I just had a flashback. She’s just like you were.’ That meant the world to me. She swims her race the exact way I did. She has a really strong finish, and her stroke and everything are similar.
"I think I’ll have her down in the low 6:30s. She’s worked hard at it, and she’s only a freshman."
Heil is hoping that Scarpa’s predictions come true. She’s caught on quickly to the high school scene and fit in well on the youth-oriented team.
"I didn’t know anything about the team before the first meet. It’s been a lot of fun," Heil said. "It’s been pretty good. I thought it would be harder with the older swimmers. But it doesn’t seem like age is a big thing."
Particularly not with such a talented group of young swimmers that’s brought more depth to the Cougars this season, and with it, more wins for MHS.