Giacopelli, Green hope to capture gold
By: John E. Powers
For the past three years, the Hillsborough High School boys’ swimming team has finished third at the Somerset County Championships. In fact, the order of finish for the top three teams has been the same Bridgewater-Raritan, Pingry and Hillsborough.
Saturday, the HHS boys will have – as head coach Todd Sudol says – "an opportunity" – to become the first boys’ team in Hillsborough history to win the county swim title.
The girls, who won their first county title three years ago under former Raider coach Michelle Russell, will be out to cut the margins of heavy favorite Mount St. Mary of Watchung and defending champion Bridgewater-Raritan.
The boys, however, could be listed as a favorite. They come into the meet with a 9-0 dual meet record, a dual meet victory over Bridgewater-Raritan and a strong finish – ahead of the Panthers in the recent Pirate Invitational.
"I think the boys have a good chance to be competitive with Bridgewater-Raritan," said Sudol, a former Bridgewater-Raritan star who helped the Panthers start their run of seven straight county championships when he was a senior in 1996. "I think the opportunity is here for us to the win the Skyland Conference and the counties. This could be our year. We’re strong where they’re weak. We’ve already beaten them in the relays at the Pirate."
The Raiders are deeper this year and are led by two outstanding swimmers Nick Giacopelli, who will be out to improve on his second-place county finish in the 200, third-place finish in the 100 free and win the 500 and Mark Green, who was second in the 100 backstroke last year.
Sudol believes that Bridgewater-Raritan’s Peter Levin will push Giacopelli, while the Panthers’ John Marsico will contend with Green. Pingry’s Kenny Brown Klinger, who won the 200 and 500 freestyle last year and swam on the first-place 200 medley relay, is an outstanding swimmer.
"I think they’ll be great races," Sudol said. "Bridgewater-Raritan has some outstanding breaststrokers."
Giacopelli and Green will also be part of a strong relay group for Hillsborough. The 200 free relay of Scott Prow, Sean Downey, Giacopelli and Evan Gargulio should make a run for a title along with the 400 free relay of Green, Giacopelli, Prow and Downey. Green and Giacopelli also lead the 200 medley relay.
Sophomore Frank Ippolito could win the 100 breaststroke and the Raiders should get points from senior Bryan Zeiher in the individual medley and butterfly and freshmen Prow and Downey in the 50 free and 100 free. Sophomore James Lyon should add points behind Giacopelli, along with freshman Peter Cole.
"We have a great core group and they really want it," Sudol said. "They are really motivated to win this thing."
The Raiders finished 121 points behind Bridgewater-Raritan last year, but the improvement in their depth will make a difference this time, according to Sudol.
"It’s almost like a chess match," Sudol said. "We’re aware of what other guys can do and I’ll put my guys in certain events to get the most points. We’re allowed three swimmers in each event, so we’ll mix and match. I know who’s the fastest and slowest since I do a lot of scouting."
Sudol will be looking for Pingry swimmers to take points away from Bridgewater-Raritan and the other way around. Hillsborough didn’t win an event at the counties last year, and haven’t won one since Jason Kay won the 50 free in a meet record 24.28 two years ago. Green and Giacopelli also swam legs along with Kay in the first-place 200 medley relay and 200-freestyle relay in 2001.
"It should be us and Bridgewater this year," Sudol said.
The girls, fourth the last two years, will be a long shot to win with Pirate Invitational and Mountain Valley Conference champion Mount St. Mary atop the favorites along with Bridgewater-Raritan and Bernards.
Senior Devon Trabilsy was a fourth-place finisher in the 500 last year and should be a contender. Kris Mendez, a fifth-place finisher in the butterfly in 2002, will be out to improve her placement, while sophomore Alyssa Barberio will be in the sprints along with Jessica Stever. Missy McMcCormick has been performing well in the 100 free.
"I think the girls’ goal will be to place in the top three teams," Sudol said.

