Hopewell Valley girls swimming
By: John E. Powers
Bill DeHaven, a 1998 Hopewell Valley Central High School graduate who swam for the Bulldogs and Niagara University, is the new head coach of the Hopewell Valley girls swimming team. He takes over for Drew Seibel, who last year led the team to a 7-4 record and a berth in the Central Jersey Public B Tournament, where the team beat Shore Regional before falling to Rumson.
The girls were fifth with nine finalists at last year’s Mercer County Championships behind state title contenders West Windsor-Plainsboro South, Lawrence, Pennington and Princeton. The Pirates won the title.
Senior Darby Driscoll will be one of the keys to the team. She placed fifth in the county in the 200-meter freestyle and the 100 back and qualified for the Meet of Champions (the state individual championships) with her time in the backstroke.
Darby, a year-round swimmer, is an outstanding athlete for the new coach to build around.
"It’s all pretty new to me," said DeHaven, who works as a hotel manager and was just recently hired. "The kids are helping me with the adjustment to coaching. It’s good. I’m really having a great time."
The team opens its season Friday with a meet at Pennington.
DeHaven has some talented swimmers to work with like Driscoll, sophomore distance and butterfly swimmer Kristin Cuprzinski, junior breaststroker Emily Alexander and sophomore Maddi Jacobs, who will compete in the distance events. Senior Karen Upperco, fifth in last year’s state diving championships, will compete in her specialty, along with the sprint and butterfly.
The team should have strong 200 medley, 200 freestyle and 200 individual medley relay teams. The 200 medley team was fourth in the county championships last year and the freestyle relay team came in fifth, as both qualified for the Meet of Champions.
Other swimmers who should make an impact are junior butterfly and backstroker Kara Widmer and sophomore breaststroker Catharine Brooks.
"We do have a lot of depth in the freestyle, but as we go along, I think our strokes will improve as well," DeHaven said.
Driscoll, Cuprzinski and Alexander competed in the Meet of Champions last year. Driscoll was in the 100-yard backstroke, and the Lady Bulldogs also competed in the 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay. One of the keys to the season may be Hopewell’s upgrade in depth. DeHaven, like Bulldogs boys coach Laurie Gordon, had to make cuts since so many athletes came out for the team.

