Depth helps Knights sweep past Steinert
By: Allison Busacca
The West Windsor-Plainsboro North swim teams were able to head into their winter break on a high note, as both the boys’ and girls’ teams took home wins against Steinert on Tuesday.
The girls came away with a 104-66 win, while the boys won with a larger gap, 115-55.
"It went really well," Knights head coach Tiffany Brennan said. "We came out thinking the meet was going to be a close one, but towards the end it gave us a chance to let some kids swim who haven’t swam as much this season."
The girls swam consistently throughout the meet, only faltering in the 400 free relay when Steinert took first and third place.
Sophomore Raquel Riestra took first in the 50 free in 29.10 seconds and the 100 free with 1:04.76.
"I didn’t have my best times today," she said. "Maybe it’s because I missed practice yesterday."
Riestra was also a part of the 200-free relay team that placed first with a time of 2:06.05. The 50 and 100 free are two of her favorite events, and the ones she swims most often.
"I like them because they are all-out sprints and you don’t have to worry about pacing yourself," she said.
Brennan feels that because most kids on the team only train for a few months each year, most kids do better in the sprint events.
"We don’t have anyone who calls themselves a distance swimmer," she said.
However, Brennan said both teams’ strengths are in the stroke events. Junior Sean Woodward, who said he had a slow start to the season, placed first in the 100 breast and got a season best of 1:20.49.
At the start of this year, Woodward said he was hindered by arm problems and bronchitis.
"Luck wasn’t with me at the beginning of the season," he said.
Woodward, who has dropped seven seconds since last year, said a lot of his success is due to the crowd’s cheering.
"Before the race I listen to music to get into the zone," he said. "But I thrive off the crowd. Once I’m in the water I want it to be as loud as it can be."
The boys improved to 3-1 with their win and the girls improved to 2-1. The teams have a good chance of achieving Brennan’s goal another year as the Colonial Valley Conference Patriot Division Champions.
"I’m really pleased with how hard they are working and how they just keep improving each meet," she said.
In the boys’ meet, Jason Raziano picked up wins in the 100 and 200 freestyles, while Josh Chen won the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. Nick Covey won the 200 individual medley, Andrew Lam won the 50 free, and Woodward added his win in the breaststroke.
In the girls’ win, Kiki Rosa won the 200 free and 100 butterfly, while Riestra picked up her two wins as well. Whitney Handy won the 100 back and Mary McGovern won the 100 breaststroke.

