Girls also looking to make splash
By: John E. Powers
The Lawrence High School boys’ swimming team may have received the top seed in the Central Public A swimming tournament. But the Cardinals didn’t have what Hillsborough had the title of defending champion and two recent big wins at the Somerset County and Skyland Conference championship meets over Bridgewater-Raritan.
The No. 2 seeded Raiders were scheduled to open the tournament Tuesday against No. 7 Delran. If Hillsborough won, the Raiders would meet the winner of Tuesday’s contest between No. 3 West Windsor-Plainsboro South and No. 6 Jackson. The sectional final is scheduled for Monday at North Brunswick High School.
"We really weren’t completely healthy until the conference and county meets, so we’re ready, "Hillsborough head coach Todd Sudol said. "The kids love this stuff head-to-head swimming. That’s what we’re about. The seeds don’t really matter much, but they love the pressure. They like being the underdog."
The Hillsborough girls received the No. 4 seed and were scheduled to play host to No. 5 seed North Brunswick Wednesday. The Raiders would meet the winner of top seed West Windsor-Plainsboro South and No. 8 Middletown North in the section semifinals Friday if they beat North Brunswick.
Sudol, whose team has advanced to the sectional finals the last three years, losing to Bridgewater-Raritan in 2002 and 2003, appeared poised to perhaps get another crack at the Panthers if Bridgewater wins the North II section next week in the state semifinals.
But there’s a sectional to win first.
"In our section there are really four solid teams East Brunswick, Rancocas Valley, West Windsor-South and Lawrence and we’re going to have to be on just like we were at the conference and county meets," Sudol said. "Our kids knew from the beginning of the year that it’s about the post-season. We knew it doesn’t end at the conference and county and we wouldn’t be resting after those. This is what’s important."
Sudol said junior James Vanbiervliet, who won the conference 100-meter butterfly and was second in the Somerset County meet, will once again be a major factor. Sophomore Pat Kuehne and senior Frank Ippolito, 1-2 in conference 100-meter breaststroke, will hope to repeat that finish. Kuehne has established himself as a star in the 200 individual medley, which he won in both the county and conference.
Other Raiders like Tim Rauch in the 500-meter freestyle and Sean Downey and Scott Prow in events like the 100-meter freestyle and 50-meter freestyle will be key. The Raider relay teams were second in the 200-meter freestyle and 400-meter freestyle in the conference meet and third in the 200-meter medley.
"I think we have a humble bunch," Sudol said. "They understand that nothing has been handed to us and nothing will be easy for them."
Sudol said he was pleased with the girls’ seed and the opportunity for them to swim at home.
"I think when we’re swimming in the sectional playoffs that there’s a home pool advantage with the home crowd the girls are comfortable," Sudol said. "We’re going to need big swims from (Jessica) Stever, Amanda (Kautz), Missy (McCormick), Ariel (Newman), Colleen Delucia and Miranda Steel."
Like the HHS boys, the girls really weren’t healthy until later in the season. McCormick, who won the conference’s 200-meter freestyle, has been slowed by a knee injury. Freshman Kelsey Hurley has been swimming with an injured shoulder. Kautz won the 100-meter breaststroke at both the county and conference meets.
"We haven’t had a meet where we’ve been completely healthy," Sudol said.

