Junior lifts Cougar girls into swim semifinals
By: Justin Feil
While being the defending state champions brings a little extra pressure, it’s nothing that Shana Conroy and the Montgomery High girls’ swim team can’t handle. It might even help.
"I think there’s a lot more pressure," said Conroy, a junior. "Most of the team, we work better under pressure. I used to freak out a little bit. After swimming three years, you get used to it."
Conroy played the part of the dependable veteran as she came through with some of her best swims of the season as the Cougars opened defense of their ‘B’ championship with a 101-69 win over Bernards in the North Jersey Section II B division on Wednesday. She won the 100 breaststroke, was second in the 200 individual medley and was a part of the winning 200 medley and 200 free relays.
"She just did her best time ever in the IM," said MHS head coach Claire Scarpa, whose team improved to 8-2. "And she did 1:13 in the breaststroke, which is not far off her best and she had no one really pushing her. To do that close to a best time was really good. She had a great meet. State meets are where I see her best times come out."
The second-seeded Cougars will need more of her best after advancing to host third-seeded Chatham 5:30 p.m. today at Princeton University’s DeNunzio Pool.
"Each round," Conroy said, "there gets more pressure and more pressure. Going that late in the season last year was amazing. It was stressful, but amazing."
MHS wouldn’t mind a little more stress, though they know a run to the state final will be a tad tougher this year.
"We’re down a few people from last year," Scarpa said. "We still have a lot of depth, but not as much as last year. And a lot of other teams are looking stronger than last year. Princeton is great. Rumson is good. Scotch Plains is really good."
MHS will get its shot at Scotch Plains with a win today. Princeton High could face off with Rumson if both win in today’s Central Jersey B semifinals. The Little Tigers, who lost to MHS in the state final last year, are the top seed in CJ B. They had a first-round bye and will host Metuchen 4:30 p.m. today.
"Our girls will have a very difficult matchup with Metuchen," said PHS head coach Greg Hand. "They have substantially few power points than we do, but most of their power points derive from their front-line swimmers and their second-line swimmers. They could win six out of 11 events against us and a couple relays, so it will be tough."
In Central Jersey A, the top-seeded West Windsor-Plainsboro South girls kept alive their hopes of returning to the state final by opening with a 121-49 win over No. 8 Middletown North. The Pirates host Hillsborough 3:45 p.m. today in the CJ A semifinals.
The West Windsor-Plainsboro North girls saw their season end with a 90-80 loss to Hopewell Valley in the quarterfinals of the CJ B tournament. The sixth-seeded Knights still fared better than they had in their first meeting with third-seeded Hopewell, a 98-72 loss.
"We had a lot of kids thrive under pressure," said Knights head coach Tiffany Brennan. "We’re excited. It’s sad to see the season end, but the girls were giggling the whole way home on the bus. They were happy they ended swimming so fast. And the meet was much closer than a month ago, so they were happy."
MHS hopes to remain happy after winning its next couple of meets. After winning a state title last year, the Cougars understand what it takes to reach the highest level.
"We’re trying really hard this year," Conroy said. "We lost some people this year and we really realize we have to step up. It was definitely a good start (Wednesday)."
Conroy wasn’t sure how the season would end after struggling in the beginning of the year. Of course, struggling is all relative. She was still winning for MHS.
"Last year was a really good year for me," said Conroy, who swims for Xcel club team as well. "This year’s beginning was really frustrating. I wasn’t hitting any of my times. Finally I broke my freestyle time and went 58 (seconds). In the IM, I’d been doing awful until today, when I finally went 2:21. My breast was a good time too."
The win was one of four individual triumphs for the Cougars. Allie Dubiel won the 50 free, Michelle D’Augillo won the 100 fly and Erica Hydrusko won the 100 free. Dubiel, Conroy, D’Augillo and Annie Comollo teamed together to win the 200 medley relay while Comollo, Conroy, Elyssa Romino and Hydrusko were on the winning 200 free relay. They are familiar names for girls who were a big part of last year’s state title and are even more important this season.
"There’s definitely a lot more pressure," Scarpa said. "I think the kids stepped up to the pressure. Their times were fantastic. We had some excellent swims. It gets incrementally tougher. The following meets all will be tougher and tougher. Shana, Allie, Michelle, Elyssa Romino and Kristen Prentice, I know I can count on them."
Especially if they’re facing a little more pressure, which seems to be guaranteed as they move deeper into the NJ II B state tournament in pursuit of another state crown.