HHS girls set to make big splash

Team is healthy, talented

By: John E. Powers
   
   Though the Hillsborough High School girls’ swimming team finished with a 6-5 record and a win in the Central Public A tournament, the Raiders never were in position to reach their potential last winter. Injuries, illness and a lack of depth were the reasons.
   But head coach Todd Sudol is confident – very confident – that the Raiders will be in great position to have a memorable season. Their 2005-06 season is scheduled to begin Thursday with a home meet with Hightstown. The HHS girls will then compete in the Pingry Invitational Saturday before swimming at Bridgewater-Raritan Tuesday afternoon.
   "The girls are pretty excited," Sudol said. "They have a strong senior class in terms of leadership. Last year, we had some injuries that really hurt us and our team never got a chance to show its true strengths. We’re healthy now."
   The team saw standouts Missy McCormick, Jessica Stever and Madison Goldberg graduate. They were part of a team that beat North Brunswick in the playoffs, and took third at the Skyland Conference and fourth at the Somerset County championships.
   The Raiders have a lot of talent back to improve on everything they accomplished last winter. Ten seniors will give the team a solid foundation.
   Senior Colleen DeLucia in the freestyle, senior IM, freestyler and breaststroker Amanda Kautz and junior Ariel Newman (freestyle, IM) will be part of the leadership of the team. Kautz was the only Raider winner at last year’s county meet, placing first in the 100-meter breaststroke at 1:20.29. Kautz was seeded third, but came out on top by beating Rutgers Prep’s Stefanie Capizzi and Mount St. Mary’s Meaghan Gaynor. Kautz also won the 100-meter breaststroke at the conference meet, taking the title for the second straight year. She was fifth in the 200-meter individual medley relay. Kautz won the 100 breaststroke in 1:20.55.
   Sophomore Kelsey Hurley, who Sudol describes as "very fast," will be the team’s utility swimmer, one who will be able to cover several events. Junior sprinter Sara Miller, sophomore distance swimmer Miranda Steele, sophomore breaststroker Jessica Parker and sophomore freestyler/butterflyer Carolyn Merhtens, junior distance ace Lauren Horowitz and junior distance swimmer Courtney Paolo give the team the kind of depth that wasn’t available last year. Freshman Kerri Hamersky is a youngster that will score points, according to the coach.
   "On paper we’re a lot better than last year, but it’s really up to the kids on how far they go," Sudol said. "We had injuries at the wrong times last year. We really have an opportunity to have an outstanding season."
   This will be the last season the girls will be competing in the Skyland Conference without powerful Mount St. Mary, which will move from the Mountain Valley to the Skyland next year.
   The Watchung team won the prestigious Pirate Invitational, captured its third straight Somerset County title, 10th straight Mountain Valley Conference title and fourth Prep Championships. Mount St. Mary shared the NJSIAA Non-Public A title with Immaculate Heart after the two teams tied in the state final.