Talarick went fastest for top MHS team
By: Justin Feil
One of the most rewarding things about Drew Talarick’s senior year was how good the Montgomery High School boys’ swimming team was.
As Talarick’s times have dropped, the Cougars’ wins have increased.
"This year was by far the best year," Talarick said. "The team swam great. They came out and they worked hard from the beginning of the season to the end. It paid off in the long run. I’m proud of the team. They just did a phenomenal job."
Talarick led the way. Ever since his freshman year, he was the fastest swimmer for MHS in several events. By senior year, his contributions had come to be expected.
"We really have been blessed with Drew," said MHS head coach Noelle Keller. "Since he’s been a freshman, he has been a dominant swimmer on our team every single year. Every single year, he’s gotten better and better.
"No matter what event we put him in, we would hope to win that event. That’s going to be tough to replace. We have pretty good depth, but Drew is in a league of his own."
Talarick further demonstrated that in his final scholastic season. He set program records of 2:00.00 in the 200 individual medley, 54.98 in the 100 back and 4:52.11 in the 500 freestyle. His name already rests next to the school records in the 200 and 100 free. He was also a part of all three record relays.
Talarick led the Cougars to their first 10-win season in program history and to the finals in their first year in the Central Jersey ‘A’ Division. Without one of their swimmers, MHS lost to Hillsborough, a team they had defeated, 94-76, in the regular season with Talarick being the lone individual MHS winner in the meet.
"It was pretty monumental with Montgomery swimming," Keller said. "We had never beaten a team of that caliber. They had been state champs in the not too far past. The entire morale of the team went up after we won that meet."
Talarick was second in the 100 back and third in the 200 free at the Somerset County Championships, but rebounded to win those events and anchor the winning 400 free relay at the Skyland Conference Championships just days later. Talarick, who had never been better than ninth, closed his career by capturing his first medal at the Meet of Champions with a sixth-place showing in the 200 free and swimming on two Top 15 relays.
Drew Talarick is the Princeton Packet Boys’ Swimmer of the Year.
"You’re not going to forget him for a long time," Keller said. "The team and I are going to really miss him next year."
It will be difficult to forget a swimmer that is just three records away from a complete sweep of the events. It’s more than his swimming that will be missed. He also proved himself to be quite a leader as a senior.
"The last couple years the kids have really noticed how big a force he is on our team," Keller said. "I know our sophomores and freshmen look up to him. Most of our team looks up to him. This year he really stepped up as a swimmer and a person.
"He sent out an e-mail before states just saying, do your best, I’m so proud of you. I was really impressed. He really showed his maturity."
It was all part of a new role as one of just two seniors on the Cougars along with Mike Plas. As much as had been expected of Talarick in year’s past, there was a little something extra about being a four-year swimmer.
"It’s different when you’re a senior," he said. "You basically know everybody is looking up to you. You have to go out and do your best. Everybody is watching you. It’s a lot different from being a freshman and winning and being a senior and winning. The kids look up to you when you’re a senior."
In the pool, Talarick knew that he was expected to come up with big swim after big swim. The Cougars constantly used him to counteract an opponent’s top swimmer or event.
"We used Drew often for strategy reasons," Keller said. "Drew doesn’t let us down."
Talarick, though, was just as impressed with his fellow teammates’ contributions. In the win over Hillsborough, while he was the lone individual winner for MHS, he talked about the way the Cougars’ depth made the difference.
"I had a lot of pressure on my shoulders," he said. "I had to win the two events I was put in. But the second, third and fourth and fifth places, that’s what won us the meet. My hat goes off to those guys who busted their butts. They tried their hardest. They won us the meet. I’m extremely proud of them for going out and busting it up."
It meant a lot to Talarick to know that his teammates were putting in the same efforts that he was. Those efforts enabled him to enjoy his most successful season, as much because of the team’s prosperity as his own. Nothing spoke more highly of the team’s success than its ability in the relay events. Talarick was an important cog in the MHS relays that were crucial in the 10 wins.
"The relays were a big factor in us winning meets," he said. "Our 4 free relay was just amazing. Our 2 free amazing is what decided it most of the time. We’d be behind in meets and then we’d win the 2-free relay and that would give us the points to pull ahead. They were a factor in us winning a lot of meets this year."
As was Talarick’s presence. It is that presence that will be difficult to replace as the Cougars look to continue to build on their success while Talarick begins a collegiate career at the University of Massachusetts.
"Aside from the easy wins with him, his personality is going to be missed," Keller said. "No matter what you put him in, it was, ‘OK, what am I swimming this time?’ He was pretty easy-going about what I put him in. He knew he was swimming it because it was what the team needed."
Talarick has always done what was necessary to help the team. As a sophomore, that included a difficult decision to stop playing baseball for MHS.
"I knew swimming would take me farther," Talarick said. He was right. It will take him to the college level and a new set of challenges. He leaves without regrets after seeing a steady progression in his times downward and an equally steady climb upward from the Cougar boys’ swimming team.
"Leaving this year, I’m going to miss it, but I’m proud," Talarick said. "I’m pretty happy about the season. When I was a freshman, the team wasn’t that good. As I moved up, the team got better and better. I’m happy it turned out the way it did."

