HHS girls’ swim team looks to future

Key swimmers eligible to return

By: John E. Powers
   
   One look at the roster of the Hillsborough High School girls’ swimming team reflects just how optimistic Raider head coach Todd Sudol should be.
   The Raiders, who finished with an 8-4 record, will return most their team next year with the exception of Somerset County breaststroke champion Ariel Newman, sprinter Sara Miller and 500 and 200 freestyler Lauren Horowitz.
   The Raiders, who finished in a fourth-place tie with Bernards last year at the county championship, were fifth with 140 points this year. The girls were fourth at the Skyland Conference meet. Powerful Mount St. Mary, making its first appearance as member of the conference, won both meets easily.
   "Our girls’ team is very young," Sudol said. "We have kids like (freshman) Meredith Trabilsy who placed in two events (at the counties) and Ashley (Smolinka) and Stephanie (Silleck) and Kerri (Hamersky, a sophomore) all placed in the top 12 in a county like ours? That was great."
   The HHS girls had the third seed in the Central Jersey Public A bracket and beat sixth-ranked East Brunswick 106-64, but were eliminated by second seed Montgomery 111-59.
   Junior Kelsey Hurley was third in the 200 IM and second in the butterfly at the county meet and second in the butterfly at the Pirate Invitational. Hurley was third in the butterfly at the conference and second in the 200 IM behind Montgomery star Meghan Leddy.
   Hurley set a school record in the backstroke at 1:02.16 in December. Hurley also swam in the Meet of Champions in the 200 IM and butterfly. The girls also competed in all three relays at the M of C, the first time the Raiders have done that according to Sudol.
   "I think the girls had a really good year," said Sudol, who brought 18 girls and boys to the Meet of Champs year. "A lot of teams don’t get back to the states or the Meet of Champions, but the girls have always been in the second round (of the team sectionals) and in the top four at the conference and county meets. This year we made all three relays for the first time."
   The 200 medley relay team of Newman (breaststroke), Silleck (butterfly), junior Jessica Parker (freestyle) and Hurley (backstroke) was strong. Hurley also anchored the 200 freestyle team with Parker, Silleck and junior Carolyn Mehrtens taking the first three legs. Sophomore Hamersky and Parker scored points in the freestyle events throughout the year. Freshmen Smolinka, Trabilsy and Jessica Walton scored points. Junior Lauren Marchese was another youngster who scored in the freestyle events.
   "Last year we had just one freshman (Hamersky) and this year we had more and they helped to make a difference," Sudol said. "We were in need of sprinters and they came through and made an impact. All of those girls will return as a very good core."
   Last year, Sudol lost 10 seniors. This year that number will be five.
   "For the girls, the goal is to take the next step," Sudol said.