SWIMMING
By Tim Falls, Sports Editor
The Lawrence High School boys and girls swim teams could have a defining meet against Princeton today.
Cardinal coach Mike Underwood said Lawrence will need strong swims when they race the Little Tigers, and the first-year coach is expecting time drops in every lane.
”We really need a break out swim meet,” said Underwood. “A meet where everybody has best times. We’ve had meets where individuals have had best times, but we need a meet where everybody drops a lot of time and just shows our team how good we really are.”
The Cardinals have had a lot of success after opening up to a loss against West Windsor-Plainsboro North. Lawrence defeated the up-and-coming Robbinsville team, 110-60, in a coed swim meet on Tuesday.
”They’ve improved every year,” said Lawrence senior Ryan Shields of the Ravens, “and the have a couple studs.”
While Robbinsville managed a few first-place finishes Lawrence’s depth matched with speedy finishes by Cardinal racers kept Lawrence well ahead.
”We take every meet seriously,” said Underwood. “We had kids swimming events they don’t typically swim, but I told them no meet is a gimme. You should always go after whatever you’re in. Whatever the situation you have to give your best.”
Shields led a sweep for Lawrence in the 50-meter freestyle. Rob Mills claimed second, while Caroline Kelly raced to third. Rebecca Vinch, Lindsay Stern and Brad Hector finished first, second and third, respectively, for Lawrence in the 500 free.
”I’m really proud of our girls,” said Vinch. “We only lost one senior from last year and all the new girls are really stepping up, trying their hardest and training really, really hard. Every swim we go out and give 110 percent.”
That attitude will be an asset when the Cardinals take on the always impressive Princeton girls today.
”Win or lose,” said Vinch, “I want us to be proud of what we did in the water.”
Against Robbinsville, Katie Hector finished first in the 200 free, while Joe Hanko placed second. Pat Thiel and Josh McGrew captured the top two finishes in the 200 individual medley.
Even in the events Robbinsville finished first in, Lawrence scored more in points. Andrew Schofield, Jillian Petrone and Hayley Williams finished second, third and fourth, respectively, in the 100 butterfly, while Chris Ball, Luke Yamamoto and Anna Bosted took second, third and fifth in the 100 backstroke.
Lawrence’s Sean McNally raced to first in the 100 free and Stephanie Hulette took third, while Jordan McGrew came in first in the 100 breaststroke, Trenton Steed took second and Catherine Marencik finished fourth. Virginia Vinch, Justyn Zaremba, Pat Thiel and Sean McNally won the 200 free relay, while Shields, Mills, Brendan O’Brien and Jordan McGrew won the 400 free relay.
”We got to see a lot of kids in things they don’t usually swim,” said Underwood. “We got a better idea of what type of team we really have.”
After swimming Princeton today, Lawrence will compete in the Hornet Relays next Friday. The Cardinal boys are the reigning champions.
”We’re going to swim strong and try to defend our title,” said Shields. “We’ll have to swim hard because they took out Notre Dame and put in West Windsor-Plainsboro North. So we’ll get another chance at North.”
The Lawrence girls finished second to Notre Dame last season, and while the event is competitive, the Cardinals also enjoy the meet for its team building atmosphere.
”It’s a time for everyone to bond and work in a relay together,” said Vinch.

