Lewinson, Shapiro double up
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
LAWRENCE — Experience paid off for the area girls’ swimming teams in Saturday’s Mercer County Championships.
Brynja Winnan is just a sophomore, but she is no stranger to the county swim scene, and to the winning tradition at West Windsor-Plainsboro South. Winnan was on the winning 200 medley relay and 400 free relays and won the 100 backstroke after finishing second in the 50 freestyle.
”I feel a little more experienced. I definitely feel a lot better,” said Winnan who was fourth in the backstroke last year. “When I was a freshman, I felt a little intimidated by everybody because they’re all older than me. I feel a lot better. I’m a lot more confident. I’m just really happy right now.”
There were plenty of happy Pirates as they wrapped up their eighth straight county crown with 285 points, 49 better than runner-up Notre Dame. For the second straight year, Rebecca Lewinson — another Pirates sophomore — was named the Most Valuable Swimmer. Lewinson swam on two winning relays and won the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke.
Paola Simon won the 200 freestyle and was second in the 100 free, Meredith Ketchmark was fifth in the 200 IM and sixth in the 400 free, Jenna Ketchmark was sixth in the 50 and 100 free races, Gabrielle Giambagno was fifth in the 400 freestyle and sixth in the 100 butterfly, Rachel Sartor was fifth in the 100 back and Amanda Grant was fifth in the 100 breaststroke. The Pirates won all three relays.
”They know that everybody is out to get them,” said Pirates head coach Paul Hamnett. “It’s one thing to get on top. It’s harder to stay on top because you always have teams coming for your year in and year out. It adds a little pride for them. They want to continue the winning tradition that West Windsor has. No class wants to be the class that doesn’t win the Mercer County Championship.
”It adds a little pressure. The girls always step up, that’s what’s been amazing. Through the Pirate Invitational, they always learn how to step up. We always do really well in that. I think it really helps us for the counties.”
Jordan Shapiro was neck and neck with Lewinson for MVS. The Princeton High School senior captured both the 50 and 100 free sprints and swam on the third-place medley before finishing off her final county by anchoring the second-place 400 free relay.
”I was really nervous,” said Shapiro, who will compete for Kutztown University next year. “I knew that from Thursday prelims, not everyone was going as hard as they could. I knew a lot of the girls were holding back for today’s meet. I was really nervous to see what was going to come out of everyone else.
”It got my adrenaline going to know the girls next to me were going to be gunning for me the whole time because they knew what I did in prelims and they knew what I could do in the finals.”
The Little Tigers finished third with 181 points. Kathleen Morrison won the first contested 400 free relay at the county meet and was second in the 200 freestyle. Elizabeth Cava was second to Morrison in the 400 free. Victoria Cassidy was second to Winnan in the 100 back and third in the 200 IM.
”We knew we weren’t going to come out first,” Shapiro said. “South is such a stacked team. They have all the depth. We have the depth, we’re just lacking in some areas. Third is good for us. It could have gone worse for us.
”In the beginning of the season, we definitely struggled because we lost so many seniors and we had to build our spots,” she added. “We got a new coach this year — Coach Knox. Having a third coach on deck definitely helped.”
Shapiro is looking forward to her final state tournament. The county swim teams find out Wednesday where they are seeded. Shapiro hopes that states will go as well as counties did.
”I really wanted to win,” Shapiro said. “It was a good way for me to end my senior year. To be able to start at the bottom freshman year and come up to be top seed in both my events and win is a really big accomplishment. I was coming in 10th or ninth as a freshman. Junior and senior year, I’ve made it back to the finals.”
And won. West Windsor-Plainsboro North was just behind PHS with 163 points. Virginia Hung, one of the numerous talented juniors for the Knights, finished second to Notre Dame’s Gina Grabowski in the 100 fly and sixth in the 200 IM.
”My time was pretty good,” Hung said. “I dropped a little bit. It felt good. It was so close (in the fly). I got touched out. Me and Gina have been racing a while, so it’s OK.
”You’re always a little anxious at counties, but it’s exciting.”
Hung was a part of the second-place 200 free relay with Rocio Riestra, Michelle Cino and Kelly Covey as well as the fourth-place 400 free relay. Covey was third in the 100 free and fourth in the 200 free. Cino was fourth in the 100 free. Abby Whitlow was sixth in the 100 breast. The Knights’ medley relay was fourth.
”It’s good practice for states,” Hung said. “States is pretty big. We did well. We lost so many people who did so well. We have a lot of depth still.
”It’s always nice to see people come back to finals. It’s a nice honor to make finals.”
For Winnan, earning a win in the 100 back was nice after just missing in the 50 free. The events bring different elements for her.
”If you mess up in the 50, like if you take an extra stroke, who knows what will happen,” she said. “You have to pay attention to every single detail and make sure it’s perfect. If you keep practicing it, you can perfect it. You just have to keep working.
”I think I like the 100 back more. It’s the stroke I swim every single day. Whenever I’m doing it, I know it’s my stroke. I’m confident in it. It’s so much easier to get hyped up for it.”
And after missing out on a win in the 50 free, Winnan found it even easier to motivate herself for her second individual event.
”I got second. I felt like I need to get first,” Winnan said. “I was looking forward to it.”
Last year, everything about high school swimming was new to Winnan. Having been through counties and states before has helped. She is gearing up for the Pirates’ state tournament.
”We’re all nervous in some way,” she said. “We’re all a little more confident. We’re all looking forward to it. We all can’t wait.”
The Pirates can build off a particularly strong showing from their relays. They swept the trio of relays.
”We always psyche each other up,” Winnan said. “Our whole team is like a family. We all know each other. We’re all friends. We’re able to psyche each other up. We’re always so happy about. We just have to go out there and swim. We may lose once or twice, but otherwise we’re good. The relays are so fun.”
Added Hamnett: “I was surprised how fast our 200 medley relay went. It was pretty close to a meet record. Those girls came out and set a tone for every team and every swim in our whole meet.”