Junior helps Pirates capture state crown
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Rebecca Lewinson already has won an individual swimming title in each of the last two seasons at the Meet of Champions.
”It’s so much different,” Lewinson said of an individual win. “You can’t just win every race. Second and third equals more than first. It shows how much more of a team effort it is.”
The West Windsor-Plainsboro South girls swim team knew it could count on the talented junior for a couple of wins against Westfield. She also factored in a pair of huge wins by WW-P South’s relays, which ultimately made the difference Saturday.
In the third straight meeting of the two teams for the public school A Division state championship, Lewinson’s day began with her swimming the breaststroke leg for the winning medley relay. Lewinson’s leg helped the Pirates get by without using either Brynja Winnan or Meredith Ketchmark.
”The girl from Westfield is one of the fastest in the state,” said Pirates head coach Paul Hamnett of the anchor leg facing South’s Julia Tomei. “All three kids before Julia went their fastest in the year. She was able to bring it home easily. That set the tone. Our kids then believed in the lineup.”
Lewinson was back in the water soon after to capture the 200 individual medley, and after the break, it was decided she would swim the 100 butterfly instead of her usual 100 breaststroke, in which she is the two-time defending state champion.
”Becky Delefuente is a very fast flier,” Lewinson said. “All week I was shaking because I knew there might be a possibility I might be in that fly. Hamnett told me if the meet was as close as he thought it would be, I would be in the fly.”
Lewinson not only won the race against Delefuente, but also established the fastest time in the state. She capped her meet by swimming the third leg and opening up a huge lead for Ketchmark, who anchored the winning 400 free relay to give the Pirates a 90-80 win and the state championship.
”Amanda Grant came in with a slight lead,” Hamnett said. “Once Rebecca got in there, I looked at my assistant and knew it was over. She established such a lead.”
Rebecca Lewinson is the Princeton Packet Athlete of the Week.
Lewinson already owned individual gold, but her medals had come after losses to Westfield the last two years. She will enter this weekend’s MOC on the heels of a Pirates team victory.
”I really think the team one is so much better,” Lewinson said. “You’re all in it together. You’re not swimming for yourself. You’re doing it for the team. And there were so many people from the town there. You’re swimming for them too.”
In her first two years of high school, Lewinson witnessed first-hand how much depth factored in the season-ending losses to Westfield.
”With Westfield, it’s not like they’re so great,” Lewinson said, “but they have so much depth.
”Last year,” she added, “they beat us by about 50 points. It was pretty bad. Going into it, it was really difficult. You want to win, but they’re such an amazing team. It’s a long shot to think you could win. Coming in this year, it was like we had a chance.”
Every time that Hamnett scored the meet, however, he had it ending in a tie. He had juggled the lineup a number of times and knew he could use Lewinson a number of ways. She proved most important in the relays, beginning with the medley which won despite Hamnett’s gamble.
”It was a relief it had worked out as planned,” Lewinson said. “It was a good start. It’s nice to start out with that medley relay winning. We have such a strong four swimmers, we’re pretty safe.”
Lewinson was impressive in her individual swims, but she came away more amazed by her teammates’ swims, particularly in the 500 freestyle and the 100 breast.
”We were right where he thought we’d be until the 500 free,” Lewinson said. “Gabby (Giambagno) dropped seven seconds. That’s what I thought was the turnaround of the meet.”
Lewinson also could rest easily after winning the fly and then watching as Jocelyn Yuen won the 100 breaststroke in her place.
”We ended up both pulling through,” Lewinson said. “The breaststroke, all three girls ended up doing above what was expected.”
Those results left it up to the final relay for the Pirates. Hamnett gave Lewinson her choice of the third or four legs. Lewinson left the anchor leg for Ketchmark.
”Meredith never ever fails at these races,” she said. “She’s a fighter and she hates losing. I knew I had to do whatever I could possibly do to get her a lead. Amanda just came off the breaststroke. Their team was ridiculously matched up with ours. We had to do something unexpected. I tried to put us in position so Meredith didn’t have to beat the top girl in the state. She swam an incredible time.”
Added Hamnett: “Our elite swimmers were a little better than theirs, and that made a difference in the relays.”
Lewinson and the Pirates left Saturday exhausted, but thrilled to have captured a state championship. After two years of coming up short, it meant all the more.
Said Lewinson, “I still can’t believe it actually happened.”

