By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
Emily MacCarthy wasn’t sure she’d have the chance to be a part of the first Robbinsville High School girls swim team.
MacCarthy wasn’t going to give up the sport that she’d been competing in since she was 8 years old, but she just wasn’t sure that the Ravens would ever split up their co-ed team.
”When I was a freshman and sophomore, there were some doubts,” MacCarthy said. “I wasn’t sure how the rest of my career would play out. When Coach (Pam) Owens came into the picture, I saw good change coming and saw this in the future. It was definitely needed. It’s helped us tremendously.”
The split finally happened this season, and MacCarthy and the girls, who did have the chance to compete in the state tournament for the first time last year as part of the co-ed team, are making the most of their chance to shine.
”It’s definitely been the best year that I’ve been a part of since I’ve been a part of high school,” said MacCarthy, a senior from Robbinsville. “Combining with Allentown has definitely given us the depth that we’ve needed to reach the success that we’ve always wanted to. It’s about time. It feels good.”
The Robbinsville girls returned from winter break primed for a big second half of their season. In a matchup of two-loss teams, it was the Ravens got off to a strong start and emerged with a 98-72 win over Lawrence to move to 5-2 this season.
”We definitely raced some of our toughest competitors already,” MacCarthy said. “In home stretch, we have some good competitors left. We’re actually going to have a good record this year and it’s exciting.”
MacCarthy helped to get the Ravens off to a fast start with her backstroke leg in the winning 200 medley relay against Lawrence. Sam Hynes, Taylor Johnson and Delaney Bader were also part of the win Hynes went on to win the 200 freestyle, Johnson captured the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly and Jillian Gallindo won the 500 freestyle for the Ravens. MacCarthy helped Robbinsville close the meet quickly with a win in the 100 backstroke, Hynes won the 100 breaststroke and MacCarthy, Johnson, Hynes and Sarah Shmid won the 400 free relay.
”I definitely thought it was going to be a big improvement this year,” MacCarthy said of being split into a girls team. “I think we’ve done a lot better than I thought we would. We’re doing well.”
The girls have the big numbers that the boys team is still missing. The Raven boys lost to Lawrence, but were looking to bounce back when both teams took on Hamilton in a meet scheduled for Tuesday.
MacCarthy came into this season in better shape than last year, the product of returning to her club team, Peddie Aquatics, following her junior season with Robbinsville.
”To be back on my club team at Peddie has helped me win more this year,” MacCarthy said. “Freshman and sophomore year, I was on it. I just needed a break.”
MacCarthy’s return to club swimming also means that the Ravens can use her in more events. She’s willing to swim whatever she can to help the team.
”I’ve always done the freestyle and backstroke,” MacCarthy said. “I did the IM too. Now, I’m usually a 200 freestyler and 100 back. I try to do the breast if I can. With club swimming, it helps keep my endurance up.”
MacCarthy is proficient at all the strokes. With Peddie, she mostly focuses on the IM, freestyle and backstroke.
”Last year, I did a lot of sprinting,” she said. “When you’re not on the club team, it’s easy to stay in shape for the sprinting. With club, I have the ability to last throughout the whole 200 and I have that strength behind me whereas I didn’t have as much last year.”
MacCarthy has also been an important part of the Raven relays. She’s normally a part of the medley and 400 free relays, when the new team’s pride is on display the most. The bond on the new girls team is something that MacCarthy values.
”The club swimming is a lot more individual,” she said. “To have the competition and whole team aspect of swimming is definitely different. It shows you different sides. To know you have a whole team behind you cheering you on helps. You don’t always have that so much at club swimming.”
She’s already seen the togetherness and confidence welling in the Ravens. It’s growing with every week together.
”It definitely builds up after the first couple meets,” MacCarthy said. “We got our lineups out and saw the potential we had. It played to our advantage and it’s really helped us along the way.”
With the confidence, the goals have grown as well. Robbinsville is confident that it can do some special things even in its first year as a girls team.
”Definitely states is something I’m looking forward to,” MacCarthy said. “We made it in the 200 free relay and the 400 free relay last year. I’m looking forward to doing that again. I don’t know if I can make individual states, but I have several teammates that can. And I want to see how we do as a team at counties. Both Robbinsville and Allentown did well last year and I’m looking to see how we do combined.”
It’s the last chance for MacCarthy, who has been accepted and will attend, but not swim, at Michigan State next year. Sharing a part in the first girls team at Robbinsville, though, has given her a special exit to swimming and her scholastic career. It’s something she wasn’t sure would happen, but has watched grow before her eyes.
”We have such a larger girls team now,” MacCarthy said. “It’s still weird, especially for us seniors. When we started, it was just a few of us. Now we have the ability to switch in and out girls and have different options for events. Having a larger team is definitely the greatest difference.”
