Girls swimming third with group effort
By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
LAWRENCE — Sam Hynes felt a little extra push while swimming at this year’s Mercer County Championships.
The junior was no longer just part of a quintet that was representing Allentown High School. With the formation of a girls team at Robbinsville High School, Hynes had an official team behind her as she won the 100 breaststroke in 1:16.38, three seconds faster than runner-up Marissa Giglio of Princeton.
”It was different,” Hynes said. “There was more energy knowing there was a whole team behind my lane cheering for me, instead of a group of four that was there last year. It was a big difference.
”I was a little more hyped up and energized. We have crazy people on our team and the high energy spreads.”
It showed in the final results. While the quintet had done well to get sixth last year, in combining forces under the blanket of the new Robbinsville girls team, the Ravens placed third overall. The boys, highlighted by a fifth-place tie by Ahmed Bahgat in the 50 freestyle, took 10th.
”I was really happy with the girls finish, third place overall,” said Robbinsville head coach Pam Owens. “We were tied with Lawrence going into the 2 free relay, so I was a little nervous what the outcome would be. And then I knew we had some strong finishes for the relays, and our breast and back, I knew we had some potential there. I’m really happy with the girls finish.
”The boys, I’m really happy that they kept what they had last year. They were 10th last year. Keeping that 10th this year shows their strength. One of my boys, Ahmed, made it in the finals for the 50 free and just did outstanding. I don’t think he expected that. We’ve had great accomplishments from him this year.”
The Robbinsville girls’ 154 total points was four better than fourth-place West Windsor-Plainsboro North, one of the teams it lost to in the dual meet season and 13 better than another, Princeton High School. West Windsor-Plainsboro South won its 12th straight team title with Pennington second with 167 points.
”With the combined teams of Allentown of Robbinsville, just having the girls it brought up their strength a little bit for the combined points, which helped us bring it up to third place. There was better potential for the girls.
”The girls got their state cuts for the 200 free, 400 free relay, Sam got her state cut in the 100 breast, Delaney Bader got her 100 free and Taylor Johnson the 400 free. We got the goals we were anticipating going into the meet.”
The Ravens won the 200 freestyle as Johnson, Hynes, Robbinsville’s Nicole Wohn and Bader swam 1:53.30, more than three seconds faster than runner-up West Windsor-Plainsboro South.
Allentown’s Bader was second in the 100 freestyle in 59.98 seconds and fifth in the 200 freestyle in 2:12.67. Robbinsville’s Johnson won the 200 individual medley in 2:24.62 and took second in the 400 free in 4:34.28. The Ravens’ 400 free relay finished third to cap the meet in a strong 4:08.12.
”Going into the meet, we were trying to keep an open mind,” Bader said. “We’ve never swum MCTs with a full team, so we didn’t know what to expect. Last year, Allentown’s five swimmers alone got sixth. To combine both teams and get third place was a cool thing.”
The Allentown girls were happy to help boost the Ravens squad this season, even though they may not be quite up to wearing the gear of their sister school Robbinsville around.
”I don’t want to get beat up,” joked Bader. “Our schools are like sister schools, and we’re rivals, but we support each other at the same time.”
The Robbinsville ice hockey team has the same sort of compilation from both schools. Combining talents pushed the Ravens swim team to new heights.
”I usually don’t wear Robbinsville stuff, but I like to represent my team,” Hynes said. “I’m from Allentown. Being a part of Robbinsville has been a really fun experience. I met a lot of new friends that I know I’ll carry through with me. It’s been an altogether great experience.”
It made for a terrific final county meet for Bader, a senior who expects to swim in college next year. She was happy to have a full team behind her in her last MCT.
”I’ve been to all four counties,” she said. “Freshman year, I swam for Notre Dame, so I had the experience then. Then last year and the year before, we were pretty much swimming by ourselves, we didn’t have a real team.
”Counties has always been really important to me. It’s always been more important than states personally because it’s such a fun atmosphere. It’s so vibrant. It’s so many people I know. It’s so competitive. I just love swimming in counties. It’s what I look forward to each year. I’m going to miss it.”
And the Robbinsville team will miss the likes of Bader, who has helped give them instant success. Bader had hoped to go a little faster in the 200 freestyle, but faded over the final 50. She was pleased with the 100 free and happy to be a part of the successful relays and the first full Robbinsville team.
”I feel like it makes it a lot more special,” Bader said. “It was my last MCTs, so it was significant for me. The fact that we had an actual team, we could place and score. We got third, which is awesome. I felt really blessed. I’m really happy we had a team so we could do so well on my last counties. I’m really proud of everyone.”
Hynes will have another year. She moved up from second in the breast to win it this year.
”I felt good about my swims,” Hynes said. “I went in Thursday and my times weren’t quite where I wanted them to be. But I came in today much happier. I made my state cut in the 100 breast and we made our 400 free cut. It was a good way to end the meet.”
The Ravens will look to build off their strong county finish when they open the Central Jersey A Division sectional at second-seeded Cherokee. The Ravens are the No. 7 seed.
”States is very exciting,” Hynes said. “States, I’ll have a lot of swimmers from my club team there, so there will be a lot of energy there.
”Counties kind of prepares you for states, gets you pumped up and shows you what you can do. What we did here shows we can do even better at states.”
The team state tournament is something that the Allentown girls have not been able to do the last two years. Now with a Robbinsville team, they have their chance.
”It’s really great that we’re able to support each other,” Bader said. “I think our division and the CVC are really competitive compared to most other parts of New Jersey. I feel like team states should be interesting. It should be interesting in the way that each person knows what they’re in for now, and they’re going to be willing to race the person next to them and not give up. It’ll be good. I’m excited.”
Beyond the team state tournament, there will be one more chance to represent their Allentown school and their Robbinsville team at the Meet of Champions.
”I would have liked to make the 200 cut during the (county) meet,” Bader said. “We have both relays in and I already had the 50 and 100. It’ll be a full schedule, so I’ll be busy with that. Hopefully states will be even better than MCTs were.”

