MONTGOMERY: Cougar boys’ fastest not enough

MHS falls in state A semifinals

By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
   EWING — While the Montgomery High School boys swim team may have been disappointed not to advance to their first state final, they were not disappointed with the effort they gave.
   The Cougars swam well, but Cherry Hill East was faster and deeper in a 106-64 defeat of MHS on Tuesday night at The College of New Jersey.
   ”We were pulling best times all over the place,” said MHS head coach Noelle Keller. “They just swam better.”
   Cherry Hill East’s coach was overheard saying prior to the meet that he had scored the semifinal a two-point win for his team, but they came out from the start better than that expectation. Cherry Hill went 1-2 in the 200 medley relay and they never looked back to blow away their coach’s prediction.
   ”I think they had a really good meet,” Keller said. “They had an awesome meet.”
   After the 200 medley relay, Jake Otterbein gave the Cougars one of their two victories in 11 events. Otterbein was first and Ryan Fitzpatrick was third for a 9-7 edge in the event. The Cougars never did better than 8-8 after that event.
   ”We did the best we could in the pool,” Keller said. “Every single swim, we were like, wow, wow, wow.”
   Zack Warner won the 100 breaststroke and took second in the 200 individual medley. The Cougars had a strong showing in the 50 free with Evan O’Mara second, Phil Tow third and Jack Winge fifth. Fitzpatrick was second in the 100 butterfly and Otterbein was second in the 500 free. The fast times continued right through the final event.
   ”We have a very talented team,” Keller said. “Our depth is phenomenal. I couldn’t be happier with how they swam today. You can’t ask much more than their best.”
   Montgomery is hoping that it can continue to produce fast times at the Meet of Champions that will be held March 1 and 2.
   ”We’re sending all our relays that qualified, and we’re sending some individuals,” Keller said. “Jake’s going to swim, Zack’s going to swim. We’re looking for a really good show there too.”
   The meet will mark the end of the season for the Cougars. They will graduate seven seniors from this year’s team that helped push standards high again.
   ”We will miss them, but I think our underclassmen are only going to get stronger and faster,” Keller said. “I think they have the motivation and dedication to get even better.”
   The senior class helped to leave the Cougars better than they found them. They won a sectional title to advance to the state semifinal, where it took an incredible performance to end their run and quite a season.
   ”This is amazing for this program,” Keller said. “This is the furthest the boys have ever gone. Hopefully next year we’ll be stronger and go even farther.”