Fast times earn All-American status
By Justin Feil, Packet Media Group
The Hillsborough High School swimmers had their share of nerves going into the Meet of Champions.
The Raiders just wanted to finish on a high note.
”I think over the season we bond so much that we want to try to succeed as much as we can and do our best and make our coach happy,” said Raiders sophomore Julieyanna Parker. “He’s always super nervous before these meets.”
Todd Sudol tries not to show it, but the 14-year head coach still gets nervous for the MOC.
”You get excited for your kids. I just want to see them do well,” he said. “I think that lets them know how much I care about them and how much I support them, and how proud I am of them. They’re like your own kids. You want to see the best of them. You don’t want to see a swimmer of yours on this biggest stage not do well.
”You want them to be happy and come out of races with big smiles on their face. I’m very lucky. Every year, these kids leave the meet happy.”
The Raiders were all smiles again March 2 after another incredible MOC showing. They left with records and National Interscholastic Coaches Association/Speedo All-America acclaim and more medals, including gold.
”I was really happy,” said Hillsborough freshman Megan Bull. “We all worked really hard and I think we honestly deserved it.”
Bull was a part of the girls’ 200 medley relay (with Lindsay Temple, Emma Kohlenstein and Parker) that opened the meet in second place behind record-setting Westfield. To win, the Raiders would have had to break its own meet record set last year with two swimmers who have since graduated. The Raiders would get their revenge later in the meet with gold in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
”I honestly wasn’t thinking about that,” Bull said, “but it feels good.”
Bull took second place in the 200 individual medley in 2:05.89, a school record.
”The IM, I wasn’t going in expecting too much,” Bull said. “I was going in expecting to drop a little time. It was tough coming off the relay. I gave it my all and I was really happy with the result.”
Bull came just a longer fingernail away from winning in her MOC debut. She was just six-hundredths of a second behind Wayne Valley’s Meaghan O’Donnell.
”I don’t think we could see each other,” Bull said. “I was in lane 2 and she was in lane 6. I couldn’t see anything. I didn’t know I was getting second until I touched the wall.”
The solid swim set her up for a big finish to her first time at the biggest meet of the high school season.
”I kind of felt nervous going into it,” Bull said. “I’ve never experienced something like this, especially with high school. I didn’t go in with any expectations. I definitely wanted to do well in the IM and relays. I wasn’t thinking anything specific.”
Two events after Bull made quite a splash, Parker picked up her first MOC victory when she took the 100 butterfly by 12-hundredths of a second. Parker’s 55.36 second time broke her own school record and is being considered for All-America.
”I was a little nervous,” said Parker, who already has a time under All-America consideration in the 200 freestyle from the Raiders’ state meet against Westfield. “I knew the swimmers were really fast. I knew I’d have to work really hard to win it. My coach told me that I was physically capable of doing it, but it was more of a mental thing. I had to go out faster to be able to stay with the No. 1 seed. My sister told me to keep my head down the last 15 yards. I think that’s what helped me win — that last pull.
”It was pretty awesome. Last year, I got to experience being on the No. 1 podium with my teammates on the relays. It was awesome to be on the podium for the No. 1 individual.”
Parker and her teammates returned to the top of the podium after the 200 free relay. The Raiders’ 1:35.89 from Parker, Deborah Stoddard, Bull and Temple held off Westfield by almost a half-second.
Bull helped overcome an early deficit as the Raiders won the relay. It set them up for the final events of the meet.
”It definitely boosted our morale,” Parker said. “After losing the 2 medley, we were all a little disappointed. The 2 free boosted our spirits and we were able to come back around.”
Temple was third in the next event, the 100 backstroke, in 56.13 to snap her own school record and post a time under All-America consideration.
The girls’ victory in the 400 free relay capped their meet. Hillsborough’s Parker, Stephanie Mauer, Bull and Temple swum 3:30.14 to top Ocean City by almost two seconds.
”It felt like more relieved winning by a margin of a second instead of milliseconds,” Bull said.
Last year, the Raiders won all three relays. They won two this year, even after changing their lineup around in all three of them.
”Losing those two seniors, it was a big loss,” Parker said. “Being able to go down there and keep two of our titles I thought was pretty amazing.
”We were kind of hoping for the best,” she added. “We wanted to make history again. I’m glad we did. We weren’t going in expecting anything.”
When the Raiders had to, they swam faster at the Somerset County Championships in the 400 free relay. All three relays have posted automatic All-America times.
”The meet was very fast,” Sudol said. “This year, this is the most All-American awards we’ve won in my 14 years ever.”
The boys’ side also had some incredible swims on the fast day. Brad Zdroik was second in the 50 free despite finishing in a blazing 20.80 seconds, a school record and automatic All-America time. Sam Hendrix was 10th in the 50 free.
The 100 freestyle was even more amazing, as Zdroik was third despite swimming 45.22 seconds, another school record and automatic All-America time. The top three finishers all broke the record of 45.76 set in 1991 by Delran’s Jason Rosenbaum.
”This year alone, Brad has five individual school records now,” Sudol said. “He has four this year, and one was from last year, and he’s also on the relays that broke records.”
The Hillsborough boys quartet of Kian O’Brien, Danny Sanders, Eric Kohlenstein, Sam Hendrix was 11th in the 200 medley relay. Hendrix, Danny Sanders, Matt Sanders and Zdroik took second in the 200 free relay in a new school-record 1:26.98. Hendrix, Ryan Morgan, Danny Sanders and Zdroik were third in the 400 free relay in another school record, 3:11.62.
““Our kids from Hillsborough always perform beyond the expectations at this meet,” Sudol said. “It’s just something year in and year out. ’I guess it’s from years and years of doing well at this meet. ’’We’re going to go to the Meet of Champs and do well.”
The Meet of Champions was the culmination of two great seasons for the Raider programs. The boys were 11-1 and reached the sectional final before they lost, and the girls finished 9-2. All of them are looking forward to returning next year.
”It just feels so exciting even after the meet,” Bull said. “When I came into the swim season in December, I couldn’t have imagined being where I am now. Not just with my swimming, but with my relationships with the team. I’ve met so many new people. I know I’ll have a nice big swim family for a while.
Expectations will remain high for the Raiders. The boys bring back most of their top points winners, who will be a year older and a year faster. The girls, too, have much to build on after this year.
”We’re losing Lindsay Temple, and she anchored both the freestyles,” Parker said. “I think we’re definitely going to try harder more than ever. I know we’re getting some good talented swimmers next year, so I’m hoping for the best.”
There almost certainly will be nerves before next year’s biggest meets, but just as they have done again this season, the Raiders will feed off that energy as they close another season with honors galore.
”Whether it’s a record, going for All-American time standards, they always perform,” Sudol said. “I give them a lot of credit. It’s not easy. I think the kids have learned to deal with the pressures and expectations. Because they support each other so much, there’s so much team unity, there’s so much support, it gets you through a weekend like this.
”It’s the last meet of the year, and they leave everything in the pool. They leave no doubt. They always outperform expectations.”