Wembacher helps guide South squad to swim title
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
LAWRENCE — With both a brother and sister who have gone before her, Kathryn Wembacher knows well the history of the West Windsor-Plainsboro South swim program.
The senior captain was determined to keep the Pirate girls’ Mercer County Championship streak intact. Wembacher helped to lead a balanced WW-P South effort that resulted in their 12th straight county title Saturday at Lawrence High.
”It does give us a lot of motivation, especially to continue to keeping doing well,” Wembacher said. “It’s one thing to be on top, and it’s another to stay on top. It’s really motivating to want to stay on top.”
Staying on top took a little different approach this season. Wembacher anchored the winning 200 medley relay with Cori Michibata, Jocelyn Yuen and Sydney Bornstein to open the meet, but the Pirates had the winner in only two individual events. Yuen won the 100 butterfly and Michibata won the 100 backstroke. Yuen, Michibata, Rabia Syed and Bornstein wrapped up the win by capturing the 400 free relay to bookend the team victory, 261-167, over runner-up Pennington. Robbinsville was third with 154 points.
”They did great,” said Pirates’ first-year head coach Anthony Bartolone. “We don’t have all the firsts that we had in the past. But we had seconds and thirds, the depth this year. That’s what pulled us through.
”I don’t think we have as many first-place finishers as we’ve had in the past. In the past, we would take first in almost every event. This year, it’s a lot of second, third, fourth. The 100 back, we had three girls in the top six. In the relays, the girls were phenomenal and they pulled it off.”
Wembacher was a big part of that depth. Yuen and she went 2-3 in the 50 free with Wembacher touching out Pennington for third by five-hundredths of a second. She was fifth in the 100 free to pick up more points.
”We were a little nervous going in because of the Lawrence meet,” said Wembacher of the Pirates’ lone Colonial Valley Conference loss this season. “That was kind of interesting. But we still felt pretty confident. We knew at the Lawrence meet we were missing a couple of our strong swimmers. We still felt pretty good going into this one.
”We definitely felt better after the prelims, just because we saw how well everyone swam and we were all really proud of everyone.”
Wembacher led by example, as she has all year. She is one of three seniors, all captains, with Michibata and Yuen.
”It’s really special for me, especially since my brother was a captain and my sister swam all four years in high school,” Wembacher said. “It’s something really special for me.”
Bartolone has been thrilled with the leadership that he’s gotten from her. With such a small senior class, the Pirates could have been searching for leaders.
”We lost more seniors last year,” Bartolone said. “This year, we only have three seniors. They’re a big role. The kids look to them for leadership and they look to set an example. I’m taking times and they’re the ones getting them up and cheering and getting everyone where they’re supposed to be.
”Kathryn has been outstanding. I couldn’t ask for a better captain than Kathryn. She does what you’re supposed to do. She’s always there. If she has a time that she’s not happy with, but I am, she moves on to her next event and swims her heart out in that one.”
The Pirates got big swims from across their lineup. Bornstein was second and Syed third in the 200 free. Michibata took fifth in the 200 IM. Bornstein came back for third and Syed was fourth in the 400 free. Wembacher was a part of the seocnd-place 200 free relay. Amani Saeed was third and Gabby Oliveira took sixth in the 100 back. Elise Qian was sixth in the 100 breast.
”I knew the girls could do it,” Bartolone said. “I knew they could put their mind to it, and the way they’re swimming at the end of the season, I knew they could do it. And they did.
”I think this was a huge confidence boost for the girls. Now they can see that when we get into states, we can do it. I think this will really help them get through states.”
West Windsor-Plainsboro North placed fourth with 150 points. The Knights were fifth in the 200 medley relay, Ann Lee was fifth in the 50 free and sixth in the 100 free, Alex Lager was fifth in the 100 fly, Melissa Loo took fifth in the 100 back, and Elaine Wang was fifth in the 100 breast. The Knights were fourth in the 200 free relay and sixth in the 400 free relay.
Princeton High was just behind in fifth with 142 points. The Little Tigers were second in the medley relay, Marissa Giglio was second in the 100 breast and sixth in the 200 free, Serena Deardorff was second in the 100 fly and fourth in the 200 IM. PHS was fourth in the 400 free and sixth in the 200 free relays.
”The way it started was terrific,” said PHS head coach Greg Hand, who also saw his boys win. “I think it got us rolling. The girls broke (Friday’s preliminary) medley time by four seconds, which gave the guys a lift.”
The Pirate girls gave themselves a lift with strong swims from start to finish. They needed contributions across the board. They will use their county example to set the tone as they head into the state tournament.
”We usually take out of it is where we are, especially with our depth,” Wembacher said. “It kind of gives us a wake-up call after all those dual meets of where we are and where we need to be.
”I feel great where everyone is,” she added, “but we’re still going to take it one step at a time just like every other year.”
And like every other year, the Pirates’ goals remain high. It just may take a different formula to advance as far as usual.
”We have to work on our depth, as always,” Wembacher said, “and we just keep up the top swimmers as well.”