By Justin Feil, Packet Media Group
Megan Bull is thrilled that the championship portion of the season finally is here.
The Hillsborough High School junior enjoyed the start of title time with her best day yet at a Somerset County Championships. For the first time in her career, she was a part of three wins — two individual and two relays.
“I like it because it gets really intense,” Bull said. “The whole atmosphere gets you excited and nervous. But it is stressful and crazy. It gets really exciting.”
Bull won her third straight 200 individual medley at the county meet on Saturday, and this year she added the 500 freestyle crown after scoring third- and fourth-place finishes in the 100 breaststroke in previous seasons.
“I was happy with my 500,” Bull said. “I thought I could have taken it out faster. It was good that I won and I got the points. It was a race I could also enjoy it. I like the length; it’s not like the 1,000 or mile like we do on the club team, and it’s also not super short.”
Bull helped the Raiders open the meet in fine fashion when she combined with Alexandra Temple, Julieyanna Parker and Haley Tevnan to win the 200 medley relay in 1:47:02. The Raiders closed the meet by winning the 400 free relay with Temple, Stephanie Mauer, Bull and Parker in 3:32.56, four seconds better than runner-up Pingry.
“I think it creates an atmosphere of excitement especially because we’re going into the playoffs,” Bull said. “And everyone gets to see what we can do. It was also exciting, two of our seniors were on that relay — Steph Mauer and Julieyanna Parker. It was nice we were able to win the race in their last counties for them.”
Hillsborough finished second overall in the team standings behind Bridgewater-Raritan, 241-225. Montgomery was third with 193 points.
“I was really happy with it,” Bull said. “It was definitely a change from Skylands. At Skylands, Julieyanna Parker had mono. She wasn’t totally back at Skylands. She’s a lot healthier, and Stephanie Mauer was on a recruiting trip for Skylands and she swam at the (county) meet.
“It was really exciting to have them back because they’re both seniors. This is a fun meet to swim at in general. I really like the atmosphere.”
Mauer was sixth in the 200 free, Parker was third and Tevnan sixth in the 50 free, Parker won the 100 butterfly in 56.60 seconds, Temple was third in the 100 free, Mauer took fifth in the 500 free, Hillsborough was fourth in the 200 free relay and Temple swam to third in the 100 backstroke. Bull felt the push to swim well in the energetic environment.
“It definitely does help,” she said. “Hearing everyone before the race, you’ll hear everyone behind the blocks. It gets everyone excited.”
The HHS boys had a number of top-six finishes, and the Raiders placed fourth overall behind Bridgewater-Raritan, Pingry and Montgomery. Hillsborough scored 171.5 points.
For the boys, Kevin Gibson finished fifth in the 200 free, Sam Hendrix won the 50 free in 21.74 seconds and Matthew Sanders was fourth, Hendrix took second in the 100 fly, Sanders tied for third in the 100 free, Joshua Franco, Gibson, Sanders and Hendrix combined to win the 200 free relay in 1:28.29, Franco swam to third in the 100 backstroke, and Gibson, Franco, Sanders and Hendrix won the 400 free relay in 3:15.30.
Both the boys and girls teams now set their sights on the state tournament. The Raider boys are the top seed in the Central Jersey Group A Division. They have a bye until Monday when they will host either No. 4 seed Rancocas Valley or the winner of the No. 5. Toms River North vs. No. 8 Marlboro matchup in the sectional semifinals. The final is Feb. 12 at Neptune.
The girls also have an early bye and earned the chance to host their first meet as the No. 2 seed in CJ A. The Raiders will welcome the winner of No. 3 Freehold Township vs. No. 7 North Brunswick on Monday in the sectional semifinals. The final is Feb. 11 at Neptune.
“I feel confident about sectionals,” Bull said. “I’m excited to be there and race. It always gets crazy this time of year, but it’s a good crazy.”
If Hillsborough can win its sectional, it could meet a familiar foe in top-seeded Montgomery. The Raiders won the regular-season meeting, 94-76, but they aren’t taking anything for granted, not after they were upset last year in the state tournament by a lower-seeded Hunterdon Central team that they had also defeated in the regular season.
“It’s great to know we beat Montgomery and know we can compete at that level, we can’t get that in our heads,” Bull said. “Last year, we didn’t even suit up against Hunterdon Central. They came in all suited up and excited and they beat us. We need to have the confidence that we can beat Montgomery, but we can’t get ahead.”
It takes everyone’s best to advance, and Bull enjoys the competitive feel of the states. The rush of competing to help her team advance pushes her.
“It really gets exciting,” she said. “Especially when it comes down to a fifth place or a relay. Or when someone on Hillsborough gets a clutch third or fourth, everyone goes insane after someone touches them out.”
In Bull, the Raiders have a swimmer they can rely on in any event. She has been able to pick up valuable points wherever needed.
“I’ve been moving around,” Bull said. “Sometimes I’ll swim the 100 breast and sometimes the 500. It depends if the team has good breaststrokers versus good 500 swimmers. I think my 500 is stronger than my breaststroke. If we need points, I might be put in the 500 rather than the breaststroke.”
Bull likes the Raiders chances no matter whom they meet. They are motivated by last year and by the way that they have come on strong this season and are swimming better as they enter states.
“I think we’re really happy with where we are,” Bull said. “I think we progressed a lot. I think it’s great that we had a bumpy start at Skylands and we can take what we did wrong and see what we can fix and now we’re that much more prepared for states.”
Bull is expecting another thrilling ride. After two years of competing for the Raiders, she knows well what to expect when the championship portion of the year hits.
“It definitely helps,” Bull said. “As a freshman, because it was my first time, I wasn’t as confident in myself and what I should do. As a junior, I feel more confident in the decisions I make, how to take out my races and how to handle counties. I don’t get as nervous, but I still get excited for them.”
Bull was happy to see how well the Raiders competed at the county meet, and she is looking for the team to take its momentum into states.
“I love our team spirit,” Bull said. “I love our atmosphere. Everyone gets excited for the meets. The parents, the siblings, the swimmers that don’t get to swim every meet. They’re always so excited and I love having their support every day. That’s my favorite thing about ‘Boro swimming.”
