It’s beginning to look a lot like the 2007- 08 swim season could be one of the best ever for North Brunswick High School coach GreggAnderson.
ConsideringAnderson is now in his 34th season, that’s saying a lot.
It certainly has to be one of the most enjoyable seasons so far for the Raiders’ veteran coach, especially after the NBHS girls and boys teams each posted impressive victories over Sayreville on Tuesday.
The girls team improved to a perfect 7-0 with a 122-48 win, while the boys evened their record at 4-4 with a 116-54 thumping.
What’smore, the LadyRaiders,whowere 6-3 a year ago, and the North Brunswick boys, who finished 3-6, each surpassed last year’s victory total with the latest triumph.
No wonder Anderson, who started both programs and is the only coach either team has ever had, is smiling a lot these days.
But he’s also quick to point out that it is still only the regular season.
“Our goal is always the GMC Championships, and that’s two Saturdays away,” a cautiousAnderson said.
True, but theNBHS girls certainly served notice they should be considered one of the favorites for this year’s crown after beating rival East Brunswick High 91-79. Throw in the Raiders’ victory over Bishop Ahr in the second meet of the season, and you have to agree theNorthBrunswick girls justmay be the teamto beat at the GMCmeet Jan. 26.
“Last yearBishopAhr finished first,East Brunswickwas second andwewere fourth,” Anderson pointed out. “Even South Brunswick beat us. They came in third. A couple of things didn’t work our way.”
But the Raiders have beaten all three teams this year, including East Brunswick, who also came into themeet unbeaten.
“It was for the dual-meet championship, if there is such a thing,”Anderson said. “We had a lot of really good swims. The girlswere really pumped.”
One such swimmer was senior Gabriel Alicino, who finished second in the 100-yard butterfly and set a new school record with a time of 1:01.14.
“Itwas an 11-year-old record and she beat it by about five-tenths of a second,” Anderson noted. “It means Gabriel swam the fastest 100 butterfly at North Brunswick High School in 30 years.”
FellowseniorNicoleVanAvery and sophomore Rachel Lu also had big meets. Van Avery remained undefeated in the 50-yard freestyle this season, while Lu captured top honors in the 500 free.
Van Avery and Alicino were also part of the 200-yard medley relay team – along with senior co-captain Tanya Witlen and freshmanAsia Johnson- thatwon the first event of themeet.
“What’s really nice is we have a deep team,”Anderson said. “One of the keys in our meet against East Brunswick is ourAand B medley relay teams took first and second. Thatmade the score 12-2 after one event, so we had a 10-point lead, and that’s basically what we ended up at. So by finishing first and second in the opening relay, that set the tone for the wholemeet.
“And at the end of themeet, we also won the last relay.”
Johnson, a freestyler, is one of four freshman swimmers Anderson has been very pleased about, along with Vicky Borbas in the butterfly, Jean Park, a sprint freestyler, and Nicole Gibbons in the backstroke and freestyle.
“They have really added to our depth, which is so important,” their coach said. “They can swimalmost any event, too.”
Tuesday’s win by the North Brunswick boys came on the heels of the Raiders’ loss to St. Joseph last Friday.
“They’re traditionallyNo. 1 inMiddlesex County,”Anderson said of St. Joe’s. “They’re probably the best teaminNewJersey or one of the best.”
Juniors Evan Chibbaro and Andy Rose have been two of the Raiders’ strongest and most consistent swimmers all season.
“Evan is very close to the school record in the 50 free,” Anderson said, “and Andy has been doing the IMand breaststroke, and he may even swim the butterfly. I put him in there a couple of times and he’s gone really fast.”
Three freshmenAnderson says have been shining early in their careers areMattBurke in the 200 free and 100 fly, Matthew Lu in the 200 IM and 500 free, and Andrew Newsome in the 50, 100, 200 and 500 freestyles.
“He can do any of these, and has,” Anderson said of Newsome. “He can also swim the 100 fly and 100 back, so he’s an allaround swimmer.
“All the boys have worked real hard, and if they keep improving and dropping time like I hope they will, I think we can surprise a few teams at the GMC. Last year we were fifth, andwe’re hoping tomove up this year.”