Local swim teams cap off stellar summer seasons
Willows first, Nob Valle second at league championship meets
BY DOUG McKENZIE
Staff Writer

Being competitive was the goal for this year’s Willows Swim Club team.In their first year in the A League of the New Jersey Swimming and Diving Conference, the Willows Swim Club finished the dual meet season with a 5-3 record, good for second place in their division.

But they certainly saved their best for last, as they capped the season by exceeding all expectations, winning the A League championship. Seventy Willows swimmers participated in the 10-team, two-day event, with most earning points that led to a 265-255 win over South Plainfield Municipal Pool.

Individual event winners were Harrison Kudwitt (boys 8U 25 freestyle, 15.05, and boys 8U 25 beast, 20.95), Kristen Lally (girls 9/10 50 backstroke, 39.62), Caitlyn Ignall (girls 9/10 50 free, 33.15), Gessica Charniga (girls 11/12 100 IM, 1:14.60), Abby Weingarten (girls 13/14 100 breaststroke, 1:12.23), Tyler Wardlow (boys 13/14 100 freestyle, 55.03, and boys 13/14 100 breast, 1:09.44) and Amy Wolf (girls 13/18 200 IM, 2:18.51, and girls 15/18 100 breast, 1:10.61).

Willows also won three relay events, including the girls 13/18 200 medley relay (Liz Samtur, Amy Wolf, Abby Weingarten and Kelli Sanchez — 2:03.63); the boys 8/under 100 medley relay (Justin Atkinson, Joseph Mastro, Harrison Kudwitt and Jack Engel — 1:27.05); and the boys 8/under 100 free relay (Jack Engel, Joseph Mastro, Justin Atkinson and Harrison Kudwitt — 1:14.72).

But there were many other top finishes from Willows swimmers.

Recording second-place finishes were Will Samtur (boys 13/14 100 free, 55.69); Brian Lee (boys 13/14 100 fly, 1:07.54); Liz Samtur (girls 13/14 100 back, 1:11.37); Emily Charniga (girls 9/10 50 free, 33.71); Gessica Charniga (girls 11/12 50 free, 28.88); and Justin Atkinson (boys 8U 25 back, 21.32).

Scoring third-place finishes were James Kugel (boys 13/14 100 breast, 1:17.34); Danielle Bartolotta (girls 13/14 100 breast, 1:21.69); Abby Weingarten (girls 13/14 100 fly, 1:06.06); Bryan Dau (boys 15/18 100 fly, 59.74); Will Samtur (boys 13/14 100 back (1:09.78); Kristen Lally (girls 9/10 50 free, 34.13, and girls 9/10 50 fly, 39.10); and Andrew Kudwitt (boys 11/12 100 free, 1:08.03).

Needless to say, with their championship effort, coupled with their strong showing in the regular season, the Willows team proved it belongs in the A League of the NJSDC.

Meanwhile, the Nob Valley Swim Team from North Brunswick put forth a stellar performance of their own at the NJSDC’s B League championships.

Nob Valley scored 252 team points, well behind the championship team from Coppermine (337 points), but with a young team, Nob Valley head coach Brian Rose was inspired by his team’s season-ending effort

“I think that we did extremely well and that all of our swimmers improved throughout the season,” he said. “I think we improved more this year than any other year. This was a completely different team by year’s end.”

Though Nob Valley also finished second in the B League during the dual-meet season with a 5-3 mark, it was at the league championships where the Nob Valley swimmers really excelled.

Nob Valley got individual wins from Nicole Van Avery (girls 15/18 100 freestyle, 1:04.61), Andy Rose (boys 13/14 100 breaststroke, 1:15.68, and boys 13/14 100 backstroke, 1:15.69); Joey Gaston (boys 8U 25 breaststroke, 28.20); Lincoln Harris (boys 9/10 50 breast, 48.42); Vinnie Gibbons (boys 8U 25 breast, 22.19, and boys 8U 25 butterfly, 21.26); and Ascia Johnson (girls 11/12 50 backstroke, 38.54).

The boys 8U 100 medley relay team of Joey Gaston, Brett Fitzgerald, Vinnie Gibbons and Dam Ng also won in 1:55.06.

Coach Rose said that Van Avery’s win in the 100 free was particularly impressive.

“She was seeded to come in seventh, but won by more that two seconds,” he said. “That was a pretty big surprise.”

Nob Valley also recorded several second-place finishes. They came courtesy of Andy Rose (boys 13/14 100 butterfly, 1:13.67); Nicole Van Avery (girls 15/18 100 butterfly, 1:16.70); Julie Rose (girls 15-18 100 backstroke, 1:12.78); Nicole Gibbons (girls 11/12 50 free, 31.38, and the girls 11/12 100 free, 1:09.14)); and Matthew Burke (boys 11/12 100 free, 1:11.73, boys 11/12 50 butterfly, 36.63, and boys 11/12 50 back, 38.95); as well as the girls 13-18 200 medley relay team of Van Avery, Jacqueline Bender, Julie Rose and Ashley Chibbaro (2:24.32); the boys 13-18 medley relay team of Chris Turkiewicz, Casey Snepar, Andy Rose and Joseph Smoot (2:19.51); the girls 13-18 200 freestyle relay team of Van Avery, Bender, Ashley Chibbaro and Julie Rose (2:08.61); the boys 8U 100 freestyle relay team of Sam Ng, Joey Gaston, Brett Fitzgerald and Vinnie Gibbons (1:38.56); and the girls 9-12 200 freestyle relay team of Ascia Johnson, Samantha Wereszcak, Annie Bucca and Nicole Gibbons (2:36.27).

Among the third-place finishers from Nob Valley were Amanda Stankewicz (girls 8U 25 free, 18.63, girls 8U 25 breaststroke, 26.41, and girls 8U 25 back, 23.13); Joseph Smoot (boys 13/14 100 breaststroke, 1:24.55); Ashley Chibbaro (girls 13/14 100 butterfly, 1:24.55); Nicole Gibbons (girls 11/12 50 butterfly, 35.63); and the girls 8U 100 medley relay team of Kyra Fox, Nicolette Aloia, Amanda Stankewicz and Ally Simpson (1:58.85).

While there were several other swimmers who scored points by finishing in the top six in their events, Coach Rose also pointed to the efforts of Rebecca Patton, who was solid in the girls 11/12 breaststroke this summer, Matt Dudzik, a 9-11 competitor who fought through injuries and illnesses all summer to compete well, and Jackie Bender, a 13/14 girls competitor.

“Jackie surprised me more than any other swimmer this summer,” Rose said. “She came out of nowhere and became a great breaststroker while I wasn’t looking. She really helped solidify that age group.”

Todd Bates was another swimmer who caught the coach’s attention.

“He was not at the championship meet, but at our dual meets he was a big part of our success,” Rose said. “He’s not necessarily the fastest swimmer on the team, but he was certainly one of the most important.”

Despite a rash of injuries and illnesses (Joseph Smoot competed most of the summer with a broken foot, for example), Nob Valley’s team put together a stellar summer.

“I’m very pleased,” Rose said.