Willows swim team finds itself in another title chase
BY DOUG McKENZIE
Staff Writer

Coming off a season in which the Willows Swim Team was crowned the A League champions of the New Jersey Swimming and Diving Conference, this year's team is hoping for similar success in the pools this summer.

If they are to repeat, however, they'll be doing it under new leadership because the Willows have a new coaching staff in head coach Courtney DeRosa and assistant coach Kerri Adams.

DeRosa has an impressive swimming background, beginning at age 8. She still holds a high school record in the 200 freestyle relay, and also swam and dove for SUNY-Geneseo. DeRosa also has extensive coaching experience, winning back-to-back district swimming titles.

In addition to coaching, she is currently a fourth-grade teacher in the Bridgewater-Raritan School District.

Adams has been swimming for 12 years, and was a member of the Scarlet Aquatic Club and Sayreville War Memorial High School teams, where she was an All-County, All-Conference swimmer. Adams just completed her freshman year at Hartwick College in upstate New York.

The Willows team got off to a tough start in their first dual meet of the season, falling to Roycefield, 143-133.

However, there were several top finishes for Willows swimmers.

In the 8-and-under division, Ethan Goldstein (boys 25-yard backstroke, 26.41) and Seth Weingarten (boys 25 breaststroke, 25.48) each scored wins, while Carly Broda (girls 25 freestyle, 21.19) took second, and Samantha Lewis (girls 25 butterfly, 28.06) took third. Boda and Lewis also teamed with Rachel Szachara and Zoe Finkelstein to win the girls 100 medley relay in 1:56.68.

In the 9-10-year-old division, Harrison Kudwitt (boys 50 breast, 46.67) and Justin Atkinson (boys 50 back, 43.33) scored wins, while Emily Charniga took first in the girls 50 freestyle (34.37), followed by teammate Samantha Disario (51.06). Charniga was also second in the girls 50 fly in 40.49.

Kristen Lally (girls 100 IM, 1:27.06) and Harrison Kudwitt (boys 10 free, 1:16.45) both scored wins in the 10-and-under division, while the Willows team also got a pair of relay wins in the 9/12-year-old races. The girls 200 medley relay team of Charniga, Caitlyn Ignall, Jamie Weingarten and Kristen Lally won in 2:41.93, while the boys 200 freestyle relay team of Ian Moritz, Justin Atkinson, Kevin Atkinson and Kudwitt won in 2:21.63.

In the 11/12-year-old races, Caitlyn Ignall took first in the 50 free (32.02) and third in the girls 50 fly (36.83), while Kevin Atkinson won the boys 100 free (1:14.28) and Chris Molnar won the boys 50 back (43.07), followed by his teammate, Ian Moritz (43.98). Cara Bagley added a third in the girls 100 IM (1:30.62), while Steven Mastro was third in the boys 50 breaststroke (48.74).

Abby Weingarten (girls 100 fly, 1:06.88) and Gessica Charniga (girls 100 free, 1:02.24) scored the only wins in the 13/14-year-old division, while Charniga also took second in the 100 fly (1:12.86). Danielle Bartolotta added a second-place finish in the girls 100 free (1:05.80), while Andrew Kudwitt was second in the boys 100 breast (1:32.77), followed by teammate T.J. Elias (1:34.51). Will Samtur also secured a silver medal in the boys 100 back (1:08.62), followed by Kudwitt in 1:25.13.

In the 13-18-year-old races, Abby Weingarten won the girls 200 IM in 2:30.90, while Tyler Wardlow was third in the boys 200 free (2:01.60).

The Willows team also fared well in the 15-18-year-old events, with the boys 200 freestyle relay team of Tyler Wardlow, Andre Kudwitt, James Kugel and Will Samtur winning in 1:46.57; Stephanie Bartolotta taking second in the girls 100 free (1:02.89), followed by teammate Liz Samtur (1:03.24); James Kugel taking second in the boys 100 breast (1:15.41); Tyler Wardlow taking third in the boys 100 back (1:04.82); and Liz Samtur taking third in the girls 100 fly (1:10.45).