Ocean nearly captures team's first sectional title
BY DOUG McKENZIE
Staff Writer

JEFFGRANIT staff Ocean's Sloane Hindman competes in the 100 butterfly during a state semifinal meet against Rumson-Fair Haven at Ocean County College on Feb. 15.

NORTH BRUNSWICK - The Ocean Township girls swim team's dream of a sectional title came to a heartbreaking end on Monday, as the Spartans lost a hotly contested meet to Princeton, 87-83.

The top-seeded Spartans appeared to be in position to wrap up their first Central Group B title, needing only to finish second and third in the meet's final event - the 400 freestyle relay - which happened to be one of the team's strengths all season. But Princeton found a way to take first and third in the event, erasing a two-point deficit and essentially stealing the sectional crown.

It was a tough way for the season to end for the Spartans, who were one of the top teams in the Shore Conference throughout the year, and appeared ready to unseat the defending champion Little Tigers.

Early on, Princeton was in control, winning six of the first nine events. Ocean's Holly Biro (50 and 100 free) and the 200 freestyle relay team provided the Spartans with their only wins. Ocean took its only lead of the meet when they outscored Princeton, 12-4, in the breaststroke, as Luci DiMaggio, Jess Eager and Dorea DiMaggio took first, second and fourth, respectively, setting up the dramatic 400 free relay which decided the championship.

The title marked the fourth in a row for Princeton, who beat Rumson-Fair Haven, also the top seed, in last year's championship meet, 93-77. Ocean, who reached the sectional semifinals last year before losing another close one - 86-84 to West Windsor-Plainsboro South - reached the finals for the first time by beating a familiar foe, Rumson-Fair Haven, in the semifinals on Friday, 103-67.

The win over the Bulldogs was the second in a 15-day span for the Spartans, as they got wins from Biro (50 and 100 free), Katie English (200 and 500 free), and the 400 free relay team of Biro, English, Lauren Pembleton and Danielle Caruso.

Rumson got wins from Paige Bissett (200 IM and 10 back), Lesley Pringel (100 breast), Gabby Goione (100 butterfly) and the 200 medley relay team, but the Spartans depth was too much for the Bulldogs on this day.

Rumson finished another strong season at 9-3 overall, while the Spartans, with their loss to Princeton, wrapped up the year at 13-2.

Ocean boys suffer similar fate in sectional final

After taking care of business in their Central Group B semifinal against rival Rumson-Fair Haven, the Ocean Township boys ran into a team on another level in the final.

Ocean, which cruised past the Bulldogs, 113-57, in last Thursday's semifinal, fell to a deep Moorestown team, 120-50, in Monday's final at North Brunswick High School.

Early on, the Spartans hung tough with the top-seeded Quakers, trailing just 29-17 after three events. But Moorestown, sensing that Ocean was gaining confidence, sent out the big guns over the next three individual races, sweeping the 50 and 100 free events, and taking first and second in the 100 butterfly to open up a 40-point lead.

Ocean managed just one win - the 500 free, where Shane MacCary and Mike Pembleton took first and third, respectively. It was a far cry from their semifinal performance against RFH, where the Spartans got wins from Matt Stengel (11 back), Luke Vasta (100 free and 100 breast), Cody Parker (100 butterfly), Jason Stern (individual medley), and the 200 medley, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay teams.

Rumson got wins from Connor Jaeger, who took both the 200 and 500 freestyle events, and finished 8-3 on the year.

While Monday's win was an impressive performance by the Quakers, it did nothing to take away from what Ocean accomplished this season. The Spartans finished with a 14-1 mark, and established themselves as one of the best teams in the state. And Ocean, which is 24-5 over the last two years under head coach Bill Lynch, has plenty of talented swimmers returning next year, when they expect to make another run at that elusive sectional crown.