TEN SPEED: Princeton High boys’ swimmer Owen Tennant competes in the 200-meter individual medley last Saturday in the Mercer County Championships at the WW/P-North pool. Sophomore Tennant placed sixth in both the 200 IM and in the 100 backstroke, helping PHS take fifth of 13 schools in the boys’ team standings. The Tiger girls, led by junior Cameron Davis, finished sixth in their team standings. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Although Carly Misiewicz would have liked to see her Princeton High boys’ and girls’ swimming squads in the hunt for team titles at the Mercer County Championships last Saturday at WW/P-North, she believes the program laid the foundation for future success.

Featuring a number of talented freshman performers, the PHS girls took sixth in their meet, which was won by the Hun School.

“I think the girls did a great job overall; our freshmen this year really stepped up,” said PHS head coach Misiewicz, citing the efforts of newcomers Abby Walden, Katie DiVenti, and Tracey Liu. “They were really excited about this meet coming into it, they had a little bit of nerves but nerves are good.”

Walden took third in the 200-meter freestyle, while DiVenti finished fourth in the 200 free and fifth in the 400 free and Liu placed sixth in the 100 backstroke.

Junior Cammie Davis also had a very good day for
Tigers, excelling in two ‘A’ finals.

“Cammie was a standout as usual, getting second in the  100 free and fifth in the 100 backstroke,” added Misiewicz.

The standout performances last Saturday bode well for the future. “I am looking at everyone who was here to swim today and none of them are graduating,” said Misiewicz. “Everyone is coming back.”

As for the PHS boys, the Tigers finished fifth in the team standings behind champion Notre Dame and provided one of the highlights of the day for the program, winning the 200 free relay.

“That was fun, that is probably one of the best races and most exciting to watch,” said Misiewicz, reflecting on the effort of her quartet of sophomore Will Murray, freshman Logan Eastburn, senior Oliver Tennant, and junior Jeshurun Reyen who clocked a winning time of 1:41.42.

“We think of it as the splash and dash. Going into it having been four seconds ahead in the preliminary round, I said ‘guys this is yours, this is no one else’s but yours.’ They were pumped.”

Misiewicz was pumped by the individual work she got from Reyen, Murray, and sophomore Owen Tennant.

“Jeshurun had a great meet; he had a great swim in the 50, getting third,” said Misiewicz.

“Owen and Will had some very good swims. Owen made the top six in both of his events (200 individual medley, 100 backstroke) and Will was in the top 12 in both of his events (200 IM, 100 butterfly).”

With the state sectionals on the horizon, Misiewicz believes her swimmers can build on their effort at the county meet.

“We have a week and half before the states get started, so I think we can benefit from this time off to recover and then get back into racing,” said Misiewicz.