FLYING HIGH: Princeton High boys’ swimmer Julian Velazquez displays his butterfly form in a race this season. Sophomore Velazquez starred as PHS went 12-0 this season. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Coming into the 2021 season, the Princeton High boys’ swimming team amounted to a hardy band of brothers trying to scrape together a full lineup while the PHS girls’ squad was stocked with talent with the main question being how to deploy the resources at its disposal. 

Although the teams had different make-ups, they ended up in the same place as they both posted 12-0 records.

PHS head coach Carly Misiewicz, who guided both squads, was pleasantly surprised by how her swimmers competed this winter.

“The season was fun; I wasn’t really sure going in what it was going to be like with all of the restrictions and with virtual meets and what not,” said Misiewicz.

“The kids really surprised me with how much they really got excited to get up and race.”

While the boys’ squad was undermanned in terms of numbers, it boasted quality performers who were willing to swim wherever needed.

“I told them all that in the beginning of the season, guys we are hurting for numbers this year so don’t be surprised if you are going to be in different events week after week,” said Misiewicz.

The all hands on deck mentality resonated with the squad. “We really tried to utilize our versatility,” said Misiewicz.

“All of our guys can do almost anything — people like Owen Tennant, Julian Velazquez, Dan Baytin, and Will Murray. Alex Shaw this year really surprised us, coming up in a lot of different events. It was not just the sprints, he did the 500 a couple of times for us and the butterfly even.”

Choosing Wednesday as their day for virtual meets, which entailed each team swimming separately at their pool and then sharing times to calculate the score, helped focus the team.

“I think what kind of helped is that we did only have six virtual meet days rather than had we chosen to swim this 12 virtual meet days,” said Misiewicz, noting that sophomore star Baytin set a school record in the 100 breaststroke this season with a time of 58.43.

“I think it would have been a lot more mentally challenging, not that they could not have handled it.”

In reflecting on the squad’s undefeated run, Misiewicz credited the boys with rising to the challenges they faced.

“I think the versatility and the fact that everyone was so excited just to be able to have a season and just to be able to get up and race were keys,” said Misiewicz.

“It gave them a little bit of a sense of normalcy, I know I felt that way. The guys as a whole took it and ran with it. They got fired up, they used every opportunity to race to their full advantage.”

The team’s most exciting meet of the season came when the Tigers edged WW/P-North 86-84 despite winning just two of eight individual events (Tennant in the 200 individual merely and Henry Xu in the 1000 breaststroke).

“I think the WW/P-North meet was a turning point, not so much like a wake-up call but telling us that we are pretty good this year,” said Misiewicz.

“The numbers may be low but we got seconds and thirds and did well in the relays. I remember scoring that meet out and I can’t believe it came out that way. I got to enter it on NJ.com and it is like we didn’t win anything.”

Seeing the boys win all of their meets was special for Misiewicz.

“I was so happy for them, I am so proud of them,” said Misiewicz.

“It was look what we can do, with even just a small group of guys. We don’t need that number, you just need that drive and that determination. They have had it since the beginning.”

The team’s quartet of seniors Tennant, Murray, Andy Liu, and Alvaro Lopez helped spark that drive.

“Andy got injured towards the end of last season and wasn’t able to finish out the championship portion of the season,” said Misiewicz.

“He did a lot of lifting and a lot of strengthening and conditioning to get ready and prepared for this season. For Owen, it was really just about being able to have fun. He got that college piece out of the way, when he committed to Colorado College. That allowed him to relax and just have fun. Will was great in the sprints, the 50 free, the 100 free, the 100 fly and all of the relays that he has been a part of as well.”

With such standouts as sophomore Baytin, sophomore Velazquez, junior Shaw, freshman Xu, and freshman Alvin Tien returning, Misiewicz is confident the team can build on this winter’s success.

“The juniors and seniors helped lay that foundation, all the club kids know each other too,” said Misiewicz.

“They want to be part of the team and this is what we did this year. It was cool. I was a club swimmer and a high school swimmer so I totally understand. That is why I think so many kids have said that they appreciate being on the team. I know what they are going through, you want to be part of both but that high school team gives you that fun atmosphere. There is pride in swimming for the school.”

STROKES OF BRILLIANCE: Princeton High girls’ swimming star Lucy Liu competes in a freestyle race in a meet this season. Junior standout Liu helped PHS produce a dominant campaign this winter as it went 12-0, scoring more than 120 points in every meet. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Misiewicz took a lot of pride in what her girls team accomplished as its closest meet of the season was a 121-49 win over WW/P-North on February 25.

“I said it after every meet, if we only had a state tournament, the girls would be a dominant force,” said Misiewicz.

“I don’t think we scored less than 100 points in any meet. The girls had so much fun.”

Like the boys, the girls squad featured a number of all-around swimmers.

“The girls are all so extremely versatile as well, there are so many people who can do so many different events,” said Misiewicz.

“Last year I had a lot of 50 freestylers and 100 freestylers but this year for example I had someone like Courtney Weber who can do distance, can do sprints, can do IM, can do breaststroke, and can do freestyle. She really can do anything. It was the same thing with Beatrice Cai, and Abby Walden. I was very pleasantly surprised by freshman Kyleigh Tangen. She won a lot of races.”

As Misiewicz mixed and matched her lineup, the team kept routing opponents.

“The girls were dominant; even when I would try to change lineups and put people in different events, it was always the same result,” said Misiewicz. “They were so excited to race.”

The squad’s two seniors, Ella Caddeau and Emily Bauser, proved to be special people as well as talented swimmers.

“I would have loved to have Ella for all four years, she is an all-around great person,” said Misiewicz, noting that Caddeau spent two years away from the program to focus on club swimming.

“Ella reached out to me before the last meet. She did really well in her club meet the weekend before. She dropped two seconds in her 100 back and said that I would really like to go for the record if that is possible and I said absolutely and she got the record [with a time of 57.64]. Emily has always been someone who has been on those B relays for us and has definitely been a major point contributor. This year we switched things up a little bit with her. I put her in some more sprint stuff rather than IM just to see how she did and she really liked it. She and Jordyn Weber were my go-to girls this year whenever I needed to get a message out or ask the team a question.”

Looking ahead, Misiewicz likes the foundation she has in place with the girls’ program.

“We are really graduating two people; I am very excited about the girls for next year,” said Misiewicz.

“It is funny because the freshmen and sophomores are the closest in age to the current 8th graders and they are saying like this person is coming next year, she can do this and this and this. There are people coming.”

In the end, Misiewicz was excited about what both teams achieved this winter. “I could not have been more happier and proud of them as a whole, both teams across the board.”