IN THE FAST LANE: Princeton High girls’ swimmer Sabine Ristad displays her freestyle form in a race last season. Senior Ristad will be playing a key role for PHS this winter as she looks to produce another stellar campaign. The Tigers, who have a new head coach in Patrick Remboski, started the season by defeating Lawrence High 94-61 last Thursday. PHS, which improved to 2-0 with a 93-64 win over Steinert last Monday, has meets at Hightstown on December 13 and at Robbinsville on December 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Although Patrick Remboski has taken the helm of the Princeton High girls’ swim team, it should be business as usual for the squad.

Having served as an assistant coach for the PHS boys’ and girls’ programs for the last six seasons under head coach Carly Fackler, who is now just coaching the boys, Remboski has enjoyed a smooth transition in leading the squad.

“I taught a lot of them in middle school, they have been really welcoming,” said Remboski, who also serves as an assistant coach for the PHS boys’ soccer program. “Carly and I split up certain roles between boys/girls but for the most part it is more of a change for us than the athletes.”

With the PHS girls having gone 14-1 last winter on the way to making the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group B final, there was no change in their winning ways as they defeated Lawrence High 94-61 last Thursday in their season opener.

Tiger senior Sabine Ristad placed first in both the 100-yard butterfly and 500 freestyle against Lawrence while junior Annie Flanagan won both the 100 free and 100 backstroke. Other individual victors for PHS in the meet included freshman Jenna Barry in the 200 free, senior Rachel McInerney on the 200 individual medley, sophomore Hannah Ploss in the 50 free, and junior Nia Zagar in the 100 breaststroke.

“It was great, we had some different swimmers swim some different events that they are not used to,” said Remboski. “We were excited with the times. We lost a bunch of good seniors and at first we were wondering what the season was going to be like. After the first meet that excitement came back again.”

Remboski is excited about his group of seniors, which includes Lola Jimenez, Priya Bakshi, Elizabeth Chorba, Julia Godfrey, Ella Hernon, Vakentine Mathews ,and Eva Zizak along with Ristad and McInerney.

“Sabine, Rachel, and Lola will play some big roles,” said Remboski. “Sabine is great, she is someone that the team really looks up to. She has been around some big time meets, she is a great swimmer. She has been a great leader of the team and had some really good swims last year. Rachel is more of a leader with her times. She is quieter but when she is in the pool, that is her way of leading.”

Juniors Annie Flanagan, Emily Walden, and Nia Zagar will be playing big roles as well.

“Annie brings a ton of spirit and a ton of confidence,” said Remboski, whose team improved to 2-0 with a 93-64 win over Steinert last Monday and has meets at Hightstown on December 13 and at Robbinsville on December 16. “She is only a junior, but people look up to her. We are so excited for her this year and how she is going to help us out. Emily is so great, she is also a soccer player. She goes right from the pool to practice with her club team for soccer. She is awesome. She does a ton of things, freestyle, backstroke. She is great on relays. Nia had a great year last season. She is dealing with an injury right now but she is on the mend from it. She is really dialing in. She is another one who is fearless and leads with her swimming times.”

The Tigers also feature some younger swimmers who are dialed in.

“Hannah Ploss is a sophomore and is a great breaststroker,” said Remboski. “We also have some really good freshmen too. We have Jenna Barry and Charlotte Flanagan who are going to help us out in some roles too.”

Looking forward, Remboski is looking for his swimmers to focus on the present.

“It is laying brick by brick every meet, like last year, it is just laying the foundation,” said Remboski. “It is all going to come together eventually but it is just about staying positive and making sure you are doing your best. It is trusting the process. You are not always going to swim your best time and that is OK. It is being resilient. You are going to be OK. We are learning at each practice and each meet.”