(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) >VICTORIA STREET: Princeton High girls’ swimming star Victoria Cassidy churns to a win in a meet earlier this season. Last Monday, Cassidy posted victories in the 200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle to help top-seeded PHS beat fourth-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven 96-74 in the Public B sectional semifinals. The Little Tigers will go for the sectional title on Friday at North Brunswick when they face the winner of the Wall/Manasquan semifinal clash.

With Cassidy Making the Most of Senior Season, PHS Girls’ Swimmers Surge to Sectional Finals

Bill Alden

Coming into the Mercer County Swimming Championships last week, Victoria Cassidy was in search of her first county title.

While the Princeton High senior had earned several medals over her stellar career, none of them were gold.

But as Cassidy hit the pool at Lawrence High for the 400 meter freestyle final, she was shooting for more than a victory.

“I knew Sam Kietlinski, the girl who set the record in the 400 last year,” said Cassidy.

“I knew when she left, I could get the record. I was focused on the record and beating it. I talked to my coaches about staying on pace; they were giving split times for each 100.”

Cassidy achieved both of her goals, swimming to victory in the 400 in a time of 4:26.19, besting Kietlinski’s mark of 4:28.81.

In addition to her record-breaking performance, Cassidy took second in the 200 individual medley as she helped PHS take third in the team standings behind champion WW/P-S and runner-up Pennington.

“You prepare for a race and then you are there,” said Cassidy. “The mental work really pays off. I was really happy with it. It is good to be going out as a senior this way. Earlier, one of my teammates said this is your last county meet and I didn’t even realize it. I didn’t think about it; I am happy to have won a race.”

Next year, Cassidy will be looking to win races for the University of Maryland.

“I liked the coaches and the people there; I just felt a connection,” said Cassidy, who will be following in the footsteps of former PHS star Nina Rossi, who also swims for the Terps. “The girls are nice; the team is great. I felt like I would really fit in there.”

Last Monday, Cassidy had another great day as she won the 200 individual medley and the 500 free to help top-seeded PHS beat fourth-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven 96-74 in the Public B sectional semifinals.

Other standouts for the Little Tigers in the victory included Serena Deardorff, the winner of the 50 free and 100 butterfly, and Jen Enos, the victor in the 100 backstroke and the runner-up in the 200 free.

Cassidy and the Little Tigers will go for the sectional title on Friday at North Brunswick when they face the winner of the Wall/Manasquan semifinal clash.

For PHS head coach Greg Hand, his team’s performance in the county meet was a springboard to success in the state meet.

“They did very well; the freshmen had some nice prelim performances and really strong finals performances,” said Hand.

“Their meet was below the radar but when you saw what they were doing, it was a real confidence builder about who we have got here. We have some real good kids who have two or three more years in front of them.”

Hand, though, knows Cassidy is making the most of her final year with the program.

“Victoria had a stellar performance; she had a great 400 swim,” said Hand. “She is a racer; she is always ready. She gets everything she can get. She is very composed and very attentive. I loved her leg in the relay; it was very fast, one of the fastest 100s swum in the pool today, without a doubt. It is a really nice finish for her in the counties.”

PHS is looking for a nice finish in the state tournament, “The state tournament is fun; you dislocate your school days and you are doing something that is really unusual,” said Hand, whose team improved to 12-1 with the win over Rumson-Fair Haven.

“You are trying to manage homework and daily life and just keeping things going. The incentive is to go as far as you can. In the states, you have no clue who you are swimming against. We’ll go for it; this is a team that seems to want to race. They depend on each other and really support each other; they don’t need me to get excited about swimming.”

Cassidy believes PHS could stick around for a while in the state tournament. “I feel our team can really do something this year,” said Cassidy.

“I am just happy that this year was such a successful year swimming-wise. Last year, we lost in the first round. All the new girls are really excited; I think that they are motivated to do really well.”

Return to Previous Sports Story | Return to Top | Go to Next Sports Story