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 (Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption:
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With McKinley Shouldering Bigger Load, PHS Boys' Swimmers Primed for Counties
By Bill Alden
Tom McKinley was spent after the Princeton High boys' swim team cruised past Nottingham last Thursday but he wasn't complaining.
The senior sprint specialist won the 50 freestyle, came in second in the 100 butterfly, did the butterfly leg on PHS' winning 200 medley relay team, and helped the 200 free relay to a win as the Little Tigers posted a 109-61 triumph to improve to 7-2.
McKinley's swimming day, though, started long before the afterschool meet. "We had a morning practice so we're all pretty tired," said the curly-headed McKinley with a weary grin. "We'll be sore tomorrow."
For McKinley, the chance to push himself to that soreness is sweet after having battled a shoulder injury earlier in his high school career. "I've been doing pretty good," said McKinley in gauging his recovery from his injury woes. "It's pretty close to 100 percent. I am swimming the butterfly again and I'm a lot faster than the last time."
McKinley and his mates showed a lot of speed two days before the Nottingham meet when they pushed WW/P-S to the brink before losing an 86-84 squeaker.
"That was a great meet," said McKinley, referring to the loss to the undefeated Pirates. "I've never been so proud of the team. It was great, everybody was competitive. We surprised ourselves."
PHS head coach Greg Hand is not surprised at how McKinley has fought back from his shoulder problems. "He's very strong but he was incapacitated for a long time," recalled Hand. "Ever since he was cleared a couple of years ago he has been so dedicated and goal-focused. We don't have any concern with him on the fly, he's now become the fly guy on our medley relay."
In Hand's view, McKinley's resolve has set a special example for his teammates. "I think leadership is day-to-day," explained Hand. "The cumulative part is that everyday, the kids who train near Tom in the pool pick up on how hard he works to improve himself."
Hand believed that his boys' team showed marked improvement in its battle with WW/P-S. "We saw it as a chance to swim fast in the season," asserted Hand, who got wins against the Pirates from his son, Pete, in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke together with triumphs in the 200 medley relay and the 200 free relay.
"The boys were very psyched. We just wanted to swim as fast as we could. It was real exciting to be in it all the way. We've had two opportunities to face pressure situations this year (the other a loss to Lawrence). This will help us in the states when the going gets tougher."
Hand knows the going will get tougher next week when PHS competes in the Mercer County Championship. Having won the team crown the last three years, Hand doesn't harbor any illusions about the task facing his team.
"We won't be in the running for the championship this year," declared Hand, looking ahead to the meet which takes place from February 3-5 at Lawrence High. "We're shooting for third, it's a target. I don't know that much about what's out there. We just want to be in it and compete."
No matter where PHS finishes, Hand believes it will be a rewarding experience. "It's really fun to take a competitive group of guys into a meet like the counties," said Hand, whose team will host Trenton on January 27 in its final tune-up before the county competition.
"You can rest assured that in every event, there are guys that are as good as or better than our guys. Based on what I've seen recently, that will bring out the best in them."
McKinley and his classmates are primed to do their best in their final county meet. "All the seniors are doing great," said McKinley. "Matt Millar is dropping times everywhere, Pete Hand has always been good. I'd like to do real well in the counties and drop some times. I can't wait."
After having to wait out his injured shoulder, McKinley will be looking forward to exhausting himself at the county meet.
