NO BACKING DOWN: Princeton High girls’ swimmer Jesse Wang displays her backstroke form in recent action. Last Thursday, junior star Wang placed first in the 200-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke as PHS defeated WW/P-South 122-48. The Tigers, who improved to 6-0 with the win, have meets at WW/P-North on January 11, at Trenton Central on January 12, and at Nottingham on January 17. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Having increased her workload in the pool over the last year, Jesse Wang is putting together a superb junior season for the Princeton High girls’ swim team.

“I have improved a lot because last year we could have limited training,” said Wang, who also competes for X-Cel swim club. “This year we have definitely amped it up to a different level.”

Last Thursday as PHS defeated WW/P-South 122-48 in improving to 6-0, Wang displayed the fruits of that labor, winning both the 200-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke against the Pirates.

“I have to admit, the 200 free is not my favorite event,” said Wang with a laugh as she reflected on her swims. “I did enjoy my swim this time. It was very, very fun to race my friend Sarah [Yan] from South. It was a good race, it was very exhilarating. That 100 back was very good. Me and Sabine [Ristad] have a little rivalry with backstroke.”

Wang enjoys the good rivalry that PHS has with WW/P-S.

“They are very fast, several of our club swimmers have friends and teammates on South,” said Wang of the Pirates who brought a 5-0 record into the meet. “They are very tough competitors. We always have a lot of fun with these competitions.”

PHS head coach Carly Misiewicz credited Wang with coming up big in the meet.

“Jesse had two really nice swims in the 200 feee and 100 back,” said Misiewicz, who got a lot of good swims against the Pirates as Beatrice Cai placed first in the 200 individual medley, Kyleigh Tangen won the 50 free, Lauren Girouard prevailed in the 100 butterfly, Annie Zhao was the victor in both the 100 free and 100 breaststroke, and Sabine Ristad was first in the 500 free. “She is somebody who can swim anything, the 200 IM, the 500 free, 100 fly, 100 back, and 100 free. She is just such a competitor.”

Junior Girouard competed hard against WW/P-S. “Lauren had a big swim in the 100 fly and her 1:04 in the 100 back was big,” said Misiewicz. “For her and Sabine to both do 1:04 as our second and third lanes in the backstroke, that truly speaks to our depth.”

The team’s depth is exemplified by the versatility of senior standout Beatrice Cai, who also took second in the 100 fly against the Pirates.

“Beatrice continues to find herself every day and just races every opportunity she gets,” said Misiewicz. “That is what I always tell them. Every race that you get is an opportunity. Every swim is an opportunity to do the best time or to drop a little bit of time or the swim a little faster than you did yesterday.”

Showing her appetite for racing, senior Zhao starred against WW/P-S.

“Annie had a great 100 free and great 100 breaststroke, today, she was another double winner,” said Misiewicz. “I am really excited with where we are at.”

With PHS heading into a busy week with meets at WW/P-North on January 11, at Trenton Central on January 12, and at Nottingham on January 17, Misiewicz is looking for some more exciting performances from her squad.

“We are sitting pretty right now but like I tell them there is always more work to do,” said Misiewicz. “I was waiting for this week, it is nice to have those competitive meets. Today and Tuesday (a 135-35 win over Notre Dame on January 3) was the first time we have had everybody at full force. We had our full lineup. That was the big thing before the holidays, everybody was sick.”

If the Tigers keep up the good work, they could accomplish a lot this winter.

“They are a force to be reckoned with, the girls have really, really big goals this season,” said Misiewicz. “We fell a little short of them last year. I think the girls really want that sectional title, and to really see what we can do as a whole after that too.”

Wang, for her part, is confident about the squad’s ability to achieve those goals.

“We are in a very good place; I have faith in this team and I believe we can do a lot of great things,” said Wang. “Going into future, I think we have a pretty good chance of winning everything.”