It was a pretty satisfying day for the Haddonfield Memorial High School girls' swim team, which competed Sunday at the NJSIAA Swimming Championships held at the Gloucester County Institute Technology Aquatic Center.
Senior Emma Carpenter finished eighth in the 200 IM and 11th in the 100-meter breaststroke. She also swam the breaststroke leg for the 200 medley relay that finished fifth.
Carpenter, swimming in her last high school meet, said she was pretty satisfied with her swims Sunday. She went 2:11.25 in the 200 IM, about a second slower than her preliminary time, and she finished the 100 breaststroke in 1:06.07, which was a half-second faster than she swam in prelims.
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“I was a little slower than I expected, but I was happy with my swim,” Carpenter said of her IM swim. “It’s just off my best time so I’m satisfied. My breaststroke was right on my best time so I’m satisfied with that as well.”
Sophomore Katie Kurtz finished 14th in the 100 butterfly, swam the fly leg on the medley relay and the third leg of the 400 free relay that finished 20th.
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Kurtz was seeded with a time of 59.19 in the consolation of the 100 butterfly and finished in 59.44. She said she got off to a slow start, but rallied through the rest of the race to post a good time.
“I thought I disqualified because I wobbled a little bit on the start,” Kurtz said. “I just went like crazy after that and got a good time. “
Emily Rollo, who would finish 14th in the 100 backstroke, led off the relay followed by Carpenter, Kurtz and Laura DeFeo who swam the freestyle leg. The Bulldawgs finished in 1:50.80.
The 200 freestyle relay consisted of Alexandra Lincoln, DeFeo, Julia Sheehan and Paige Arruda. They finished 15th with a time of 1:43.52, which is right about where they were seeded.
Arruda, Lincoln, Kurtz and Dana Stone swam Haddonfield to a 20th place finish in the 400 free relay. Their time of 3:45.30 was over a second faster than their seed time.
“The 400 free relay time was a season’s best,” Haddonfield coach Bob Querubin. “The medley was good but we had set a school record a couple of weeks ago in the sectional final against Cherry Hill West. That was the best dual meet in school history.
“Today was about the seniors coming in and taking advantage of their last opportunity to swim and to show the underclassmen how to finish the season.”
Audubon/Collingswood’s Katie Gillespie finished sixth in the 100 backstroke with a time of 59.11. She had waited around all meet for her swim, but she said she felt that was an advantage.
“I think it helps you to relax,” Gillespie said. “You take the time to prepare mentally and I use the time to calm myself down. It was one of my best times all year so I’m definitely happy.”