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Sports

Girls Swimming Captures Sectional Crown, Boys Fall Short

Blue Devil girls top rival Bridgewater for second straight year in the North Jersey 2 sectional final. The boys could not advance against defending state champs.

It was no surprise to Westfield swimming coach Jeff Knight that his team would look down at the pool during this postseason and see faces from Bridgewater-Raritan High School staring back at them. And just as the case was for the Blue Devils last season, the meeting ended with victory for the girls and the end of the season for the boys.

Led by Caroline Baldwin, who swam a blistering 24.02 in the girls 50 freestyle, Sarah Cronin and Becky DeLaFuente, the Blue Devil girls defended their from a season ago, ending Bridgewater-Rartian's season for the second straight year. The boys were not able to do the same, and after a push in the middle of the meet, fell to the defending state champion Panther boys Thursday night at the Raritan Bay area YMCA in Perth Amboy.

The girls removed much of the suspense early. After wins in the 200 freestyle, the 200 Individual Medley (DeLaFuente, 2:10.83) and Baldwin blazed to the end of the 50 free -- the Blue Devils had seized momentum and were on their way to earning another trip to the state semifinals.

"They knew that they had the opportunity to continue rolling on toward the state final and achieving the ultimate goal, which is to win a state title and be ranked number one in the state," Knight said after the meet. "I can't even express how proud I am of them, when you look at what we were able to accomplish today, just the fast times throughout ... Bridgewater is one of the best teams in the state." 

The Westfield girls responded after an early challenge from Bridgewater. After the Panthers won the days first event, the 200 Medley Relay, Sarah Cronin gave the Blue Devils their first victory of the day in the 200 free winning in a time of 1:56.06.

"The 200 free was a really good race for our team ..." Cronin said. "My teammate, Ellie Reinhardt, and I came in first and second place. So that was a really good way to start off the meet after the medley relay."

Sarah sister, Jessica Cronin, also had a memorable meet. After forgetting someone to count her laps during the 20-lap 500 freestyle, she eventually found someone to do it, the younger Cronin set a new school record in the 100 backstroke. She finished second to Panthers powerhouse swimmer Mara Valenzuela in a time of 1:00.16.

"I'm glad, not only that I got the record, but that I was able to help my team out," Cronin said.

On the boys side, the Blue Devils closed a big early deficit to within just 4 points after Jack Lorentzen, Nick Boyle and and Matt Daniel finished first, second and third in the 100 freestyle. Westfield would shrink the deficit to 4 points again after Lorentzen, Boyle, Daniel and Tim Walsh won the 200 freestyle relay, but that was as close as they would get. Afterward the emotions for the boys team ran the range.

"I feel really bad right know. You know they're a good team. We swam our best ... it is what it is," said senior captain Nick Boyle, who anchored the 200 free relay team to victory. On the other end of the spectrum, sophomore Walsh was upbeat after the meet.

"I didn't do what a normal swimmer does, I'm as strong as an Ox!" said Walsh in a tongue-and-cheek manner that keeps everyone around him laughing. "I feel 10 feet tall right know." Walsh got the Blue Devil boys their first win of the sectional final with a time of 22.56 in the 50 free. Knight said after the meet that everyone had cause to be upbeat.

"There is no disappointment, from my perspective, in terms of the effort that I know my kids put in," Knight said. "As a coach ... you want to see your kids put up the best effort they can. What we were earlier in the season and what we are know is totally two different teams and it showed today."

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