An end to a very short, but extremely productive summer season came in New Providence Thursday morning for the Westfield Marlins swim team at the North Jersey Summer Swim League Meet of Champions.
This meet was a culmination of a four-week season that opened with a simple objective: be a faster swimmer at the end of July than you were at the start of the month.
The Marlins weren’t at full strength as some were away or like standout Steve Husch at the Y Nationals at the University of Maryland.
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But there was much to celebrate on the steamy day.
Aram Barmakian won the 12-under IM in 1:17.82 and the 12-under back stroke in 36.84 and Erika Daniel won the 11-12 50 butterfly (33.44) and 12-under 100 IM (1.17.84).
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“I didn’t win the IM by a lot, but I had a good turn on the third lap and it helped,’’ said Barmakian, who’ll be an eighth grader at Roosevelt School in the fall. “It really came down to the turns in both races.’’
Daniel had a personal best in the IM.
“I tried to sprint all of it,’’ she said.
Daniel came into the meet seeded with a 1:18.83. It was those kinds of performances that send the swimmers into August with an encouraging sense.
“It was more important of making their times,’’ said head coach Judy Lee. “I was just happy that people did good times today regardless of their places.’’
That was the case for Kevin Clauss, who was second to Barmakian in the backstroke. He came into the race with a best of 39.50, but went 37.57.
“I did better turns,’’ said Klauss.
Becky Zhang won the 13-14 breast stroke in 39.54.
“You have to stay focused and just know what you have to do to get your goals,’’ said Zhang, who will compete at the New Jersey Junior Olympics at Rutgers this weekend. “At the end of the season at the championships meets you want your best times.’’
Matt Daniel was first in the 13-14 backstroke at 32.01 and was sixth in the 50 freestyle at 28 flat.
“You want to do good in this meet because it’s the last meet of the season, you get pumped because if you don’t get pumped you’re not focused and if you’re not focused you don’t go fast,’’ Daniel said. Daniel’s brother, Colin, won the 9-10 freestyle in 20.15 and third in the butterfly behind Marlin Jack Naughton, who was second in 16.94.
Caroline Basil was second in the 11-12 backstroke in 37.09 and seventh in the 100 IM. Danielle Rubiano was second in the 8-under freestyle in 17.08 and in the freestyle in 23.47. Matt Barmakian was second in the 9-10 backstroke in 18.96 and Matt Harris was sixth in 20.16. Shannon Pyle was third in the 9-10 freestyle in 15.13, beating her seed time of 15.72. Ryan Hobson was fourth in the 15-18 50 backstroke.
“I felt pretty good,’’ said Hobson, who’ll be a Westfield High sophomore. “This is it. I wanted to make the top three. That was my main goal. I just missed.’’
Ryan Gajdzsiz was second in the 13-14 breast in 36.58 with Connor Moore third at 37.02. Naughton was also fourth in the freestyle in 15.92. Luke McGrory was third in the 13-14 backstroke in 32.99 and Connor Moore was fourth in 33.31. Allie McBrearty was fourth in the 13-14 backstroke in 35.67. Amy West was third in the 11-12 butterfly (33.44) and fifth in the breast in 42.23. Jack Rose was fourth in the 11-12 back (38.44) and fifth in the breast in 43.49
