Metuchen girls swim team a work in progress
BY SHAWN LAYTON
Staff Writer

MIGUEL JUAREZ staff Melissa Wallace is back to help lead a Metuchen girls swim team that hopes to maintain its recent success this year with some new faces.

METUCHEN — The high school girls swimming team will look to duplicate the success the team has enjoyed the past two seasons as the one kicks into high gear this week.

A year ago, Metuchen finished the season 14-2 with an unblemished record in dual-meet competition among Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) schools. The Bulldogs also finished third in the GMC Tournament, an event the team won in 2004.

The Bulldogs are already off to a strong start as it posted a 71-23 victory over Kearny in its first meet of the season.

“It was a good way to start the season and it was a good meet to get a look at some of our younger swimmers,” Metuchen head coach Jim Thomas said. “It provided good experience for the freshmen on this year’s team, and it was good to get everyone together to see what we look like. We had some solid performances.”

It’s certainly a new look for the Bulldogs as they will be battling without the standout swimmers from last year’s team, Kelly Morris and Meghan Wallace. Morris was a top performer in the breaststroke, freestyle and individual medley while Wallace excelled in the freestyle event. Morris is currently swimming for Indiana University, and Wallace swims for York College.

“We definitely have a younger team this year,” Thomas said. “Hopefully, we will be all right and hang in there with the big teams and make them afraid of us once again.”

Senior Katie Templeton is expected to provide needed leadership for this year’s young squad. Templeton brings versatility to the lineup and is a strong competitor in the breaststroke and freestyle events.

Juniors Renae Sharkey and Melissa Wallace will also provide versatility and compete in several events.

“Renae is an excellent swimmer and really solid in the backstroke,” Thomas said. “She was the county champ last year and she has the capabilities to hold onto her title.”

Wallace should be among the area’s top performers in the freestyle event and will provide strength in the breaststroke events for the Bulldogs.

“Both Renae and Melissa have experience swimming in big meets, which should give them confidence heading into some of the big ones this year,” Thomas said. “Both can swim just about any event and put forth a solid effort.”

Rounding the team’s top four is sophomore Alexa Hetzel. Hetzel is slated to be one of the team’s top distance swimmers and will compete in the individual medley as well as the breaststroke.

“Alexa is another one I can put anywhere, and she’ll do well,” Thomas said. “Our top four are very strong swimmers, and everyone agrees they are the top four, but the rest of the team will have to come through for us if we want to win. Our success will really depend on how well the rest of the team performs. They will be needed to help the team score and ultimately win meets.”

The Bulldogs will resume action this week playing host to Piscataway at the Metuchen YMCA at 3:45 p.m. tomorrow.