Eight swimmers stroke their way to first team
Both the Rutherford boys and girls swimming teams went undefeated in league meets and grabbed the league swim meets titles.
While both the Bulldogs swimming teams fell in the first round of the state tournament, they collected on the All North Jersey Swim League honors. Rutherford collected eight first team all-league honors on both the boys and girls teams with five coming from the girls.
For both teams the biggest victories came against the River Dell/New Milford co-op team who has been battling with the Bulldogs the last few years for supremacy in the North Jersey Swim League. "They’ve been our rival and it was just a good feeling beating them," said sophomore Ryan Hennessy.
Leading the way was Ellen Huelbig in the 200 individual medley. Huelbig won the Bergen County championship in that race, the first for a Rutherford swimming in the last six years. In addition the 200 freestyle relay team garnered second team All Bergen County with Huelbig, Jacky Moe, Kristy Allen and Victoria Adams getting the job done.
On the boys side, Hennessy led the trio of first team honors. Hennessy was part of the 200 medley relay with Mike Lazzara, Andrew Reimon and Mike Kressaty. Hennessy also took first team all league honors in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Hennessy broke the school record in the 50 free at 23.7.
Both teams have plenty of quality swimmers coming back next season and hope to do better in the state and county tournaments. "We’re definitely working hard to do better next season," said Hennessy.
In addition to the three first team honors, the boys squad grabbed five second team honors with the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays. In addition Reimon and Lazzara in the 200 IM and 500 freestyle received second team All North Jersey Swim League honors.
Huelbig took first team All North Jersey Swim League honors in the 200 IM along with the 200 free relay team. Junior Moe had a pair of first team All North Jersey Swim League honors in the 50 and 100 freestyle races. Along with the 200 free relay, the Lady Bulldogs dominated in the league in the 400 free relay with Huelbig, Moe, Adams and Michelle Dunn.
Along with the five first team honors, there were five second team honors for the girls. The relay teams fared well in the 200 medley and the 200 freestyle. Along with his dominance in the 200 individual medley, Huelbig also had great times in the 100 breast stroke for second team All North Jersey Swim League. Also, Allen and Dunn brought home second team all league honors in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly.
The boys were the sixth seed in Public North 2B and lost 110 to 60 at third seeded Summit on Feb. 11 while the seventh-seeded girls team dropped a 113-55 decision to second-seeded Chatham on Feb. 12.
But a week before that, both the boys and girls swimming teams captured the North Jersey Swim League Championships at Bergen Community College on Feb. 9.
