Many groan when the fast-paced atmosphere of a meet is slowed by the greuling five-minute 500-yard freestyle.
The crowd is normally filled with chatter instead of attentiveness as the swimmers bounce back and forth for 20 laps.
Yet on this night, spectators whooped and whistled as Blue Devil seniors Cole Sharkey, Michael Fisher and Artem Dobrovolskyi finished the last 50 yards edging a possible first, second, and third sweep. Sharkey ran away with first in a time of 4 minutes and 45.74 seconds, but the following three racers – Fisher, Dobrovolskyi and Bridgewater-Raritan’s Steven Stasiulaitis – hit the wall within the same second.
In such a small margin of time, no human eye can differentiate who conquered the bout of speed. Luckily, a gigantic board reflects the times, and the results had Dobrovolskyi slapping the water with excitement.
Fisher ended in second place with a time of 4:47.07, and Dobrovolskyi stole third by less than two-tenths of a second, completing the sweep and giving Westfield a cushion for less dominant events.
The North 2, Group A sectional final is the most anticipated meet in the state every year. With two powerhouse schools known for pumping out collegiate swimmers; No. 1 in New Jersey, Westfield, faced No. 3, Bridgewater-Raritan, for a thrilling showdown.
Since 2010, these teams have met 10 times, and after this year’s results, the overall series record is tied, 5-5. “We have been swimming Bridgewater in this meet basically every year, so we know they are going to bring their best, and it always brings out the best in us. We have a lot of respect for them and that respect is mutual. This is a positive competitive environment,” said head coach Jeff Knight.
Almost every race featured nail-biting finishes, but ultimately, the Blue Devils’ versatility and “depth,” according to Knight, secured the sectional title for the fourth consecutive year against the Cougars, 92-78.
The two big events to lengthen Westfield’s lead were the 200 and 500 freestyle. “We knew we could hurt them in the distance events, so thankfully it played out. The guys performed exceptionally,” said Knight.
Fisher took first place in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:44.34, followed by Dobrovolskyi and freshman James Kavanagh, executing another 1-2-3 sweep.
“In my four years, these are some of the fastest times I’ve seen and I’m so proud to go out with this team. I love these boys and I love this team, and I am excited to see what’s in store for the last two meets,” said Fisher.
Speaking of fast times, senior tri-captain Danny Peirce set a new school record in the 100 butterfly with a blistering 50.60, surpassing teammate Owen Waibel’s record from last season.
“For years, I’ve always used [Waibel] as a benchmark for where I had to be and how I see myself becoming a better swimmer. It’s a great honor to take the record out from under him, and I know he is a great guy who supports me at the end of the day, so I appreciate that,” said Pierce.
Waibel broke a pair of his own school records as well: the 50 freestyle with a time of 20.73, which he previously set last season at the Union County championship; and the 100 freestyle with a time of 45.54, which he previously set earlier this season while swimming against Bergen Catholic.
To complete the four of eight individual events where Westfield placed first, Waibel took his usual mark in the 50 freestyle, with senior Logan Swenson securing third in a time of 21.93.
In the remaining four individual events – 200 IM, 100 backstroke, 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke – Bridgewater’s Jaden Lee placed first in the former two, and Lafayette commit Gregory Yukhvid placed first in the latter two.
“[Bridgewater] has exceptionally talented guys, some of the best swimmers in the state, who are going to go onto great things in college as well. But, you want to beat a team at the top of their game because that is what you work for all season,” said Knight.
Even before the buzzer sounded to signal the 4×100 freestyle relay, the meet was decided. The Cougars would need first, second, and third place to simply tie the Blue Devils. Fisher, Sharkey, Pierce and Waibel crushed any hope, taking first place by two full seconds.
“I had confidence. We knew we were going to have to perform at our best and it was going to take the most out of us, but I didn’t have a single doubt. I’m really proud of everyone coming out here and doing their job,” said Waibel.
The win not only solidified Westfield’s dominance in the section, but also highlighted the leadership and commitment of the senior class. “Four years and four sectional titles just shows how much they care and how much they work for this,” said Knight. “[The seniors] show that high school swimming really matters and set a great example for the younger guys. So, going forward it’s a matter of keeping our heads on straight and working hard. We have two more meets to reach our goal of bringing home three trophies.”
Now, the Blue Devils turn their attention to the next challenge: Ridgewood, who they’ll face at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 19 at Gloucester County Institute of Technology for the NJSIAA Group A semifinal round.
With the sectional title under their belts, Westfield is focused on the bigger prize while continuing to demonstrate their consistency as a program and their standard of excellence. “We showed them why we are No. 1 and what it means to be Westfield swimming,” said Wilcomes.
1 comment
Great article Catie!