RECORD PERFORMANCE: Princeton High girls’ swimmer Madeleine Deardorff swims the breaststroke leg on the 200 medley relay last Friday as top-seeded PHS faced second-seeded Manasquan in the Central Jersey Public B sectional final at the Neptune Aquatic Center. Junior star Deardorff along with classmate Brianna Romaine, sophomore Melinda Tang, and freshman Abbey Berloco helped PHS win the event in a program record time of 1:48.89. The Little Tigers went on to prevail 103-67 in the meet, improving to 14-0 and booking a spot in the Public B semis against Ocean City on February 18 at the Raritan Valley YMCA. The winner will advance to the state championship meet at The College of New Jersey on February 22. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Expecting a close battle with second-seeded Manasquan in the Central Jersey Public B sectional final last Friday, Madeleine Deardorff and her teammates on the top-seeded Princeton High girls swimming team relished the challenge.

“We all came in here with a lot of confidence and we knew what we had to do,” said junior star Deardorff. “Everyone was so positive.”

PHS got the meet off to a very positive start in the 200 medley relay as Deardorff combined with classmate Brianna Romaine, sophomore Melinda Tang, and freshman Abbey Berloco to win the event in a program and pool record time of 1:48.89.

“That was amazing; that was very unexpected,” said Deardorff. “We were all very happy. I think just that alone made us super confident for the rest of the meet. I think everybody from there on knew what they were capable of, not only with the relay that won but all of us did an amazing job. I think just getting off to that start really set the tone for the whole meet.”

PHS rolled from there, cruising to a 103-67 victory as it improved to 14-0 on the season.

Individually, Deardorff placed first in the 200 individual medley and second in the 100 butterfly while Tang won both the 200 freestyle and 100 fly, Romaine prevailed in the 100 free and 100 backstroke and Berloco placed first in the 50 free and second in the 100 free.

For Deardorff, the 200 IM was an amazing swim as she edged Manasquan’s Kathryn Petrone by 0.34 in setting a personal best of 2:08.19.

“I know Kathryn from club swimming, I knew she was a very good swimmer,” said Deardorff.

“We both know what each other are capable of. That was an amazing race, that was crazy. I don’t think either of us knew that we were doing that well. I think just being next to her made me motivated. It could have gone either way. I am definitely happy with what I did, it was my best time.”

In the 100 fly, Deardorff battled with another very good swimmer in teammate Tang.

“It was just amazing; we race each other all of the time,” said Deardorff, noting that she and Tang both compete for the X-Cel club team.

“Our teammates said you were in synch the whole time. To be able to pull out a 1-2 on that was amazing and then we continued to do that. Abbey and Bri went 1-2 in the free after that so that was really awesome.”

PHS head coach Carly Misiewicz saw the 200 medley relay record as a spark for her team as PHS won its fourth sectional title in the last six years.

“I remember looking over at the girls and Maddie Deardorff specifically,” recalled Misiewicz.

“I looked at her and she looked at the clock and she looked at me and her jaw dropped. We said at counties that we want to get under 1:50 so to go 1:48 today is just phenomenal. That just set the tone for the whole entire rest of the meet. From there, the ball just kept rolling.”

In reflecting on the win, Misiewicz said it was a total team effort with good performances from all lanes.

“We knew they had frontrunners, they knew we had frontrunners,” said Misiewicz.

“What was going to matter was the seconds, the thirds, and the fourths, the little points that we picked up. Our depth carried us through without a doubt. Our top swimmers did what they had to do and everything just fell into place. We had good times across the board.”

Misiewicz was thrilled by how Deardorff rose to the occasion in the 200 IM.

“Her IM was her lifetime best time I think she said by two seconds,” said Misiewicz.

“Maddie definitely stepped up in the IM, pulling out that win. That was really close towards the last 12 and a half. She is a competitor and really pulled it out.”

With PHS facing Ocean City in the Public B semifinals on February 18 for a spot in the state finals on February 22, Misiewicz  believes her squad is going to be hard to beat.

“I think it is a team that can go all the way, they feel it, I feel it,” said Misiewicz,

“Meet after meet, we are getting stronger and closer. Everybody has stepped up; it is positive all the time.”

Deardorff, for her part, is confident that PHS will keep stepping up. “I think this year we have a very special team,” said Deardorff. “I don’t think we have seen anything like this in a while. I think that our depth has carried us so far and I am excited to see what happens in the next few meets.”