Something special is being built at the Cranford Centennnial Pool. The Cranford High School coed swimming team is on a mission for perfection.
The Cougars raised their record to 9-0 Thursday afternoon with 124.5 to 49.5 triumph over Linden. The Cougars won 10 of 11 events.
"This year we might be able to keep it going,'' said head coach Barbara Kolesa when asked if the team could complete an unbeaten season. "We'll see after next week. We have South Plainfield, we have (Jonathan) Dayton again and John F. Kennedy (of Iselin) again. If we can get past them we have a strong chance of finishing unbeaten.''
Junior Kelly Miller opened the individual part of the dual meet by winning the 200 freestyle in 2:28.61 and freshman Chris Woo and Nick Kalafatis followed by winning the 50 freestyle (27.38) and 100 butterfly (1:02.67) respectively.
"Everyone contributes a lot and it's awesome that we're 9-0,'' said Miller, who specializes in the 500 free and 100 breaststroke.
Kolesa gave the team an opportunity to compete in events they normally wouldn't against Linden. Sophomore Jennifer Heine won the 100 freestyle, while junior Rob Lento took first in the 500 in 6:52.63.
"This is my second year of swimming and other than scoring second place in the Mountain Valley Conference last year with my team, I haven't done anything further than that,'' said Lento. "We're very happy about the unbeaten record. I feel like we practice a lot harder than the other teams. I have some friends who are on other teams and they tell me how they practice and it's nothing compared to our practices. I feel like we have more experience on the team. We have been swimming for the majority of our lives.''
Gabe Nino won the 100 backstroke in 1:17.11 and Connor Harkins, who was the back-up goal keeper on the boys' soccer team, won the 100 breast in 1:17.53.
"Everything is coming out great this year, like the soccer team did well and it's continued right into the swim season,'' said Eric Walano, who was a standout on the Cougars' Union County Tournament soccer title team in the fall. "We got a lot of young guys who are doing great. Everybody is doing what they are supposed to be doing. It's just been a great season so far.''
Walana swims a leg on the 200 medley relay as a backstroker or butterflier. He also swims the 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle.
The Cougars' 200 medley, 200 free and 400 free relay teams were also victorious. Gabriel Nino, Evan Brawley, Megan Byrne and Brian Leu clocked 2:15.77 in the medley. Woo, Megan Pijanowski, Ivanna Gomez and Zach Fried won the 400 freestyle in 4:17.57 and Miller, Heine, Gomez, Kathleen French went 1:55.64 in the 200 free.
"They are a great bunch of kids,'' said head coach Barbara Kolesa, who once coached at Linden. "They have lots of enthusiasm.''
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