Marc Narducci: Haddonfield swim coach proud of win - and loss

EWING, N.J. - Bob Querubin had just experienced the exhilaration of winning a state championship with his Haddonfield girls' swimming team, but there was no extended celebrating for the Bulldogs' coach.

Querubin had about 20 seconds to enjoy the convincing 98-72 win over previously unbeaten Chatham yesterday for the state Public B championship at the College of New Jersey.

It's not that he wasn't excited about yet another state title. Querubin was focused on coaching the boys' team against Mountain Lakes in its Public B state championship meet immediately afterward.

And though the result was different, with Mountain Lakes scoring a 92-78 win, the emotions weren't.

Mountain Lakes won eight of the 11 events. Haddonfield freshman Will Manion took the 100-yard backstroke and 500 freestyle, and junior Tommy Glenn won the 100 butterfly.

Despite the outcome, Querubin was equally proud of his two teams.

"It was great what the girls did, but the boys were also awesome, with many of them swimming their best times," the coach said.

His point was well-taken. Mountain Lakes (10-4) is a perennial state power; yesterday's title was its fifth in a row and 12th overall. Mountain Lakes brought out the best in Haddonfield.

Having little time to celebrate between the meets is something Querubin and the coaching staff are accustomed to.

"We have double-dual meets throughout the year, so this was nothing new," he said.

Neither was competing for two titles in one day.

The girls won the championship in 2007, when the boys lost to none other than Mountain Lakes in the final.

Both of Querubin's teams have maintained high standards. Yesterday was the fifth state title for the girls; the boys have won three.

The girls' team finished 10-2 this season and is ranked No. 4 in The Inquirer's South Jersey Super Six poll. Since three teams are ranked ahead of Haddonfield, that indicates how strong swimming is in the seven-county area.

The boys' team, which is ranked No. 3, ended with a 14-2 record.

What made the girls' win even more impressive is that the flu bug had hit the Bulldogs, including two key seniors, Allison Walker and Taylor Moore.

All Walker did was win two individual events and swim on two relay teams that finished first. Moore was on two winning relay teams.

"I feel fine now," Walker said. "It was pretty easy to forget about it because of the energy from our team and our fans."

Moore felt the same way,

"I was a little worried, but we showed that we could work through that situation," Moore said.

Haddonfield's girls won eight of the 11 events in a meet whose outcome never appeared to be in doubt.

"We just swam great today, despite the situation with the flu," said Ohio State-bound Emily Creran, who captured two individual events and was part of two winning relay teams.

So it was another banner day for both Haddonfield swim programs, despite the different results.

The two teams traveled to the state championship together, and cheered for each other.

"The beauty of having the same coaching staff is that we do everything together," Querubin said. "It's really awesome, and a lot of credit should go to the girls and guys."

The Results

BOYS

Mountain Lakes 92, Haddonfield 78

200-yard medley relay: Mountain Lakes (Mike McElduff, Matt Ferguson, Jordan Stillman, Frank Patierno), 1:37.32.

200 freestyle: Mike McElduff, M, 1:50.86.

200 individual medley: Matt Ferguson, M, 1:44.65.

50 freestyle: Jordan Stillman, M, 22.06.

100 butterfly: Tommy Glenn, H, 53.01.

100 freestyle: Garrett Pullis, M, 48.54.

500 freestyle: Will Manion, H, 4:49.54.

200 freestyle relay: Mountain Lakes (Ferguson, Pullis, Stillman, Patierno), 1:29.85.

100 backstroke: Will Manion, H, 53.14.

100 breaststroke: Matt Ferguson, M, 59.96.

400 freestyle relay: Mountain Lakes (Pullis, Nowak, Cohen, McElduff), 3:21.88.

GIRLS

Haddonfield 98, Chatham 72

200 medley relay: Haddonfield (Emily Creran, Allison Walker, Emma Carpenter, Maddy Tambussi), 1:51.27.

200 freestyle: Anne Trojanowski, C, 1:59.22.

200 individual medley: Allison Walker, H, 2:11.07.

50 freestyle: Allison Walker, H, 25.11.

100 butterfly: Emily Creran, H, 58.93.

100 freestyle: Cacky Keating, C, 55.99.

500 freestyle: Emily Creran, H, 5:07.62.

200 freestyle relay: Haddonfield (Allison Walker, Maddy Tambussi, Taylor Moore, Catherine Kolaski), 1:44.16.

100 backstroke: Allison Walker, H, 1:00.58.

100 breaststroke: Greta Leberfinger, C, 1:07.90.

400 freestyle relay: Haddonfield (Taylor Moore, Paige Arruda, Catherine Kolaski, Emily Creran), 3:44.98.