The Columbia HS boys swim team gathers at the Essex County/Super Essex Conference Championships at Jersey Aquatic Center in New Providence on Monday, Jan. 20. The Cougars finished second overall, behind Seton Hall Prep. (Photo Courtesy of CHS head swimming coach Maggie Keenan)
MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The second-seeded Columbia High School boys swimming team defeated No. 3 seed Passaic County Tech, 99-71, on Monday, Feb. 10, to advance to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 1, Group A state tournament championship.
The Cougars, who improved to 10-1 on the season, were scheduled to face No. 1 seed Ridgewood in the championship on Thursday, Feb. 13, at Passaic County Tech in Wayne at 7 p.m. CHS received byes in the first round and quarterfinal round.
Meanwhile, the fourth-seeded CHS girls swimming team went 1-1 in the NJSIAA’’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group A state tournament to move to 10-2 on the season.
The Cougars defeated fifth-seeded Phillipsburg, 105-65, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at Jersey Aquatic Center in New Providence.
The following are the CHS winners:
- 200-yard freestyle: freshman Harlow Hatch, 2 minutes, 03.34.
- 200 individual medley: senior Lilah Secher, 2:20.69. • 100 freestyle: junior Sofia Kopytek, 59.78.
- 500 freestyle: freshman Nola Meehan, 5:41.28.
- 100 backstroke: Secher, 1:05.47.
- 400 freestyle relay: Hatch, freshman Ashna Patel, Penny Attock and Meehan, 4:00.74.
The Cougars then lost at top-seeded Westfield, 98-72, in the semifinals on Monday, Feb. 10, at the Westfield YMCA. The CHS girls team received a bye in the first round.
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