West Orange HS girls’ swim team splashes to SEC championship

WEST ORANGE, NJ – The West Orange High School girls’ swimming team won its first-ever Super Essex Conference championship on Jan. 16, beating out contenders Columbia, Millburn, and Caldwell to take top honors with 179 points.

“In my freshman year, we were 0-10,” said senior captain Nerissa Santa Cruz. “Now in my senior year, we are currently undefeated and Conference Champs.”

After winning only one meet in 2014 and struggling to compete with Caldwell, a multiple championship winner, the team continued to practice hard and persevere. They ended last season with a greatly improved record of 6-4 and this year, they are currently undefeated at 7-0. For the first time, the girls’ swim team will have a conference championship banner in Tarnoff Gym. They will join the girls’ volleyball team as first-ever conference champions, making them part of WOHS history.

The team practices in the pool at Rutgers University in Newark and several of the swimmers also participate in club swimming.  Coach Mark Navata, a long-time coach of the West Orange Wave swim team, has helped to develop and support both the girls’ and boys’ teams, along with assistant coach Kayla Negron.

The girls went into the meet in third place with no expectation of winning. Claudine Bernadotte, one of the team’s best sprinters and anchor for the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, had to forgo the meet due to a death in the family, making a victory tenuous at best.

Then things began to change.

Santa Cruz, Narduzzi, Gilio-Malabre Simone Byun and Amy Butcher all set personal bests at the meet, and several others beat their heat times.

As the 100-yard backstroke began, WOHS was in fourth place behind Columbia, Millburn, and Caldwell. Mellany Smith and Santa Cruz placed 2-3 to add 25 points. During the 100-yard breaststroke, Madeline Narduzzi placed third, Christina Gilio-Malabre fifth, and Simone Byun eleventh, to add 24 points. Heading into the final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, WOHS had a five-point lead.

When Millburn took the win, Caldwell placed second, and WOHS third, it allowed the Mountaineers to hold onto first place by three points.  

“I’m so honored to be part of such a hardworking and positive team,” concluded Santa Cruz. “With the winning atmosphere Coach Marc Navata and Coach Kayla Negron developed, we really turned the team around. It feels great to be from West Orange!”

  West Orange High School swimming