Summit Sharks Defeat East Hanover, 230-193

SUMMIT – On Thursday morning, the Summit Sharks swim team held off a strong East Hanover squad, 230-193, to record their fifth win of the season. The Sharks ended Thursday's meet on a strong note, winning six of seven relay races. The victory came just three days after Summit suffered their first and only loss this year.

"We really bounced back after the loss to Millburn and came out strong today," Sharks head coach Ryan Hauptman said. "We started off really well, but (East Hanover) caught up in the breaststroke. This was a fun meet. Two years ago, we wouldn't have had much of a chance against this team. But today I really saw how far we've come, and it made me feel like we've done a good job here as coaches."

Last year, the Sharks enjoyed their most successful season in the team's history with a record of 5-3. Now, at 5-1, the Sharks are just one win away from setting a new record for most wins in a season.

"I didn't expect this," Hauptman said. "Entering the season, I thought maybe we'd have an even record at this point. I thought we could lose twice to Millburn and twice to East Hanover, and I didn't know much about North Caldwell, so that was a toss-up. I'm just really proud of the team. It's not about who swims the fastest, it's about who continues to improve. I can't say enough about how far everyone has come."

Thursday morning's meet at the Summit Family Aquatic Center was full of fun and energy. The Sharks' team mascot, Shark Diddy, made an appearance to support the team, Summit parents crowded around the pool to cheer on the swimmers, and after the meet had ended, young Sharks pulled coaches and parents into the pool to celebrate the victory.

"You can tell there's a great family atmosphere here," Hauptman said. "I've never been around a team like this. The parents and kids are all amazing. A few years ago, we had kids missing meets because of vacations and other commitments. Now, I think the swimmers take it more seriously and really want to be a part of every meet."

Summit hosts North Caldwell on Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Summit Family Aquatic Center. The Sharks defeated North Caldwell 223-183 earlier this season.

Sharks v. East Hanover Highlights (by age group)
15 and over
Girls: Laurel Repsha placed first in the 50 breaststroke (37.89) and the 50 butterfly (32.18).
Boys: Loring Bowen placed first in the 50 butterfly (25.46). Dan Byers took second place in the 50 freestyle (24.78) and third place in the 50 backstroke (32.97).

13-14 years old
Girls: Alexandra Riba took first place in the 100 IM (1:10.09) and the 50 butterfly (30.14). Nicole Bazalar, Kimberly Enriquez, and Katherine Costikyan placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, respectively, in the 50 freestyle. Katie Maltese placed first in the 50 breaststroke (39.57).
Boys: Ryan Sebastian placed first in the 100 IM (1:02.87) and the 50 butterfly (27.33).

11-12 years old
Girls: Juliana Nociari took second place in the 50 breaststroke (43.71). Sandra Bazalar placed second in the 50 freestyle (31.12). Audrey Hannigan took second place in the 50 backstroke (41.70). Angharad Healey placed second in the 50 butterfly (34.87).
Boys: Matt Samay placed first in the 100 IM (1:14.26) and the 50 butterfly (34.18). David Ragan and Gil Rubio placed 1st and 2nd, respectively, in the 50 freestyle. Their roles reverse in the 50 backstroke, as Rubio took first place (41.72) and Ragan came in a close second (41.90).

9-10 years old
Girls: Katie Samay took first place in the 25 freestyle (15.90) and the 25 butterfly (18.41). Vanessa Elko placed second in the 25 backstroke (21.25). Leila Esposito took second place in the 25 breaststroke (24.13).
Boys: Jackson Tyler and Deacon Donaldson placed 1st and 2nd, respectively, in the 25 freestyle. Conor Fagan took first place in the 25 backstroke (18.77).

8 and under
Girls: Megan Gregory took first place in the 25 backstroke (24.24) and second in the 25 freestyle (19.97).
Boys: Will Hedges placed first in the 25 freestyle (17.35) and the 25 butterfly (20.69). Connor Demm, Dashiell Chang, and Michael Bonomo placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, respectively, in the 25 backstroke. Zowie Vukasinovic, Kyle Gettings, and Owen Healey placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, respectively, in the 25 breaststroke.