Verona High School’s new team took on the well-established swimming program at Caldwell High School last night. Verona didn’t come away with a team win, but did garner some significant firsts in individual events.
Will Sheehan, a junior, placed first in the boys 100-yard freestyle (see video below), with a time of 57.39. Killian Blitz, a freshman, took first in the boys 100-yard backstroke, with a time of 1:01.39. And the 400-yard freestyle relay team of Killian Blitz, Andrew Hunt, Justin Koebernick and Will Sheehan earned a first place finish with a time of 4:00.07. Swimming at the Caldwell Community Center, the VHS boys lost to Caldwell 53 to 111.
Will Sheehan takes first in the 100 free. @VHSSwimTeam @VeronaAthletics pic.twitter.com/lPgzbZwJdV
— MyVeronaNJ (@myveronanj) January 17, 2018
On the girls team, freshman Kelly Nulty was coming off a strong performance at the Super Essex Conference championship on Monday, Verona’s first-ever appearance at that event. She took fourth in the 50-yard freestyle and fourth as well in the 100-yard butterfly.
Nulty continued that leadership against Caldwell, winning the 50 free with a time of 27.12. Nulty was also part of the 200-yard freestyle relay team, and combined with Harmonie Chang, Jamie Hoimark and Jenna Gabbe to win that race with a time of 1:57.60. The VHS girls lost to Caldwell 49 to 114.
VHS now heads into its final three meets of its inaugural season. On Monday, January 22 it will face West Essex at the Caldwell Community Center at 8 p.m. On Tuesday afternoon, Verona travels to the pool at Rutgers Newark to swim against West Orange High School at 4 p.m. Verona’s last meet will be back at the Caldwell Community Center on Monday, January 29, against Montclair Kimberley Academy, with an 8 p.m. start.
