Divers Beware

Jersey Shore’s head coach, Jenna Brooks, was a little worried with this week’s two away meets.   Match-ups were going to take place in pools that had diving boards; hence Jersey Shore was going up against divers. 

Many years ago, the diving boards were removed from the Jersey Shore High School Pool.  As a result, the school’s diving program became non-existent.  Not a big deal when teams visited the JS Pool.  Visiting team divers just had to sit and watch the meet unfold.  It is problematic when Shore travels to a pool that has a diving board.  The team then has to watch their opponents rack up points while watching deckside.

Earlier in the week, Shore’s girls were able to overcome the diver disadvantage against Williamsport in a 98-85 victory, while the undermanned boys lost.

Thursday’s meet against Lewisburg was even trickier for the visiting Jersey Shore Bulldogs.  Not only was the match-up taking place in a pool with diving boards (Bucknell University), but it was a tri-meet with Mount Carmel.  In a tri-meet, each team can only field two swimmers instead of the usual three as in a dual meet.

The girls easily won over Mt Carmel, 77-16 but it was the action between Lewisburg that came down to the wire.  Just like the Williamsport meet earlier in the week, Shore ran out to a lead, 20-14, in the first four events.  Then it was the divers turn.  Lewisburg was able to regain the lead as they leaped over the Bulldogs to a 21-20 advantage. 

Jersey Shore swimmers get ready for tri-meet against Lewisburg and Mt Carmel

However, the lead was quickly erased in the next event as the Moore sisters (Gabbie and Allie) went 1-2 in the 100 butterfly.

Shore’s advantage would hold up until the last individual event; the 100 yard breaststroke.  Lewisburg was able to take the top two spots and head into the final relay with a one point lead, 46-45.

The same Jersey Shore foursome that opened the meet with a win in the 200 yard medley relay were now faced with a must win situation in the final 400 yard freestyle relay.  Gabbie Moore, Taylor Fleming, Kendra White, and Emma Butzler stormed to 26 second win over second place finisher Lewisburg.  For added security, Shore’s second relay of Alexa Shadle, Veronicia Sanders, Briar Lehman, and Gabrielle Bellomo picked up a point with a third place finish to close out the meet 52-49.

“These girls just have a lot of talent and depth,” said Brooks.   “We had to be creative in designing this line-up to counter the tri-meet set-up with divers.”

The boys lost to Lewisburg but were able to defeat Mount Carmel.

Next up for the team is this weekend’s Arctic Classic.