Steinert’s Stephen Walsh helped the Spartans defeat Delran and continue in the NJSIAA Group B Meet
By Rich Fisher
Fish4scores.com
Feb. 8: For Stephen Walsh, it was more than just a chance to win a meet. It was the opportunity to make a lifetime memory.
Walsh did both with a tremendous anchor leg in the 400 relay, which clinched Steinert’s 90-80 win over visiting Delran in Tuesday’s NJSIAA Group B Central first-round swimming meet.
Holding an 80-76 lead entering the final event, Steinert either needed a victory, or a 2-3 finish to clinch the meet. Felipe Borgo, Tom Fitzgerald and Alan Sun provided Walsh with a slight lead, and the senior took it from there as he maintained the advantage and held off a furious challenge to just out-touch Liam Pauli.
“That last relay was really special, because not only did it win the meet for us, but it was my last relay at our home pool,” Walsh said. “I really wanted to go out with a bang.
“I knew that the other guy was going to be chasing me, since he was the same guy who touched me out in the 100 free individual event. “What most people don’t realize is how exhausting swimming all these events at states is, so by that last relay my body was really tired. Thankfully, I had enough gas in the tank to hold Delran off and finish my home career with an exciting win. After I saw the ‘one’ on the board it was a huge relief.
The Spartans win set up a second-round match-up at 3rd-seeded Cinnaminson, which will provide a staunch challenge.
“I was confident we could get past this first round,” coach Jen Smith said. “Cinnaminson’s gonna be tough. Delran swam Cinnaminson and got beat by them, and we’re even with Delran. Delran’s a fantastic team. It’s exciting, especially for the seniors, to keep this going in their last year.”
It wasn’t easy, however, as the Spartans trailed for most of the Delran meet before garnering 36 points in the final four events. A key came in the 400 free when Bargo pulled out a first place and Gavin Shin took third. Steinert then won the 200 free relay behind Sun, Fitzgerald, Dylan McGettigan and Walsh.
Sun took second in the 1000 back to keep the Spartans within 71-69 entering the breaststroke, and Christian Devine and Axel Delakowski went 1-2 to give Steinert the lead and set up the 400.
Walsh also won the 50 free and took second in the 100 free. Devine and Sun were 2-3 in the 200 IM, Spencer Oliver was third in the 100 fly, Fitzgerald was third in the 100 free and Delakowski was third in the 100 breast. Just in case Steinert didn’t win the 400 relay, it would have still won the meet, as Shin, Hunter Nolan, Delakowski and Oliver took third.
“It was collectively a team effort,” Smith said. “We could not have gotten to this point without the entire team. I could give you 20 names that all helped win it.”
Despite his starring role, Walsh could not agree more with his coach.
“This meet was great because the whole team stepped up and swam their hearts out, not just the top guys,” he said. “That’s the reason we won. Yeah, the first-place finishes really helped us, but what did it were the seconds, thirds and fourths. Tom Fitzgerald and Dylan McGettigan came up big in the 100 free, finishing third and fourth behind me, nullifying the first place that Delran got.
“Also, Axel Delakowski getting second in the breaststroke behind Christian Devine was huge too. There were so many tight finishes that came out in our favor, which solidified our win. This team is tough, they’re the toughest group of guys I’ve swam with in all my four years here at Steinert so I knew that they had it in them.”
And do they have it in them to upset Cinnaminson?
Perhaps.
“The hard thing about swimming is that what’s on paper usually isn’t that far off from what will actually happen in the meet,” Walsh said. “On paper, Cinnaminson is faster. But we’re used to being the underdog, and pulling off the upset would be an amazing way to cap off my high school swimming career. Not just for me, but for all the seniors that are graduating this year and for the whole team.
“All I know is that we’re gonna go in with an open mind and fight as hard as we can, just like we’ve been doing all season.”
Steinert girls swim well in loss to Jackson Memorial
The Spartans girls had their season end with a 104-66 loss to Jackson Memorial in a CJ B first-round meet.
Chelsea Ackerson finished her career with style, winning the 200 and 400 free and swimming on the first place 400 free relay team along with Jess Angelini, Sam Woolf and Hannah Devine.
Devine won the 200 IM, while Woolf was second in the 50 free and 100 back and Devine was second in the 400 free. Jordyn Cascone was third in the 100 free and Gia Costantino took third in the 100 breast with a personal best.
“They did great,” coach Emily Summers said. “There were some great swims today. I’m very happy with our times. That’s the most important thing. They had a great season and we kind of went out on a high note.
“Every year is different. We lost a key group of seniors but we had a huge incoming class, which is always great to have young talent. Now it’s looking to what happens next year.”
