Bernards is the Skyland Conference Division Champs again for the 2022 season. The girls have been divisional champs for the past four years, and the boys have been champs for the past seven years now! The girls team will travel to Shore Regional High School on February 8th, for the first round of the State Sectional Tournament. The boys team will travel on February 14th, for their first round of the State Sectional Tournament. The Girls have a record of 6-3, and the boys are 7-2.
At the first round of the State Sectional Tournament, the girls won, and will move on to the next round, going up against Hopewell Valley on February 11, who is currently seeded 3rd. At the meet on February 8th, Ashley Hartnett won the back and came in second in the 50, Grace Korey came in second in both the 200 and 500 free. Meghan Robinson won the breast and IM. Hartnett, Robinson, Korey, and Sami Bender came in first for their 400 free relay.
On the girls team, Robinson set a new team record in the 100 breast with a 1:07.12 at the Skyland Conference Championships. Other notable members on the team include Bender, Hartnett, and Korey. At the meet against Gill the girls won 67-66. Bender won the 50 free and fly, Hartnett won the backstroke, and Robinson won the IM. Bender, Robinson, Hartnett, and Korey came in second place for the medley race. All four of these girls are underclassmen, which shows a hopeful future for the girls team in the coming years.
Bender has had an impressive season so far this year. In the 100 fly she has come in first place at 6 of the 8 meets, and at the other two meets she placed second by only a couple tenths of a second. In the 200 IM she has placed 1st all 6 times she competed. She shared, “This past swim season has been super exciting racing against a wide range of teams. I think the best part about the team is how we are all so happy about each other’s accomplishments. We have some Meet of Champions qualifiers and a lot more PRs. It’s thrilling to watch a close race and someone get their goal time. The girls and boys team are reigning Skyland Conference Valley Division Titles winners under Coach Ed and Coach Albanese. Unfortunately Coach Ed is retiring after this year, but I’m optimistic our team will continue to strive.” At the first round of the state tournament Bender set a new team record in the 50 meter freestyle with a time of 27.51 and came in first place.
For the boys team they have had an incredible season led by Senior captains Ryan Schuller and Bryce Lukacsko. At the meet against Gill Bryce Lukacsko won the 50 and the 100, Trevor Lukacsko won the 200, and Nick Snyder won the fly. Thomas Ambelang, Kurt Hunziker, Valdemar Alstrom, and Matt Giunta won the medley relay. For the 200 free relay Everett Bailey, Hunziker, Nathan Gonazalez, and Snyder placed first. At the meet with Watchung Hills, Schuller came in first in the IM and the backstroke. Bryce Lukacsko also won the 50 free. For the relay Schuller, Giunta, Bryce, and Trevor came in first. Schuller explained, “Over the past season, the swim team has worked extremely hard and put in countless hours to train and prepare themselves for meets, and thanks to our awesome coaching staff. I couldn’t have asked for a better team and I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”
On February 14th, they beat West Morris 101-69. They will now be heading to the State Sectional North 2 Group C Final for the fifth year in a row! The team was seeded second going up against West Morris who was seeded seventh. Schuller won the IM and back and Ambelang won the 200 and 100. Schuller, Bryce Lukacsko, Trevor Lukacsko, and Giunta won the first medley; while Ambelang, Giunta, Snyder, and Bryce won the 200 Free. They will now face Governor Livingston in the State Sectional Finals on February 17th.