East Boys Swimming Sets Relay Record, Wins Fifth Straight Title

No matter the sport, every team wants to get off to a fast start to send a message to its opponent.

Whether it's quick touchdown on the first possession of a football game, a 1-2-3 inning in the first inning of a baseball game, or an early goal in a soccer game, quick starts can often set the tone for a big performance.

The start the Cherry Hill East boys swim team got, however, belongs in its own category.

The 200 medley relay team of Duncan Brookover, Mike Simunek, David Rowe and Joey Andalora set a school record with a time of 1:36.37 in the first event, setting the tone for the No. 2 Cougars 98-72 victory over No. 1 Shawnee in the NJSIAA South Jersey Public A championship at the Gloucester County Institute of Technology.

“I didn’t really know when we had it locked up, but we felt really good, especially after that relay,” said Brookover. “We felt like something good was going on.”

The win sent a clear message that this meet would not be a repeat of Shawnee’s regular-season victory over East. Instead, the Cougars held a lead throughout the night, having all but clinched the meet at 77-60 with two events remaining.

“This so awesome, because this is our fifth year in a row and I have been able to be a part of two of those years,” said Rowe, a sophomore.

The victory gave East its fifth-straight South Jersey title, and further cemented the program’s reputation as one of the best in the state.

“Winning draws kids,” East coach Joe Cucinotti said. “There are 50 kids out here; 20 might not have swum, but they are still here for a reason. They know that they are part of something special. Winning is part of it, but there is more to this team; there is a comraderie, that even though you might not be the best swimmer, you might be best friends with the best swimmer.

"There is no ego or attitude on this team. It is a very team-first mindset in a sport where it’s very often dominated by the individual aspect.”

Rowe said each swimmer feels a certain pride and expectation swimming for a program with such a great track record.

“It definitely means a lot being part of the tradition,” said Rowe, who also won the 100 fly.

Cucinotti was particularly impressed with Brookover, who also won the 500 free and swam on the winning 400 relay team.

“He has such great potential and he realized it today,” Cucinotti said. “He wasn’t even training for today; he just decided to race it today. He had a huge impact.”

The next step for East is to try for a state championship. Despite dominating the South Jersey landscape for the past half decade, East has yet to bring home a state title. If the Cougars can continue to get performances like the one the 200 medley team delivered on Thursday, that drought may soon end.

“We love this,” Cucinotti said of the win. “This is great, but we have done it four years in a row and we want more.”