Girls Swim Team Wins Back-to-Back State Sectional Titles

The Ridgewood girls swim team had high expectations for the 2010-2011 season after marching home with a state sectional title in 2009-2010 and a strong class returning. The team again didn't fall short of expectations, again defeating Montclair for back-to-back titles.

The Maroons ended the meet 93-77 at Passaic Tech in Wayne after winning 89-81 in 2009-2010. Surprisingly, the team didn't even have as many first place finishes as its adversary and still came away with the title.

Ridgewood head coach Keith Cook said he makes sure that his girls swimmers know what they have to do before a meet.

The message: don't think too long on winning the event–get points for the team.

"We hammer it in to them that coming in second, third and fourth is what wins meets," said Cook.

Maroon depth did in the Lady Mounties, clinching second and third in the second-to-last event–the 100 breaststroke–putting the match out of reach.

Leading the way individually was , who won two individual races. Cortright snared the 200 freestyle (2:00.43) and the 100 butterfly (1:02.44), also helping Ridgewood win the 200 medley relay.

"She Cortright loves to compete and get up on the box," said Cook of his star junior. "She's a tough competitor."

At the end of the day, Cook credits the team for being able to make its mark from the onset of the match, jumping out to a 21-9 lead after the first two events. "Getting off to a fast start was key," the coach said.

Cortright was also in the closest race of the day and it came in the 200 freestyle as she battled Montclair's Codi Haigney stroke-by-stroke before beating the Mounties swimmer, by .34 of a second.

"I had not competed against her before, but I knew she was a good swimmer," said Cortright. "I planned out the race before and I knew that I had to step up my game."

Ridgewood moves onto the state semi-finals on Monday. Last season the Maroons lost to Westfield in the state semi-finals.

North 1A Girls Swimming Final Boxscore

Ridgewood 93    Montclair 77


200 Medley Relay

1. Ridgewood, Effie Angus, Grace Kwon, Rachel Cortright and Camille Vasquez, 1:57.07
2. Montclair, 1:59.94
3. Ridgewood, 2:02.85

200 Freestyle

1. Rachel Cortright, Ridgewood, 2:00.43
2. Codi Haigney, Montclair, 2:00.77
3. Margo Tanner, Montclair, 2:08.71

200 Individual Medley

1. Samma Regan, Montclair, 2:19.22
2. Nora O'Leary, Montclair, 2:21.44
3. Effie Angus, Ridgewood, 2:21.47

50 Freestyle

1. Olivia Graham, Montclair, 25.95
2. Lucy Frezza, Montclair, 26.55
3. Tori Holzberg, Ridgewood, 26.95


100 Butterfly

1. Rachel Cortright, Ridgewood, 1:02.44
2. Siobhan Goodman, Ridgewood, 1:03.62
3. Camille Vasquez, Ridgewood, 1:05.47

100 Freestyle

1. Olivia Graham, Montclair, 57.32
2. Katie Citti, Ridgewood, 58.62
3. Tori Holzberger, Ridgewood, 59.54


500 Freestyle

1. Samma Regan, Montclair, 5:32.31
2. Margo Tanner, Ridgewood, 5:39.18
3. Cali Bird, Ridgewood, 5:40.94

200 Freestyle Relay

1. Montclair, Lucy Frezza, Maya Alexander, Mora O'Leary, Samma Regan, 1:50.25
2. Ridgewood, 1:51.81
3. Ridgewood, 1:56.29

100 Backstroke

1. Effie Angus, Ridgewood, 1:03.07
2. Codi Haigney, Montclair, 1:04.61
3. Maya Alexander, Montclair, 1:07.39


100 Breaststroke

1. Nora O'Leary, Montclair, 1:12.54
2. Grace Kwon, Ridgewood, 1:14.65
3. Katie Citti, Ridgewood, 1:16.12


400 Freestyle Relay

1. Montclair, Olivia Graham, Lucy Frezza, Samma Regan and Codi Haigney, 3:51.03
2. Ridgewood, 3:53.21
3. Ridgewood, 4:09.59