Raiders Swim Season Ends By Slimmest of Margins

LAWRENCEVILLE — It couldn't have been any closer.

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders led over Mountain Lakes at various points during their Public B boys' swim semifinals at Lawrence High School on Tuesday. With four events to go, Scotch Plains-Fanwood led 56 1/2 to 53 1/2, and it appeared the team had a good chance to defeat the perennial champion Lakers.

But Mountain Lakes managed to take an 81 1/2 to 74 1/2 lead over the course of the next three events. That meant that in order to win the meet during its final event, the Raiders would need to finish first and second in the 400 meter freestyle relay.

They accomplished the first half of that feat, taking first place in the race. But Mountain Lakes easily claimed second and won the meet, 85 1/2 to 84 1/2, to advance to the state final.

"We swam fast," said Scotch Plains-Fanwood Head Coach Judy Sharkey. "They just swam a little bit faster than us in a couple of places."

Scotch Plains gained its most significant victory during the meet in the 100 meter butterfly when Mike Napolitano, Joe Dunn and Keith Montiero finished first, second and fourth in the race.

Despite the close loss, Sharkey said she was pleased with the way the year had gone. At the beginning of the year, she said, no one picked the Raiders to do anything much.

"We had a really great season," she said. "We beat our archrivals, Westfield."

For her, next season can't come soon enough.

"We'll be a team to be reckoned with," Sharkey said.