Morgan Completes Nomahegan Swimming Career

Matt Morgan experienced some pretty pressure-packed meets during his high school swimming career at Westfield High School.

He helped the Blue Devils win consecutive New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Public A state championships the last two winters, sealing the victory over Morristown at The College of New Jersey in last year’s state finals in Ewing. Morgan had two personal bests in helping Westfield win its 22^nd state championship, sealing the victory with a win in the breast stroke. He also swam in the state Meet of Champions, and helped Westfield continue its dominance in the pool among Union County rivals.

He got his competitive edge at Nomahegan Swim Club and Friday night he closed out his summer club career in the Union County Outdoor Swim League 11-and-over Championships at Memorial Pool. Morgan won the 15-18 butterfly, the backstroke and breast stroke.

The tournament continues Saturday morning at Memorial with the 11-and-under swimmers at Memorial.

Morgan, who is also an assistant coach, will be attending and swimming at The College of New Jersey. But he’ll never swim competitively for Nomahegan again.
Next week, he’ll be one of the Westfield swimmers, who’ll compete in the YMCA Nationals at the University of Maryland in College Park. The Y Nationals will run from Tuesday through next Friday. Morgan has qualified in three events.

“I try to keep the summer fun,’’ said Morgan, who began swimming at Nomahegan when he was six.

He added that he wasn’t an especially sentimental about his last Nomahegan race. But added that his experience at Nomahegan was “good.’’

“I thought I turned out being really strong in the breaststroke and the butterfly, but the IM wasn’t,’’ he said.

Morgan’s teammates had a very strong meet. Erika Daniel won the 11-12 200 IM in 1:18.28. Daniel’s brother, Matt, won the 13-14 butterfly in a close race with Highland’s Matt DiBiasse.

"He gave me a good race,'' Daniel said. "You try to get more pumped because it's a championship meet and it's the end of the season.''

Daniel also won the 50 freestyle in 27.73. Oria Alexander powered to wins in the 13-14 freestyle and 50 backstroke. Matt Daniel usually competes with the Westfield Marlins, but since the Marlins and Nomahegan aren't in the same division, Daniel is able to compete for Nomahegan.

Manor Pool didn’t have any winners, but Coach April Sherman was pleased with her team’s performance.

“The objective is for them to beat their personal bests,’’ she said. “Everybody is seeded by their best dual meet times and if that and improve that’s good. We have quite a few people who medaled. I’m happy with the limited amount of older swimmers we have.’’