The following is from a team parent:
Four score and seven years ago, our freemasons put their final touches on the Catalan Guastavino tiled ceiling to raucous celebrations and secret camaraderie. The first ever indoor High School pool in the entire USA was complete. Little could they have known that 87 years later a different kind of celebration would be echoing through their now storied and not-so-secret vaulted ceilings.
Invictus, Invicto, Unbesiegt, Invaincu – no matter how you say it, or what language you speak, UNDEFEATED is how the Columbia High School Girls Varsity Swim Team finished this year: 14-0 and Super Essex Conference Champions. Under the careful eye of coach Maggie Keenan, this CHS girls squad out pointed and out swam their final toughest hurdle besting a favored Millburn swim team last week on the road, and ended their quest for an undefeated season away against Elizabeth High School on Friday night.
The girl’s swim season was full of highlights and bests – one of which was the 200 free relay team of Caroline Cerny, Marie Fagan, Raina Hackett and Gabby Hayek breaking a 15-year-old pool record. Next up for Coach Keenan’s undaunted girls are the State Championships against Phillipsburg High School.
The boys Varsity team finished their season with two tough meets, Millburn and Elizabeth, ending their season with 2-11-1 which is an improvement from only 1 win last year. Their season was chock full of personal bests and exciting photo finishes. The boys team was led by senior Devin O’Mara under the watchful eye of Coach Eddie LaPierre.
As part of our traditional senior send off, our seniors swam their last lap in the renowned CHS pool. Reflecting and celebrating on a great season, in a new era, in this storied Natatorium.
