Haddonfield girls set 3 school marks but fall in state swimming final

Although they lost to Chatham, 95-75, in the NJSIAA Public C final, the members of the Haddonfield girls' swimming team were full of smiles after the meet, ending their season with a group singing of their team song, "No Air."

Chatham won its fifth straight state title by beating the Bulldogs Sunday at the College of New Jersey, but Haddonfield still had plenty to be happy about, posting three school records.

Sophomore Abbey Neveling mistimed her turn in the 50 freestyle, but it didn't matter. She still won the event in 24.08 seconds, breaking set by Laura DeFeo in 2012.

"I didn't have the best turn, so I kind of had to come back," Neveling said. "I took like a half extra stroke, so my hand kind of got caught. . . . I really had to push."

Neveling said she was focused on breaking the school record by season's end.

"I was going for the record, so I kind of just wanted to push through," Neveling said. "I knew they were close, so I was just giving it everything I had. I've been wanting to get it all season so I was like, 'It's now or never.'"

Haddonfield junior Sophie Fontaine dominated the 500 freestyle, touching the wall at 4 minutes, 59.74 seconds to break another school record. Fontaine also placed first in the 200 free at 1:52.12.

"I felt good," Fontaine said of her race. "I could see my coaches on the side jumping, so I knew I must've been close to the record.

"I'm very happy to have done everything I've done this season, but more than that I'm happy to have gotten here," she added. "It's the furthest we've gotten in my high school career. I'm really proud of the team as a whole . . . I couldn't be happier."

Fontaine and Neveling were part of Haddonfield's third school record in the 200 freestyle relay, swimming with Abby Czerniecki and Abigail Bentley. The Bulldogs won easily in 1:38.87.

While Haddonfield took seven individual top performances in the meet, Chatham's depth was just too great.

But Bulldogs coach Bob Querubin said he wasn't disappointed in the least and is ready for next year.

"I want them to experience this, learn it, and I want them to come back," he said.

CHATHAM 95, HADDONFIELD 75

Medley relay: 1. Haddonfield (Sophia Kurtz, Abby Czerniecki, Caroline Conte, Elizabeth Kolaski) 1:51.44; 2. Chatham 1:51.6; 3. Chatham 1:57.39.

200 freestyle: 1. Sophie Fontaine (H) 1:52.12; 2. Margaret Harrigan (C) 1:57.82; 3. Nina Barrett (C) 2:00.05.

200 individual medley: 1. Nicole Tingley (C) 2:12.51; 2. Alicia Iizuka (C) 2:14.45; 3. Stephanie Crater (C) 2:16.32.

50 freestyle: 1. Abbey Neveling (H) 24.08; 2. Emily Gorham (C) 24.77; 3. Abigail Bentley (H) 25.29.

100 butterfly: 1. Emily Gorham (C) 58.55; 2. Caroline Conte (H) 58.69; 3. Amy Duren (C) 1:00.16.

100 freestyle: 1. Abbey Neveling (H) 52.91; 2. Nicole Tingley (C) 55.27; 3. Margaret Harrigan (C) 55.73.

500 freestyle: Sophie Fontaine (H) 4:59.74; 2. Nina Barrett (C) 5:13.81; 3. Abbie Bigham (C) 5:24.29.

200 free relay: 1. Haddonfield (Abigail Bentley, Abby Czerniecki, Sophie Fontaine, Abbey Neveling) 1:38.87; 2. Chatham 1:42.69; 3. Chatham 1:46.01.

100 backstroke: 1. Jackie Crater (C) 1:00.05; 2. Caroline Conte (H) 1:00.09; 3. Stephanie Crater (C) 1:01.49.

100 breaststroke: 1. Alicia Iizuka (C) 1:07.16; 2. Abby Czerniecki (H) 1:09.73; 3. Emily McGovern (C) 1:09.86.

400 free relay: 1. Haddonfield (Sophia Kurtz, Caroline Conte, Abbey Neveling, Sophie Fontaine); 2. Chatham; 3. Chatham.