High School Swimming:
TOWNSHIP SCORES HAT TRICK
Teams take all 3 trophies at County Championship!

By Rod Smith
SJSports Staff Writer

GCIT - Fri. Feb. 20

Both Washington Twp. teams captured top honors in the Gloucester County Championships held Feb. 20 at GCIT. The boys' team had the most 1st and 2nd place finishes to retain their 1996 crown ( the meet was not team-scored in 1997) and prevail over excellent teams fielded by both West Deptford and Clearview. Likewise, the girl's team successfully defended their 1996 crown and emerged victorious overall thereby earning the combined championship trophy for Twp.

HAHN and SMITH ARE TRIPLE WINNERS - RECORDS BROKEN!

Ryan Hahn had an outstanding meet, shattering the 100 backstroke record with a 55:00, leading the 200 medley relay in the meet- and school-record breaking time of 1:44.65 (over 2 secs off old 1987 record of 1:46.90), and joining the 400 free relay which won the event, setting a new school record (3:30.46) , just missing the meet record 3:30.38 by less than 1/10 sec.

Brett Smith went out in a 29 breaststroke split to give the team an unrecoverable lead in the opening record-breaking medley relay. Smith immediately went back in the very next event to win the 200 free with a personal best time of 1:56.65, five seconds under his seed time. Smith's third gold came as he joined Hahn, Drew Overpeck and Zack Bartelt in the final event, the 400 free relay, just missing the meet record but marking a new school record in the event (3:30.46).