Swimming for Success

IDHIKA TURYA '24

Sofia Cunachi ’23 and Meghana Jonnalgada ’23 pose together on their Senior Night.

The swim team finished their 2022 to 2023 season with a record of 3–4. They placed fourth in the Blue Division with a score of 3–3 in the GMC.
Edison started off their season with a close loss against Colonia, which ended with a score of 84–85.

  • Pranav Devaraju ’24 makes a big splash as he begins his event.

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  • Leonard Lim ’24 competes in the boys’ backstroke event.

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  • Meghana Jonnalgada ’23 leisurely practices her backstroke prior to competing.

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“The most challenging meet of our season was actually our first meet against Colonia, our divisional rivals,” said Head Coach Ms. Kaitlin Hoey. “For many of our swimmers, this was their first meet ever so it was difficult to know what to expect.”
Many swimmers also described their meet against Piscataway, in which Edison lost 79-91, as intense and difficult.
“The most challenging meet was Piscataway because they had a whole team and it was their senior night,“ said Pranav Deveraju ‘24. “Our team was pushed to the limit since they were a full team and we were co-ed, but I think that we managed to do pretty well against a team like that.” On senior nights, teams typically compete against lower ranking teams to send off their seniors with a win.

Tomas Jimenez ’24 finishes in the boys front crawl event. (IDHIKA TURYA ’24)

Although Edison faced a challenging season, they refused to go down without a fight, a sentiment reflected in their meet against Perth Amboy, in which Edison achieved a score of 121–47.
Another huge victory for Edison was their meet against Woodbridge, which resulted in a score of 104–65. Some swimmers felt that the meet boosted their morale and gave them hope that they could beat other teams, even after experiencing several losses.
The GMCs was another defining moment in the season, as many swimmers felt pressure to perform well. One reason for this pressure was the idea of competing against other divisions with some of the most reputable swimmers in Middlesex County. But, in spite of this pressure, the team was able to pull through together.
“The proudest moment of the season for me was GMCs, because I felt like there were a lot of friendships and that it really showed in GMCs how we supported each other and helped each other out,” said Tomas Jimenez ‘24.

Issidora Jimenez ’24 practices her front crawl before competing. (IDHIKA TURYA ’24)

Many swimmers hope to improve their techniques and endurance for the next season, since the mental barrier of swimming can be difficult to overcome in the beginning; nevertheless, their determination is what allows them to progress.
One star athlete was Aiden Nugent ‘24, who placed second in the 500 freestyle and the 100 butterfly in the GMCs. For the girls, Mary Elizabeth Conway ‘24 ranked fifth in the 50 freestyle and placed a team record in the 500 freestyle.
“There were a lot of individual achievements and new records set for the school this season, but I am most proud of the comradery our team built with each other throughout the season,” said Hoey. “With the leadership of our captains (Meghana Jonnalgada ‘23, Conway, Jimenez, and Jeet Jagtap ‘24), our team held each other accountable and motivated each other to be their best each day.”