The Courier-News from Bridgewater, New Jersey • Page 48

F-8 COURIER NEWS. SATURDAY. DECEMBER 22, 2007 sh fly flte iypt ppas KEVIN MAHONEY Seasons: 14. High School: Oratory Prep, class of 1983. Varsity letters: 10.

College: Lycoming. Swimming experience: Swam year-round from ages 6-12, summer club Mount St. Mary swimmers are on a five-year winninj ine 1J TJ.1 I rrom ages 12-17. Other sports played: soccer, tennis Other teams coached: Oratory Prep swimming "It's 1XU U'i look I boar metis you'ri when; knows Salcit chani ThS to sw four ways swimf li i one lying a He weak satile By MELISSA CHODAM STAFF WRITER Dominant. Fierce.

Tenacious. Invincible. Those adjectives are not typically used when referring to teenaged girls, but there are not many other ways to describe the ones on the Mount St. Mary Academy swim team. Since the program was established 14 years ago, the Mount Lions have posted a 138-10-2 record.

They have won five consecutive NJSIAA Non-Public championships the school has bounced between Non-Public A and Non-Public and are riding a 54-meet winning streak. Yet, the team managed to stay grounded and focused on its next meet. "At times we get people saying, 'Don't you get tired of senior Katie Salvati said. "Not really. Even when we go into a meet that we're predicted to win, we still want to get as many power points as possible." A dynasty is bom During the 1993-1994 season, Kevin Mahoney had a weekday off and went down to watch the state Prep swim meet.

He sat back and watched three swimmers sporting Mount St. Mary emblems post fast times and realized that even though there was no program, the school had talented Mahoney, who started the program at the all-boys Oratory Prep in Summit years earlier, sent a proposal to Mount St. Mary about starting a swim team. After meeting with the athletics director and the administration, a team was scheduled to begin the following season. Flyers went up advertising try-outs, and to everyone's surprise 72 girls signed up.

On the first day of tryouts, 50 showed up. "This has been a dream come true for me," Mahoney said. "I've always been one of those people that has to set goals." The Mount Lions' first dual meet was against Blair Academy, a 116-52 win. The squad finished 7-0 that season, came in second in the Prep championships and joined the NJSIAA the following season. The 1995-96 season was also the school's first year in the Mountain Valley Conference.

The Mount Lions won the conference meet, the Somerset County meet, the state Prep meet and finished 14-1 losing in the NJSIAA Non-Public final. The girls keep coming "Success breeds success," Mahoney said. "When you have a program that's been successful, kids want to come in and be a part of that." Whether it was because of the academics, the Catholic tradition or the athletics, swimming talent keeps finding its way into the academy. "It's not just for the swimming, but the se "I'm1 what i can I.V aware This during son usuall relay gl of SalcB ney del relay off the 4 The both tii None such a great thing for kids to be part of a high school team, representing your school, earning a varsity letter, having your name appear in the paper. It's something they'll always remember." MOUNT LIONS RECORD BOOK Overall record: 138-10-2 Consecutive NJSIAA championships: five Conference championships: 1 2 Mountain Valley, one Skyland Somerset County championships: Seven State prep championships: Seven Last defeat 2001-2002 season to Red Bank Catholic in the NJSIAA Parochial final Current streak: 54 straight meets without a loss Conference swimming champions: 25 County swimming champions: 21 State prep swimming champions: 21 Ail-Americans (automatic and consideration): Laura Stark (2006), Becky Clapp (2006, 2007), Maggie Gousman (2006), Meaghan Gaynor (2006), Lauren Ross (2007) SCHOOL RECORDS 200 Medley Relay: Becky Clapp, Maggie Gousman, Laura Stark, Meaghan Gaynor 1:51 .71 (2006) 200 Freestyle: Lauren Ross 1 :52.56 (2007) 200 Individual Medley.

Laura Stark 2:07.42 (2006) 50 Freestyle: Colleen Murphy 24.87 (2004) 100 Butterfly: Laura Stark 57.77 (2006) 100 Freestyle: Elizabeth Floyd 53.40 (2006) 500 Freestyle: Lauren Ross 5:01 .28 (2007) 200 Free Relay: Meaghan Gaynor, Elizabeth Floyd, Becky Clapp, Lauren Ross 1:40.04 (2007) 100 Backstroke: Becky Clapp 58.62 (2007) 100 Breaststroke: Brooke Smith 400 Free Relay: Elizabeth Floyd, Jan-ene Senofonte, Becky Clapp, Lauren Ross 3:39.11 (2007) ANDREW MILLERSUN photofrapher Mount St. Mary's Kim DiFranco takes a breath during the 100 breaststroke. in 5 the Moi experier and Sal the Moi defeat. But streak team. Ii group ta are conll rebound! "I doifl j.

a i'" -r rV 1 i team at think it ence, am With third-Ian plans to go to a Catholic high school. Mount St. Mary was not the clear-cut choice at first, as she also looked at Bishop Ahr in Edison and was not initially fond of going to an all-girls school. But after hearing how the school would prepare her for college and about the swim program, Salcito decided on Mount St. Mary.

"It's really good academics, and VoU're going to enjoy the environment," Salcito said. "I felt that I would get a better education. I'm glad I went there. I like everything about it." Creating challenges "Last year I wasn't even expecting to swim the breaststroke in the state final," Salvati said. And she definitely was not expect- the Mount is an excellent educational institution for young girls," Mahoney said.

"The academics, morals and values taught at this school are priceless. The fact the girls can get this, plus swim for a successful swim team, really draws their interest." Salvati knew she wanted to be part of the Mount St. Mary program since she was in sixth grade. The captain spent grammar school at Holy Trinity in Westfield and knew she was going to attend a Catholic high school. After competing with Mount St.

Mary swimmers on her club team, the Jersey Gators, it seemed like a perfect fit. Alexa Salcito, the other Mount Lion senior captain, was In Catholic school since first grade and also had teams, til managed the every! tion Li "We tri each othi along rea there's 30 ANDREW MILLERSUtl photofraphw Meaghan Boylan swims the third leg of the 200 freestyle relay for Mount St. Mary against Union Catholic on Dec. 12 In Berkeley Heights. HlllliiUMHMI 1 I I.