By ROBERT LINNEHAN | The Haddonfield Sun
The HMHS boys varsity swim team finally punched through and beat Mountain Lake High School in the NJSIAA Boys Public Division B Swimming Championships at the College of New Jersey for the first time since 2004.
Since their last state championship, the boys faced Mountain Lake High School four times in the state championship between 2005 and 2009, losing each time, Head Coach Bob Querubin said. The squad’s only senior and its captain, Tommy Glenn, led the team to victory in late February to capture another state title.
“It’s simply a congratulations to the upper classmen, especially our lone senior Tommy Glenn, our captain. For the last four years, Tommy competed in three state championships, and it was a fitting end for his high school career to finally win one,” he said. “For the past few years, they were closing the gap between Haddonfield and Mountain Lake.”
The boys beat Mountain Lake by a score of 89–81, capping off a 14–1 season. It was a great season for the team, Querubin said, with five school records being broken during the year.
The boys had great chemistry, the 17-year head coach said, meshing well together with a good combination of club swimmers and athletes who participated in other sports during the year.
“These guys have known each other for years; you’re not looking for new ways for them to come together. Most of them swim together all year round so they’re all close. They guys all know each other very well,” Querubin said. “Throughout the year when we compete again teams from Cherry Hill East, Shawnee, Bishop Eustace, it’s great to have that chemistry when we compete against such successful programs.”
The squad was paraded into the borough the night of the competition, receiving a hero’s welcome as their school bus was escorted by one of the Haddonfield fire trucks.
Athletic Director Lefty Banos congratulated the boys and their accomplishment. He cited Querubin as being a fantastic coach and one that the Haddonfield School district is lucky to have.
“Bob has been coaching our swim team for many years, boys and girls both. Year in and year out he takes a group of 60 plus, sometimes 70 swimmers, and gets the best out of every single one of the kids that come out for his program. We have several members of our swim team that are club swimmers, but those alone don’t win a state championship for our school,” he said. “It takes depth, especially at that level. Bob’s ability to coach the kids who come out for just the season and play different sports throughout the years, his ability to help them compete at that highest level is just outstanding.”
