By KEVIN CALLAHAN
Courier-Post Staff
GLASSBORO

Although they may not have the best swimmers, the Haddonfield High School girls proved they had the best swim team.

"It wasn't one person, but the whole team," said senior Kathleen DAngelo, a tri-captain for the Bulldogs. "And because the meet was so close, it made it that much better."

In a riveting championship meet that came down to the last event, Haddonfield won just two of 11 races, but packed enough depth to come back and beat surprising Ocean City 87-83 for the South Jersey Public B championship.

"We are more of a team, it is not like if one girl swims bad we will lose," said Helene Nicoletti, the closest swimmer to a star on Haddonfield. "Every girl is a part of the team."

The Bulldogs needed all of those parts Tuesday night because Ocean City proved they have very talented swimmers, just not quite enough depth yet.

And that's understandable since, amazingly, Ocean City is a first-year team. They split from the boys' team this season.

"We took it step by step this year," Ocean City coach Bob Cornell said. "We had never experienced a playoff before. I couldn't be more proud of the girls."

The same could be said about the girls celebrating at the other end of the Rowan University pool.

"This isn't a one-person team to choose from," said Haddonfield coach Bob Querubin, who was getting ready to coach the boys' team in the sectional final just minutes after the girls' meet. "This is probably the best group to come through the school."

Haddonfield advances to Thursday's state semifinal.

The Bulldogs never led until after the final event when they placed first and third in the 400 freestyle relay to take the lead.

"Never at any point in this meet did I think we were out of it," Querubin said.

Ocean City star swimmers Renee Tomlin and Samantha King already had swam in their allotted number of events and were out of the decisive race.

Cornell needed them earlier just to stay in the meet. He had Haddonfield scouted and figured they would swim in the 4:14.0 range and therefore they would have a shot without Tomlin and King.

Instead, Haddonfield clocked a 4:02.18 while Ocean City's second-place team swam a 4:08.92.

"Evidently, he was hiding something," Cornell said with a slight smile about Querubin's strategy. "It was like a chess match."

The checkmate didn't come until Nicoletti dove into the pool. She also won the 100 freestyle for Haddonfield's lone individual win.

"She has been phenomenal all year," Querubin said. "She got everyone up in this meet."

Nicoletti dove into the water with a three bodylength lead.

"I was so nervous, I couldn't even think about the swimming aspect," Nicoletti said. "It was more a mental thing."

The victory was a personal vindication for Nicoletti, too.

"I had lost in the South Jersey finals in softball last year and soccer this year," she said. "I was hoping three times was a charm."

Haddonfield is now swimming for its third state title in four years.

And, if they are going to win it again, they will do it as a team.

"Since we have depth and not one star, everyone is together," said Allie Lawson, also a senior captain.

Added Rebecca Lee, also a senior tri-captain: "It feels really good. I don't think people expected us to win without an all-star."