By CHARLIE SPRANG
Courier-Post Staff
DEPTFORD
It all boiled down to determination.

The Vineland High School girls' relays had it and so did Mainland freshman Joanna Thomas.

The result was the only four gold medal performances by South Jersey swimmers at the 32nd annual girls' swimming Meet of Champions Sunday at the Gloucester County Institute of Technology.

Vineland, facing its stiffest competition, had to come from behind for the first time all season and won all three relays for the second straight year.

It perhaps was fitting though that their best race also happened to be the meet's last one, the 400 free relay. In that race, not only did Vineland break the meet record winning in 3:34.92 that bettered the previous mark of 3:36.18 set by Shawnee three years ago, but Mainland, which finished second in 3:35.96, also was under the record.

For Stevie Anderson, Sabrina Warren, Victoria Bonifield and Tiffany Malatesta, who swam all three relays, it was a fantastic way to end the season.

"The 400 free relay was our last race and we wanted it to be our best race," said Malatesta, who outdueled Mainland senior Debbie Bateman in a furious finish. "It was just a great race. We all did our best individually.

"We had a lot of challenges today. It was a really fast meet. Just to be able to win like we did is great."

Warren, who swam the leg before Malatesta and closed the gap in what had become a two-team race, said they never entertained the thought of a record-breaking swim.

"We never really think about records," Warren said. "That's not what we're about. It's all about swimming as fast as we can and if that results in a record that's good, too."

Thomas, who had given Mainland a nice lead with a personal-best leadoff split in the 400 free relay that set the pace for Molly McGroarty, Stacey Rahter and Bateman who followed, served notice from the outset in the 500 free she was the one to beat.

An amazing bundle of energy as usual, she motored through the water with her trademark rapid turnover and it became apparent someone was going to have to track her down because she wasn't coming back to the field.

She finished in 4:56.97, leading two other swimmers under the five minute mark. Kaitlin O'Brien of Mount St. Dominic Academy was second in 4:58.53 and Washington Township sophomore Cassie Cregar was third in a personal-best time of 4:59.21.

"I wanted to go out as fast as I could," Thomas said. "I wanted to get ahead and if I could do that I wasn't going to let anyone get ahead of me. I guess I got too much pride to let anyone pass me once I get a lead.

"Overall, I knew this was going to be a fast meet. I wasn't thinking about my time at all. I just wanted to go out and race hard."

Thomas, who started her day with a strong race in the 200 free, finishing second with a time 1:52.73, a half-second behind winner Nina Rossi of Princeton, said she focused all day on one race at a time.

"I was really pleased with my 200," Thomas said. "Coming up here and during my warmup, I just focused on the 200. I knew I would have time after the 200 to focus on the 500."

Focus was the name of the game for the Vineland relays. As is their practice at this meet, each of the Fighting Clan swim just one individual event to concentrate on the three relays.

In the 200 medley relay, a blistering butterfly leg by Warren and an equally fast anchor swim by Anderson enabled Vineland to touch out the Academy of St. Elizabeth, finishing in 1:56.21 and winning by one-hundredths.

"I knew the other three girls swam their hearts out and we didn't come here to lose," Anderson said. "I just gave it everything I had."

The 200 free relay also was a duel between Mainland and Vineland.

This time, the margin was a bit more comfortable. Vineland won in 1:38.66, with Mainland second in 1:40.09, thanks to another brilliant anchor leg by Malatesta.

"We practice relay starts and breakouts every day," Malatesta said.

"Coach (John Casadia) always tells us practice makes permanent," Warren added. "Not perfect but permanent."

Cregar had a strong meet. In addition to her outstanding time in the 500, she also had a personal best in the 200 free finishing third with a second personal-best time of 1:52.74.

"After I got my best time in the 200 I was really excited for the 500," Cregar said. "It gave me a lot more confidence.

"My best previous time in the 500 was 5:02. I thought I'd get my best time today but I didn't know if I would break five minutes. After working so hard, it was a good feeling to see that time."

Other notable performances from South Jersey swimmers were turned in by Millville's Cara Smaniotto, who was second in the 200 IM; her sister, Jill, who finished second in the 100 butterfly; Sarah Czar of Egg Harbor Township, who was fourth both in the 200 and 100 frees; and Malatesta, who finished third in the 100.