Passaic Tech boys swimming repeats as sectional champ in record-setting win over Montclair
WAYNE – Thomas Celentano was fired up.
The Passaic Tech senior didn't only put his team in the lead to start Friday's championship swim meet. He put his name in the school record book as the anchor in the 200 medley relay.
The only football player in the Bulldogs lineup was on the way to his second sectional title in four months.
"I couldn't have asked for a better senior year," the Ringwood native said. "It's like a brotherhood. I love every single one of these guys."
Top-seeded Passaic Tech rode the momentum from a fast opening race to a 110-60 win over No. 2 Montclair in the North 1, Group A championship. It's the second straight sectional title for the Bulldogs and No. 5 for coach Denise Aronson, who quipped that she now has "one for the thumb".
The Bulldogs (11-2) took nine of the 11 events, spearheaded by double-winners Tyler Roer (200 and 500 free) and Adam Kiss (backstroke and individual medley). Aronson praised her group for dropping personal bests all over the board and for how invested they've been in scouting opponents.
"Planning a meet is a chess match and I got them all involved this year," Aronson said. "They were really into it."
One of the chess moves on Friday came in the 500 freestyle with Roer sliding into the long-distance event. The Bulldogs sophomore won Passaic County titles in two other races this season, but was open to the switch as a way to save Kiss for the backstroke.
The plan worked to perfection for the Bulldogs, who closed out the meet with five straight first-place times. Kiss put the score out of reach in the backstroke while breaking teammate Zachary McKatten's school record. Oliver Kiss added a breaststroke win for Passaic Tech moments later and Joseph Stauss chipped in, too, with the top time in the butterfly.
"We love each other here and everyone puts in their hardest every single day," Roer said. "Coach Aronson is like the mom to us. She makes us feel so good and boosts our ego so we go fast."
Passaic Tech led from start to finish with Celentano producing a personal-best split in his team's medley relay (1:39.65). Celentano hasn't always been on the top relay group this season, partially due to a late start to the season. His football team played in the state championship at SHI Stadium only four days before the opening meet in swimming. Celentano went from a game on Sunday to the pool on a Monday, from trying to gain weight to trying to lose it.
"It was definitely a weird change," said Celentano, a punter and tight end. "Completely different workouts. It definitely changed my body. I had a little bit of rough start. I was swimming times I wasn't super happy to see, but you know what? We all peaked at the right time. I'm just happy to see the team so excited and riled up."
Passaic Tech athletic director Nic Nese pointed out afterward that it's the first time the school has produced three sectional champions in one school year – with wrestling being the other. Next up for the Bulldogs is a home matchup against No. 1 seed Westfield in the Public A semifinals Wednesday, at Passaic Tech.
"Any team that makes it to this stage deserves respect," Celentano said. "It's definitely going to be a good meet. But again, we're just going to do what we do at practice. We're going to try our hardest and we're going to leave it all out there."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: PCTI boys swimming repeats as sectional champion, defeats Montclair
