MHS Swim Team History
In the last 18 seasons, Coach G's teams have amassed the following record:
| Girls record of 181-64-1 | Boys record of 100-116-1 |
Championships and Finals:
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Morristown Swim Team History - The Early Years
In 1925 the Morristown Water Polo team disbanded and formed the first Morristown High School swim team. The team was lead by coach, Mr. Louis Everaert and Captain Earl Collins. Although the team’s first season was a difficult one (record 1-5), the star swimmers were hopeful that they would receive “Gold Fishes” to hang on their watch chains the following year.
Most of the meets during these early years were against YMCA teams since only a few high schools in the vicinity that supported this activity. Many of the pools were 20 yards in length; therefore the events consisted of 40 yard freestyle,80 yard freestyle, 120 yard IM and relays of 160 yards
In 1928, the schedule was a difficult one – facing five opponents (each one twice) swimmers won 4 out of the 9 meets. The Mermen placed fourth in the annual State Meet held at Trenton Junior High number three. Our Relay team captured third place and Eddie Barton romped off with third place in the state diving.
In 1929 the team had an unusually poor season chiefly due to the illness of coach Evereart, who was only able to coach for two weeks. With the loss of the coach this would be the last swim season for many years.
1948 – After almost twenty years, the Mermen at Morristown are back under the guidance of the remarkable Coach Capt. Smith at the local YMCA.
1949 – Morristown swimmers capture their first Morris County Swim Championship title.
1950 – Morristown captures second Morris County Championship and Dave Carr earns Morristown its first State champion in the 100 yard Freestyle.
1950-1951 – Third year as Morris County Champs - with more records than any other team in Morristown School history. Morristown top Mermen include: Dave Carr, Jack Hersey, Tom Lake, Dick Blanchard, Ray Weems, Robin Van Noter and [no first name] Mowbay.
1951-1952 – Frank Wisnieski smashes Dave Carr’s 100 Freestyle record, Moe Pierson breaks Jack Hersey’s 100 Backstroke record, and the 160 yard relay falls.
1952-1953 – Co-Morris County Champions with Delbarton High. Frank Wisnieski breaks the 200 freestyle and 120 yard IM. Art Jenkins state champion in the 50 yard free, second at Easterns. Pete Hartdegen–school and county record in the 100 yard backstroke.
1953-1954 – Morris County Champions. Art Jenkins holds four records.
1954-1955 – Morris County Championship 2nd place
1956-1957 – Morris County Championships 2nd place.
1959-1960 – Robert Koleck – two state third places & Bob Hackney places sixth in the state.
The 1960's
The 1960’s was an up-down decade in Morristown Swim Team history. The team was still swimming at the YMCA in 20 yard pools under the coach Albert Caro (who coached from 1955-1958 / 1960-1962 1964). Bill Groft coached the 1966-1968 and Mike O’Donnell finished out the decade from 1968-1969.
Outstanding swimmers:
- Robert Koeck 1960 3rd place state in 50 & 100 Freestyle
- Robert Hackey 1960 Sixth place state 100 butterfly
- William Bradley 1962 Sixth place state finish 100 Freestyle
- The Medley Relay placed fourth in the state in 1962
1967-1968: New School Records Set by seniors: Jim Thorpe, Barry
Wainright, George Compton, Geoffrey Geotz
1968-1969: New School records:
- 100 Breaststroke - Frits Goudberg
- 50 & 60 yard & 400 freestyle–Bruce Edersold
- 160 Medley Relay–George Compton, Frits Goudberg, Collins Nugent, Scott Runnion
The 1970's
The seventy’s were an exciting time for Morristown Swimming as the Colonials re-emerged as a state powerhouse.
Fred Yawger placed 1st in the state in the 100 yard Butterfly in 1971, 1972, and 1973. He also won the 200 freestyle in 1972.
Rob Helt 1972 placed 1st in the state in the 100 yard backstroke and won both the back and 200 IM in 1973.
The Medley relay of Rob Helt, James Lines, Fred Yawger, and Meitzler also placed first in 1973.
With win loss records of:
1970: 11-3
1971: 10-2
1972: 10-0
1973: 10-1-1
1974: 8-3
1975: 15-0
1976: 15-2
1977: 12-1
1978: 13-1
1979: 15-0
Morristown was by far the strongest team in Northern part of the state!
They qualified for and swam in the Eastern Interscholastic swim meet in 1971 & 1972.
Ed Johnson took the helm as head coach of the swimming Colonials in 1975 and quickly become the swim coach with the most wins in the state of New Jersey.
In 1976 with the passing of Title lX, the first girls’ team took center stage as they finished their first season with an 8-1 record and become Jersey Hills champions along side of the boys. In addition, the girls won the first Morris County Girls title.
1977 both the boys and girls were crowned Jersey Hills Champions.
In fall of 1977 Morristown joined the newly established Iron Hills Conference. The Girls won the first Iron Hills Conference title and their second Morris County Championship.
The boys won their first Iron Hills Conference Championship in 1979.
Both the boys and the girls teams will carry the tradition of excellence into the 1980’s!!
Coming Soon: The 1980's