Marlboro's Unger medals at swimming MOC
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
Chelsea Unger's goal was clearly set. The Marlboro High School swimmer wanted to qualify for the NJSIAA Meet of Champions (MOC). Having been there as a sophomore, Unger wanted a return engagement with better results.

Unger achieved the first step toward her goal at the Monmouth County Championships. She won the 100-yard breaststroke (1:07.12) and took second in the 50-yard freestyle (25.49). Just as importantly, she attained MOC qualifying marks in both events. She would later lower her 100-yard breaststroke time to 1:06.84.

With the qualifying behind her, Unger could gear her training toward theMOCand the opportunity to improve on 2007.

"I've been training a lot harder," said Unger. "I'm really focused this year.

It showed at theMarch 2-3MOC held at Gloucester County Institute of Technology where she succeeded on her season-long goal on both accounts. The junior finished eighth in the 50 free (24.40) and sixth in the 100- yard breaststroke (1:07.79).

The 50 freewas a dramatic improvement over '07 where she finished 17th and didn't even make it to the final.

The qualifying heats in swimming are a nervous time for competitors. A swimmer can't see a clock or hear his or her time during the race. Unger said that you just focus on yourself and go as fast as you can. In Gloucester, she got through to the Sunday finals for both races and spent the night before the finals watching her sister's U10 traveling basketball game to keep her mind off the next day's races.

It worked as she followed up her 50 free medalwith her sixth place in the 100 breaststroke final. That was an improvement on her eighth place in '07.

"I'm really happy with the season," said Unger. "I hit 1:06 [in the 100 breaststroke] and I didn't think I could do it."

Coach Jennifer Maloney said Unger's MOCmedalswere the result of the yearlong effort she put into being a better swimmer.

"She had a great season," said Maloney. "She's a well-rounded swimmer. She swims everything for us. She's also a great teammate."

Unger helped make the Mustangs a strong championship team in 2008. Marlboro was fifth at the county championships (169 points) and fourth at the Shore Conference (169).

In addition to her individual performances, she teamed up Lisa Zhang,Ana Santos andKristinGeorge to take third and fifth in the 200-medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay at the county meet.

At the conference championships she duplicated her county performance, winning the 100 breaststroke in her personal best 1:06.84 and taking second in the 50 free (25.14). Both relay teams were third.

Zhang won the county and conference titles in the 100 backstroke.