Last winter Kingsway broke in three new head coaches, which led to level of uncertainty at the beginning of the season. Any doubters were silenced quickly, as those new coaches each brought championships to the school. This season, those coaches, along with the other programs, continued to shine. Here is a breakdown of the winter season:
Boys Bowling: While the boys team was in the midst of a rebuilding year, the boys’ bowling team still managed to have a winning record, going 30-26. They qualified for the South Jersey Group 4 tournament.
Girls Bowling: The girls’ team had one of its greatest seasons in school history. They finished with a record of 43-5, winning the Tri-County Conference Royal Division championship.
They were led by senior star Katie Robb. She was the South Jersey Bowler of the Year as well as a first team all-conference selection. She finished her career by finishing ninth at the state championships. She was supported by Madison Grigg, who also was named all-conference. Coach Mike Mulligan continues to field one of the better programs in the area.
Girls Basketball: With one season under her belt, Coach Felicia Jenkins came into this season looking to establish her team as one of the best in South Jersey. The Lady Dragons accomplished this goal. They finished with an impressive 16-9 record in the Royal Division.
They were led by All-South Jersey and All-Conference player Morgan Robinson, as well as Kaiya Jenkins, who also was named to the all-conference team. They consistently were ranked in the top 10 in South Jersey all season and should return next year as a favorite to win a South Jersey title.
Boys Basketball: Coach Marcus Robinson continued his winning ways as head coach with a record of 16-11. They were able to win the Royal Division title with an 11-1 divisional record. In the playoffs, they faced off against conference rival Williamstown for the third time this season.
They won the game in overtime, 64-60, to earn their first playoff win in five years. All-Conference selections went to Jamir Patterson and Tyler Hardy.
The Kingsway cheerleaders, led by Coach Colleen Malane, enthusiastically supported the boys’ and girls’ teams throughout the season, helping to spur the Dragons to success.
Wrestling: Coming into the season after winning the South Jersey championship last year, expectations were high, and this team met those expectations. They were able to go 5-0 in the division to win the Tri-County Conference title and had an overall record of 17-6.
Five wrestlers advanced to the state championships. Eight wrestlers were named to the All-Conference team. Anthony Rosano, Quinn Kinner, McKenzie Bell, Cheney Kinner, and Finnegan McFadden won district titles. Quinn Kinner won his fourth Region 8 title. At the state championships, he was able to win his second state championship, dominating the state tournament.
Boys Swimming: Coach Caitlin Hess continues to put out a great product, leading the boys to a 8-3 record. Team-wise, they finished second at the Gloucester County and fourth at the Tri-County Championships. They qualified for the South Jersey Championships, where they won their first round meet.
Nine school records were broken as well. They were led by all-conference selections Richie Jaramillo, Nathan Jess, Connor Bowen, Colin Hickey, and Jack Gable. Bowen (500 free) and Jess (100 Breast) won Gloucester County titles. All of these athletes represented Kingsway at the Meet of Champions.
Girls Swimming: The girls swim team, headed by Coach Caitlin Hess, had arguably its best season in school history. They had their fourth consecutive winning record. Six school records were broken. They really made their impact felt in the playoffs where they won two meets and fell in the South Jersey semifinals.
Freshman star Abigail Miller won Tri-County and Gloucester County titles in the 100 Breast. All-conference selections were Miller, Olivia Smith, Jenna Sprigman, Cara Heino, Aubrey Miller, and Kelsey Tirpack. These girls, along with Alli Berkoben, qualified for the state Meet of Champions as well.
Boys Winter Track and Field: Coach Christian Lynch continued to be among the elite programs in New Jersey. They traveled to Pennsylvania where they defeated the best in Delaware and eastern Pennsylvania to win the Ursinus Invitational team title.
Individually, they were led by state qualifiers Joe Grandizio, Stone Caraccio, Jon Connor, Kieran Burns, Brian Mangiaracina, and Orion Joyner. The team had six All-Conference selections. The boys 4xMile relay qualified for the National Championships.
Girls Winter Track and Field: The girls’ squad, who lost many stars including Rachel Vick and Destiny Stanford, continued to impress under Coach Christian Lynch, showing they had one of the best teams in New Jersey. They finished a close second to Egg Harbor at the South Jersey Group 4 Championships.
Five girls were All-Conference members. Alexis Mullarkey won the South Jersey championship in the 2-mile. Other state qualifiers were Kylie Anicic and Allison Bobst.
This spring, the boys’ tennis, boys volleyball, baseball, softball, girls track, and boys track teams will look to carry on the momentum garnered from the winter. With these programs, there should be more championships won and records broken.
By Christian Lynch
