Being an observer of South Jersey high school swimming as both a parent and reporter for 14 years, it doesn't get any better than East-West.

There isn't a dual meet around that rivals Cherry Hill East-Cherry Hill West for competitiveness, enthusiasm and drama.

Outside, the parking lot overflows. Cars are everywhere.

Inside, every seat is taken. Spectators are lined along the back wall, down the steps and practically out the door.

Oh, and a couple more things. It's hot, and it's loud.

Wednesday might have been one of the all-timers. When have you ever seen a team need to finish one-two in the 400 free relay, the last event, to win the meet and pull it off. The West boys did and won the meet 93-92.

But this is the girls' swimming notebook, right?

Well, the West girls didn't disappoint their fans, rolling to an impressive 110-73 win over their out-gunned, but certainly not out-spirited, rivals.

"The rivalry feeds on itself," Lions coach Scott Sweeten explained.

"Swimming is a religion in Cherry Hill. With the 13 Tri-County clubs in Cherry Hill, they all know each other. They've been competing against each other since they were 6-years-old."

Lions' sophomore Amanda Waldner, still fired up 30 minutes after the meet ended, epitomizes what it's all about - recounting, stroke-for-stroke, her victory in the 200 IM over East's superb senior Morgan Ley. Waldner finished in 2:15.98.

"I wasn't losing that IM," she said, talking nearly as fast as she swam. "I touched first after butterfly. After backstroke we were tied. She started to pull out during breaststroke and I felt like it could slip away, but I just tried to stay with her.

"When we got to freestyle I couldn't feel my legs I was so tired. When we turned I could see my teammates screaming and I just said, `legs kick, kick.' "

Waldner is part of a foursome which includes fellow sophomores Jen Rashti and Maureen O'Neill, and junior Allison Rolish that Sweeten credits with making the season a success.

Currently they are 7-0, ranked second in the Courier-Post Top 10 and prohibited favorites to repeat as South Jersey Swim League Caribbean Division champs.

This, after graduating eight seniors from last year's team.

"The sophomores and juniors have really stepped it up," Sweeten said. "They have improved dramatically and the group that swim with us at the Y (Christian Street YMCA) have worked hard. They don't mind the longer sets and it shows in the meets."

O'Neill, the only one of the foursome who trains with the school team, explains that the teamwork concept plays a huge role.

"We all pulled together," she said. "It's awesome. They push you and you push them."

Rolish agrees that is what makes swimming for West so satisfying.

"We are really close," she said. "You have the whole team there watching, cheering you on. Everybody is counting on you and you're counting on everybody else."

"I was close to my best time tonight," Rashti said of her winning 500 free swim.

"I just wanted to make sure I swam ahead of everybody. It took considerable doing but I was pretty sure of myself."

Her confidence is a byproduct of swimming at West. It's common thread among the four young Lion leaders. It's why they are having another good season.

Well done

The boys' and girls' teams at Eastern held a swim-a-thon recently to raise money for the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation and donated a check for $2,886 this week in memory of Alicia DiNatale, Alexandra Beden and Jennifer Porco.

All three were Eastern students who died too young of cancer.

Alicia Rose DiNatale is the young lady for whom the foundation is named. It was founded to provide teens facing life-threatening illnesses at local children's hospitals with programs and services that enhance the quality of their lives.

Congratulations to the Eastern swimmers. You have served their memory well.

Catching up

Trying to get caught up with the state of affairs after spending a week in Maui.

Vineland, of course, is the class of South Jersey and the state. The Fighting Clan is 5-0, 2-0 in the Mediterranean Division. They are where everyone expected them to be.

Eastern, after a nice win last week over Washington Township, is 4-2, 3-0 in the Mediterranean. The Vikings are quietly having a nice season.

Rancocas Valley is 3-1, 1-1. Its only loss was to Vineland. The Red Devils, with their excellent sprinters, swam Washington Township last night and have Cherry Hill East and Eastern on deck next week.

The only team beside Cherry Hill West with an winning record overall in the Caribbean is Bishop Eustace. The improving Crusaders had Haddonfield Friday and face Washington Township today.

Another level

Not all my time in Maui was spent relaxing on the beach. Spent some of it at the pool in Kihei, watching the Junior Pan-Pac Games where some of the best young talent representing the United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, Singapore, Guam, New Zealand and Mongolia competed.

Among those competing for the United States was Woodstown junior Sammi Edwards. She swam the 400, 800 and 1,500 free events. Although she wasn't totally satisified with her performance, she did finish strong with a nice 800. But it was the experience of competing in such a prestigious event that left a lasting impression.

"That was probably the greatest exprience I've ever had," Edwards said.

"I had the best time of my life out there. I learned so much while I was out there. I came back more motivated and more focused about my swimming. Swimming with the fastest athletes in the world motivated me to come back and work harder."

Record Time

Congratulations to Mainland freshman Joanna Thomas, who set a national public school record in the 500-meter freestyle when she won the event at the Hackney Invitational last weekend at Atlantic City High School.

Thomas won the event in 5:29.07, eclipsing the previous mark of 5:29.35 by Janne Stratton of Douglas High School in Portland, Ore., on Jan. 30, 2003.