A Malfunctioning Bus Couldn’t Stop This NJ Swim Team from Making History
photo courtesy of the Ridgewod School District
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The road to a championship is rarely smooth, but for the Ridgewood High School boys swimming team, it was literally backwards. Despite a mechanical nightmare on the way to their biggest meet of the year, the Maroons proved that resilience is their strongest stroke, capturing their second consecutive NJSIAA North 1, Group A sectional title.
A Rocky Start: The Bus That Went Backwards
On Friday, February 11, the team’s journey to the Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne, NJ, took a bizarre turn. While stopped at a red light, the team bus began moving in reverse instead of forward.
“The cars were going around us for a good 10 minutes,” said junior Brendan Krauza. “It was a little scary. I called my mom and she was going to take people up to the meet.”
Fortunately, the driver corrected the malfunction just in time, but the stress of a delayed arrival loomed over the No. 19 ranked Maroons as they prepared to face top-seeded and No. 20 ranked Passaic Tech.
Domination in the Water
If the bus ride was stressful, the meet was a masterclass in focus. What was projected by head coach Kyle Schulke to be a “toss-up” turned into a decisive 99-71 victory for Ridgewood.
The turning point came after the 50 free break with the score deadlocked at 31-31. The Maroons surged ahead during the 500 free, where Lucas Marrazzo (4:58.40) and Lucas Kichukov (4:59.06) secured a thrilling 1-2 finish.
“They blew me away,” said Coach Schulke. “We showed we wanted it more in the water.”
Standout Performances
The Maroons took first place in six events, led by powerhouse juniors:
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Lucas Marrazzo: Won the 200 free (1:50.97) and the 500 free, then immediately anchored the winning 200 FR relay.
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Brendan Krauza: Swept the sprints, taking gold in the 50 free (22.28) and the 100 free (48.52).
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The 200 FR Relay Team: Krauza, Tristan Ho, Jaeyoung Sun, and Marrazzo cemented the lead with a massive win.
A New Era for Ridgewood Swimming
This victory marks a significant cultural shift for the program. After falling short in sectional finals in 2020, 2022, and 2024, this junior-heavy roster—including Connor Hong and Skibo—has now led the team to back-to-back titles.
With the core of the team returning next year, the Maroons aren’t just winning; they are expecting to dominate. As Krauza put it, “We’re using that motivation to make us faster.”
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Tags: #NJSwimming #RidgewoodMaroons #HighSchoolSports #NJSIAA #BergenCountySports #SwimMeet #ChampionshipSeason #NJSports #TeamResilience
