Vineland High School Boys Swimming

The 2002 Vineland Boys squad, under the direction of coach Mike DePalma, looked to rebound after missing the South Jersey Public A playoffs for the first time in 2001. On January 3, the team avenged a loss to rival Mainland the previous year, reclaiming the Cape Atlantic League American Conference championship en route to a perfect 9-0 regular season. The team also finished in fifth place at the Eastern States Invitational in Long Island, N.Y., a meet that featured some of the best high school teams in the Northeast, including St. Joseph's of Metuchen and Christian Brothers Academy (N.J.), Bishop Hendricken (R.I.), and Weston (Mass.).

On February 10, the team hit its first roadbloack when they were not only upset, but dominated by Holy Spirit in the Cape Atlantic League championship meet. The team responded, though, by power pointing enough to earn the top seed in the sectional bracket and smashed Eastern High School in the first round.

After their big win over Eastern, long-time sectional nemisis Shawnee was the only thing standing between the Clan and their first sectional title since 1995. Vineland stunned the packed crowd at Rowan University by demolishing the Renegades by a score of 115-55. Central Jersey champion Bridgewater-Raritan wasn't much more of a test, falling to Vineland 104-64 in the New Jersey State Public A Semifinals.

Vineland entered the New Jersey Public A State Championship meet underdogs for the first time in the season, facing off against powerful Westfield, one of the most successful programs in New Jersey state swimming history. The meet went back and fourth the whole time as Vineland got breakout performances from sophomore Joe Dunfee and senior (now head coach) Brian Newton, who each shattered their own personal best times in victories in the 200 and 500 free, respectively. Despite Vineland taking first place seven of the first 10 events, Westfield used their incredible depth to build an 82-74 lead heading into the 400 Free Relay. In a desperate attempt to win the meet, DePalma split the "A" relay, which was a lock to take first, in order to finish first and second. A 1-2 finish would have given the Fighting Clan a 12-2 advantage in the event, making the final score 86-84 in their favor. Heading into the anchor leg, all four middle lane relays were close, but Westfield had a slight advantage. Junior Bobby Daplyn, anchoring Vineland's center-lane relay, ran down the Westfield anchor to give Vineland the first place finish, but both Westfield relays had too much of a lead for Dunfee to chase down their anchors. Vineland finished 1-4 in the event and Westfield won the meet 88-82, ending one of the most successful seasons in Vineland High School Boys Swimming history.

Vineland didn't let the heartbreaking loss in the state finals dampen their performance at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, though. Daplyn captured the first of three career individual state titles by winning the 500 free in a school record. Joe Dunfee had an outstanding meet, too, finaling in the 50 freestyle and taking 9th place in the 100 free. The 200 Free Relay of Dunfee, senior Steve Ganci, junior Dave Deckard and Daplyn took second place and the 400 Free Relay of Dunfee, senior Chad Skinner, Deckard and Daplyn also took second, both to Holy Spirit.

The 2002 Vineland Boys Swim Team, featured in The Daily Journal after capturing the South Jersey Public A Sectional title.