Gators Clear Cut Vienna Woods (In An Environmentally-Responsible Way, Of Course)

The MVP Gators haven't smelled victory in Division 3 since 1979, when "Apocalypse Now" came out.  While it wasn't quite "Kramer vs. Kramer," the Gators defeated Vienna Woods 228-192 to earn the victory.  Success at this level has been "Alien" to MVP since 1979, although it's much easier to win when the team is "Being There."

(Editor's Note: Knock it off with the 1979 movie titles.  It's campier than "Moonraker" was.  Reporter's Response: Don't be "The Jerk.")

You say "Colby Webber!"

I say "Double Winner!"

Two seasons ago, when the Gators got moved to Division 3 after consecutive championship wins in D-6 and then D-5, the team finished 0-5, including a 233.5-168.5 defeat at the hands of D-3 Champion Vienna Woods.  Last year, the Gators went 4-1 in Division 4, while Vienna Woods suffered through a 0-5 season in the no fun league -- Division 1.

Neither Juliette nor Olivia were already

hurt when Coach Shanahan sent them

back in to the meet.

There were an astounding 53 best times posted by Gators at the meet, as swimmers consistently outperformed their seed times.  Gators who took more than one second off their previous bests included Jack Klopson to win the 8 & under back, Leah Myers in 8 & under back, Kenny Krogh in 9-10 back, Mac Brotherton to win 11-12 back, Katya Zeitsev in the 8 & under breaststroke, Parker Blondin to win 9-10 breaststroke, Olivia Blondin to win 9-10 breaststroke, Sean Jansen to win 11-12 breaststroke, Lily Penn in 11-12 breaststroke, Parker Blondin in 9-10 fly, Clark Bayer in 9-10 fly, Nick Dupuis to win 11-12 fly, Jack Brunton in 11-12 fly, and Ian Baker in 13-14 fly.

Little hands, little feet. . .

Our 8 & unders can't be beat!

(Plus they are soooo cute at that age.

Once they are teenagers, well, that's for

a different blog altogether.)

The Gators set four team records and tied a fifth (see related story), with Cassidy Bayer having set another NVSL record in the 13-14 fly.  Parker Blondin just missed the breaststroke record by 0.06, so hopefully that record will go down in the next meet or two.

The Emma Jones finish -- touch, look, first place!

The meet started much as projected, as the Gators won freestyle 51-39, including ripping off six straight wins to start the meet, and seven freestyle wins overall.  The teams were expected to be fairly evenly matched in the backstroke, but Gator swimmers won it by a 57-33 score, opening up a 36 points lead.  The Gators won eight out of ten backstroke events.

Cyrus and his VW opponent display some of

the good sportsmanship that marked the meet.

Now, it was on to breaststroke, where Vienna Woods was projected to crush the Gators.  And, VW did win those events handily, but not by as much as expected because Gators swam well enough to dent the VW strength.  Despite losing 29-61 in breaststroke, the Gators held a tenuous 137-133 lead, rather than being in a deficit.

Is Katie happy because we're winning? 

No, she's happy because Clerk of Course is

easier at an A Meet than a B Meet!

The Gators flew through butterfly.  Winning seven fly races out of ten, the Gators virtually clinched the meet with a 56-34 win to push the lead to 28 points -- 193-167.

Any Sophia brave enough to wear Spazz

on her cap deserves her picture in a blog

read by as many as a couple hundred people.

Needing just four relay wins to clinch the meet, MVP won three of the first four relays before running into trouble.  Finally, the girls 11-12 relay win was determined to be a legal swim, and victory was reached.  Three more relay wins pushed it to the final score, giving the Gators seven of the twelve relays.

Where there's a Will there's a. . .Friedman!

Gator sweeps came in three events.  The 9-10 girls backstrokers pulled all nine points as Emily Makin, Abigail Dittman, and Juliette Fore swept the event.  The 15-18 girls backstrokers did the same behind a one, two, three sweep by Maddy Bolger, Torie Bolger, and Sophia Passacantando.  The 13-14 boys swept the butterfly as Cameron Morey, Gus Leyden, and Ian Baker did the honors.

Coach Paul, collecting coin donations for

his haircut fund.  Please give.  Please!

The race of the week came early -- the second event.  Cage Theriot won the 8 & under free by just 0.03 over her Vienna Woods competitor -- swimming a time of 18.00 flat to earn the five points against the Woods swimmer's 18.03.

Sean looks stunned that he crushed his

personal best time by 1.61 seconds.

We are not stunned.

 

Gator heroes were 13 year olds Carl Questad and Ian Neal swimming in the 15-18 backstroke and 14 year old Carter Engvall swimming in the 15-18 breaststroke.

Thanks to Mrs. Team Rep, MVP now has the

best looking backstroke flags in the NVSL.

The Gators had seven double winners.  The double winners were Cage Theriot (free and back), Andrei Zaitsev (free and back), Nick Dupuis (free and fly), Emma Jones (free and fly), Cassidy Bayer (free and fly), Colby Webber (breaststroke and fly) and Olivia Blondin (breaststroke and fly).

25 meters later, Claudia's touch clinches the meet.

Excitement is intense!

Individual winners were James Piland (free), Juliana Skopp-Cardillo (free), Jack Klopson (back), Emily Makin (back), Collin Sundsted (back), Mac Brotherton (back), Gus Leyden (back), Maddy Bolger (back), Colby Webber (breaststroke), Parker Blondin (breaststroke), Sean Jansen (breaststroke), Cameron Morey (fly), and Sara Bertram (fly).  Overall, the Gators won 27 out of 40 races.

Sara and Maddy know we've won, and

yet they are still intense.

 

Second place points were earned by Claudia Theriot (free and back), Cameron Morey (free), Sara Bertram (free), Abigail Dittman (back), Jessie Bricker (back and fly), Torie Bolger (back), James Piland (fly), Parker Blondin (fly), Emily Makin (fly), Cole Miller (fly), and Gus Leyden (fly).  MVP only took 13 out of 40 second places.

Save Mac!  There's a hand attacking her face!

Third place points were garnered by Joseph Humphreys (free and back), Andrew Baker (free and back), Abigail Dittman (free), Sean Jansen (free), Mollie Passacantando (free), Cyrus Adams-Mardi (free and breaststroke), Maddy Bolger (free), Juliette Fore (back), Kevin Adams-Mardi (back), Sophia Passacantando (back), Jack Klopson (breaststroke), Caroline Baker (breaststroke), Juliana Skopp-Cardillo (breaststroke), Brian McNamara (breaststroke), Lily Penn (breaststroke), Ian Baker (breaststroke and fly), Kaila Stein (breaststroke), Torie Bolger (breaststroke), Clark Bayer (fly), and Jessica Metter (fly).

Cameron can't restrain his joy at winning

fly.  (Uh, Cameron, can you help us out

by showing a little more excitement!)

Next week, MVP travels to Lee-Graham.  The Dolphins are also 1-1, so this will be a battle in which the winner virtually assures themselves another season in Division 3 next year.   It was nice to be "Reunited" with victory in D-3, so hopefully the Gators will win again so we can all sing "YMCA."  If they don't, it's okay, it's not a "Tragedy," because "I Will Survive."  Even if we do come "Stumblin' In," it's fine because "We Are (Gator) Family."

We Are (Gator) Family!  I've got

all my swimmers and me!

(Editor's Note: Knock off the song titles from 1979 meme.  Reporter's Reply:  I can't help it, it's "My Life. . .do, do, doo-doo-do" so "Don't Bring Me Down."  Editor's Riposte: Well, given your singing, it's clear you are not one of the "Sultans of Swing.")

While it's not quite Game 7 of the Stanley Cup

(it's more important!), the two teams still

formed a post-meet handshake line.