University of Virginia Library

Blue Jays Out-Paddle Debuting Cavaliers

By DOUG DOUGHTY

Blessed by the return of
four All-Americans and the
addition of two high-school
All-Americans, Johns Hopkins
spoiled the Cavalier swimming
team's 1971 debut, 70-43,
Saturday, at the Blue Jays'
expansive facility in Baltimore.

Cavalier mentor Ron Good
utilized all available personnel
from his 19-man roster and the
15 first and second-yearmen
who saw action represented the
increased recruiting drive
begun when Mr. Good arrived
in Charlottesville two years
ago. Although the swimming
program can offer no
grants-in-aid, Mr. Good has
tried "to get in-state swimmers
to stay here and at least assure
out-of-state boys that we're
interested in them."

Johns Hopkins, which can
afford scholarship aid due to
its de-emphasis of major sports
in its athletic program, has put
its three grants per year to
good use. Blue Jay Coach
Frank Comfort can almost rely
on the performances of the big
six mentioned above to win
most of his dual meets this
year.

Hopkins, which reportedly
peaks for its dual meets, has
been practicing all fall and
conditioning was extra tough
during November. Mr. Good
maintains that "our goal is to
hit a tremendous taper and
peak for the ACC Tournament
in March and try to qualify as
many as possible for the
NCAA's".

The Cavaliers won few races
against the Blue Jays, as Mark
Bernardino in the 1000-yard
freestyle and 200-yard butterfly
and the 400-yard freestyle
relay team were the only
winners in the University's
fleet. Bernardino's 1000-yard
time set a new pool record and
Mr. Good cited co-captain Joel
Curtis for an exceptional day.
Curtis finished second to Blue
Jay flash Bill Milne in both the
200 and 500-yard freestyle
events. Both he and Bernardino
swam the best dual meet times
of their lives.

Except for the diving
category, in which the
Cavaliers were outscored 16-2,
despite Paul Westenberger's
continued improvement, the
University was hardly
outclassed. Often Cavalier
swimmers were edged out by
tenths of seconds and in only
one event were they unable to
capture at least second place.

After Saturday's loss, the
swimmers return home to meet
V.M.I. this Wednesday, at
4:00. Mr. Good hopes to use as
many first-yearmen as possible
and upperclassmen should see
little action unless the meet is
closer than anticipated.

Gordon Netschke, who
placed second in the 50-yard
freestyle and swam in the
medley relay; Jim Wilson, a
second-year sprint artist just
out for the team for the first
time, and Bill Carvell will be
Cavalier newcomers for whom
the Keydets will be preparing.
Carvell specializes in the
individual medley and the
butterfly and Mr. Good
predicts "he and Bernardino
will be bang-bang by the end of
the year."

A stern test awaits, the
University natators, Saturday,
as they travel to Williamsburg
to challenge William & Mary
and West Virginia. William &
Mary is strong for a state team
and Mr. Good calls the
Moutaineers "a real fine college
team". After Saturday's meet,
the swimmers do not have
another competition until they
tangle with Maryland, one of
the conference's best, January
8. A scant week later they swim
their lone other ACC meet,
against N.C. State.

Such ACC powerhouses as
the Terrapins and the Wolfpack
and tough out-of-state foes
present tough competition for
the University but Mr. Good
contends that both he and the
team prefer swimming against
the best to chalking up a 10-0
slate at the expense of weak
in-state sisters. At least this
way he can prove his claim that
the Cavaliers are "one of the
best non-grant teams in the
United States".