Divers push Wooster men over OC

Oberlin beats Wittenberg, bitter rival Wooster in swimming events

For the first time since fifth-year student Eric Nordstrom has been at Oberlin, the men's swimming team lost to its biggest rival, the College of Wooster, 124-110 on Nov. 23. The day before, the Yeomen crushed an undermanned Wittenberg College squad, 115-78.

The split brought the Yeomen's record to 3-2 and 2-2 in conference meets. This weekend several Yeomen attempt to qualify for Nationals at the Miami University Invitational in Oxford, Ohio.

The men's rivalry with Wooster goes beyond their being the closest team in the conference to Oberlin in location and in swimmer talent.

"We hate Wooster and they hate us," junior Wayne Miller said. "They just have an attitude."

"We think they are annoying. They usually start a meet with five or six cheers … Long, choreographed call and answer cheers," junior Clayton Woodson said. "They'll do several of them."

In one of their cheers Wooster yells, "We will beat you down." "We cordially reply in the same rhythmic pattern," Woodson said. "We will beat you off."

"They never see the humor in it," he said.

Going into the meet the Yeomen didn't expect to win giving up the 32 diving points.

"I told the kids before the meet that I didn't think we could win the meet," coach Dick Michaels said. "It's like starting a basketball game down 32-0. But I wanted to win every single swimming event."

The Yeomen wound up winning eight of the 11 winning events and the swimming part of the meet.

Sophomore Matt Soellner was a triple winner again, in the 1000-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley and 200-yard butterfly.

Soellner won the 1000-yard freestyle by 10 seconds. In the 200-yard individual medley he touched the wall six seconds before first-year Paul Pitcher finished in 2:11.40 to take second.

Davis was edged out twice by Wooster's Ben Chalot in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. Davis swam a 49.71 in the 100-yard freestyle, finishing a second after Chalot. In the 200-yard freestyle he was edged out by four-tenths of a second.

First-year Paul Pitcher and captain senior Eric Nordstrom finished one-two in the 200-yard breaststroke. Pitcher finished in 2:23.33 and Nordstrom in 2:26.40.

Steinhauer dominated the 500-yard freestyle hitting the wall in 5:06.12, nine seconds before the second place Wooster swimmer. Sophomore Scott Remley lost two close races in the 500-yard freestyle and the 1000-yard freestyle, finishing fourth both times but only 3.5 seconds behind second in the 1000, with a time of 10:49.24, and 3.4 seconds behind second in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:17.41.

Grasha was also a triple winner for the Yeomen. He won the 200-yard backstroke in 2:04.56. He also swam fast legs on both winning relays.

The Yeomen team of Junior Eric Grasha, Pitcher, Woodson and junior Josh Davis blasted the Wooster 400-yard medley relay team out of the water, winning by over 11 seconds.

The swimming part of the meet came down to the finale, the 400-yard freestyle relay. Wooster needed to finish 1-2 in the event in order to win the swimming part of the meet. Wooster had stacked one freestyle relay with their best swimmers, but decided to split the A-relay with the B-relay in hopes of winning both relays and the swimming part of the meet.

Wooster's two "A" swimmers started first. Wooster had built a three second lead over Woodson who swam the opening leg for the Yeomen's "A" relay team. Steinhauer caught up on the second leg, and Grasha pulled ahead on the third. Finally, junior Rob Pinson swam a 52.3 to anchor, giving the Yeomen to a total time of 3:25.61, or 3. 7 seconds fast than Wooster's first relay team.

"We kicked their ass and it was great," Michaels said.

The team was pleased with their swimming victory, but disturbed that the College of Wooster celebrated in front of them.

"We prefer to think of it as two separate meets: a diving meet and a swimming meet," Michaels said.

Wooster ended with their cheer, "Is that the losing team? Are we the winning team?"

The Yeomen responded in rhythm, "Should we give them the finger? Yes, let's give them the finger."

In the meet against Wittenberg, the day before, the outcome of the meet was never in question. "We pretty much pounded them," Miller said.

Davis was a double winner with victories in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. He also swam the opening leg of the exhibition 400-yard freestyle relay.

Davis edged out Wittenberg's Lazarus by .05 seconds in the 200-yard freestyle, finishing with a time of 1:48.50. He led a Yeomen sweep of the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 50.83. Captain junior Clayton Woodson finished second and first-year Chris Bedford finished third with a time of 53.95, a lifetime best.

Miller had an unshaved best in the 200-yard butterfly, finishing second with a time of 2:07.18.

Grasha finished third the 200-yard butterfly, he swam the opening leg for the winning 400-yard medley relay team, and edged out Remley to win the 500-yard freestyle in 5:16.25.

Sophomore Jeremy Steinhauer won the mile, in 17:51.70 and Remley finished second.

Woodson and Bedford went 1-2 in the 50-yard freestyle.

Today, Saturday, and Sunday, six Yeomen swim at the Miami University Invitational. Davis, Soellner, and Pitcher have been on a three-week taper and are shaving for the meet.

Soellner has the best chance of qualifying for Nationals. Last year at Case Western Reserve University's Last Chance Meet, he swam a qualifying time in the 200-yard butterfly.

Pitcher is a first-year, and Michaels is testing Pitcher's response to tapering. Last year, Matt Soellner tapered twice before finally making National cuts on his third taper.

Three other Oberlin men's swimmers are on a one-week taper for the meet, Woodson, Miller and Steinhauer.