The Harvard men’s swimming and diving team launched into their Ivy League season on Saturday by hosting a tri-meet against Cornell and Dartmouth. And although the Crimson came out on top of both contests, it was Cornell’s vastly improved squad that stood out most at Blodgett Pool. Cornell lost to Harvard 229-71 last year, and to Dartmouth, 170-130. This year the Big Red narrowed their loss to Harvard (169-131) and beat Dartmouth (213-87). Harvard also topped Dartmouth, 246-54. Full results.
Cornell’s Dylan Sali had quite an afternoon, winning three events and leading off the medley relay in by far the fastest backstroke leg (22.77). His individual wins came in the 100 back, 200 back, and 200 IM. In the 100 back, Sali finished in 47.73, exactly 2.2 seconds ahead of Harvard’s Jack Manchester. It was the same order in the 200 back: Sali went 1:45.88 to Manchester’s 1:47.29. Sali’s 1:50.36 in the 200 IM led a 1-2 Cornell sweep; Eric May overtook Harvard freshman Koya Osada in the freestyle leg and finished second, 1:52.45 to 1:52.62.
The Cornell freshmen duo of Brandon Sweezer and Ryan Sharkey, who had impressed us on paper in our pre-season analyses, didn’t disappoint in their first Ivy outing. They met Harvard head-on in one of the Crimson’s biggest strengths –distance freestyle– and came out on top. Sweezer won the 1000 (9:23.67) and 500 (4:32.65); Sharkey was second in the 1000 (9:24.46) and third in the 500 (4:33.00).
The only multiple-event winner for the Crimson was their All-American diver, senior Mike Mosca, who won both the 1-meter (315.60 points) and 3-meter (432.60) events. His score in 3-meter diving broke both the pool and school records.
One of the most exciting races was the 200 free, in which the top five finishers all went under 1:41. Spenser Goodman of Harvard out-touched them all with 1:40.01. Dartmouth freshman Tony Shen (1:40.12) was next, followed by Cornell freshman Will Stange (1:40.34), Harvard freshman Jack Boyd (1:40.67), and Cornell senior May (1:40.74).
Another thriller occurred in the 100 breast. Harvard freshman Shane McNamara won with 55.42, but right behind him were Cornell freshman Alex Evdokimov (55.63), Cornell’s Victor Luo (55.66), and Harvard’s Erica Ronda (55.76).
Cornell senior Tim Satterthwaite won the 100 free in 45.41, just ahead of teammate Karol Mlynarski (45.72). All the other races went to various men in crimson. Ronda took the 200 breast in 1:58.69, just getting in front of Luo (1:58.71). Sophomore Paul O’Hara won the 50 free (20.54). Junior Jacob Luna’s 1:49.12 topped the field in the 200 fly. And freshman Steven Tan won the 100 fly with 48.27.
Dartmouth got good performances out of James Verhagen (100/200 back), divers Brett Gillis and Ryan Shelley, Zach Browne (1000 free), David Harmon (100/200 fly), and freshman Misha Tovmashenko (100/200 free).
Final Scores
Harvard University 246 – 54.00 Dartmouth College
Harvard University 169 – 131 Cornell University
Cornell University 213 – 87 Dartmouth College
All I have to say is whether you agree or disagree with Cornell suiting for a dual meet, thats all you do in high school club swimming. Every big meet was suited and shaved and most of the time you always did well. So what’s so wrong with wanting to taper or shave or suit for a dual meet. Who cares! Cornell almost beat Harvard. Good for them and great job to those boys who swam fast that weekend. Good job to Harvard for winning. I don’t get why people can’t just appreciate how fast people went this early in the season regardless of the team and just move on.
Well said, SWIMMER. Each school has its own training regimen. Changing pace after a less than optimal dual meet season is logical and yielded good results. Nasty and envious remarks like JohnThornton911’s (known for his lack of culture and logic in the swimming posts) don’t have a place here.
Cornell has, in the not so distant past, made calculated decisions to focus on swimming fast at dual meets in an attempt to take the Ivy league dual meet crown with a particular apparent emphasis of trying to surprise Harvard on the first meet of the season. The last time they did this (and it worked, anyway) was 2007 when the ran the table on the league.
And hell, it almost worked this time. Even conceding diving (they got swept on both boards), they would have tied the meet (I think) if they won three of the events they were touched out in – the 200 MR relay (Harvard’s two relays beat them 1:30.04 & 1:30.32 to 1:30.40), the… Read more »
Agreed completely. I would be surprised if Cornell moves out of 8th place in the ivy league since they would have to overcome nearly 200 points to come in 7th or 6th. If they could keep this speed up they have a chance but if they constantly suit up, shave, and taper, it will only backfire on them in the end. It will be interesting to see how they do in the upcoming meets.
Honestly, this was a great meet. Regardless of any circumstances that may have happened. I would have loved to watch it.
Ahem……
These tactics by cornell can be traced directly back to Sali’s days at bridgewater raritan high school. After they suffered a crushing loss to CBA, who was shaved, tapered and oiled up, Sali must have thought CBA was doing something right. He then brought this idea to Cornell as a way of attempting to upset Harvard.
@JohnThornton911…You seem to have forgotten that in that “crushing” defeat to CBA (a HS RECRUITING team!), Sali and Novak won ALL their individual events…100 Back, 200 IM, 50 Free, 100 Free. And BR’s Tan won 200 Free.
And what is wrong with resting (not tapering, BTW) a week before a big meet, and shaving? Oh, don’t bother answering…but this is America and even people like you have the right to express an opinion.
I genuinely believe that the pool was shortened. Someone had measured after the meet because of the very skeptical times and it was actually 24.25 yards due to the bulkhead not snapping in place. Now I’m no mathematician, but that’s approximately 1.5 yard every 50 yards that is reduced, a whole whopping 3% less swimming which explains these times. Just my two cents towards this meet, there should be some more regulations.
well there was no bulkhead so idk what you’re talking about….the meet was swam wall to wall
well the meet was swam wall to wall with no bulkhead sooo idk what you’re talking about hahaha
Honestly with a name of LOL, you really think people would take you seriously? Harvard is a 25 METER by 50 meter pool, therefore a bulk head was necessary. Sorry for the aggressive comment, I just don’t like when people try to refute comments without facts.
I think you need to google Blodgett Swimming Pool, Harvard…
You guys didn’t expect a real comment from a poster using the name “Ron Jeremy,” did you?
I think what Ron is trying to say is that size matters.
3 months to ivy champ, plenty of time. Cornell was suited, not sure about shaved and tapered. We’ll get a better idea Friday when they swim against penn and Princeton.
I was talking to a kid on the Harvard team and he said every Cornell kid was shaved, suited up, and tapered for a week and a half. Very interesting tactic to say the least…
Ditto, a lot of rumors swirling around this meet. I was also talking to a Dartmouth kid and he said they did triples on Wednesday and Thursday and lifted on Friday. Quite a shocking training program I must say. We will see how it pays off in the long term.
Ditto, a lot of rumors swirling around this meet. However, I had heard the cornell was actually trying the Kentucky taper of two months! I was also talking to a Dartmouth kid and he said they did triples on Wednesday and Thursday and lifted on Friday. Quite a shocking training program I must say. We will see how it pays off in the long term.
Can someone explain to me why a team (in the case it was Cornell) would shave, taper, and suit up for a dual meet? I just don’t understand the reasoning behind it. I understand they wanted to beat Dartmouth, but won’t this ruin their postseason??
*cornell
Note- This was harvards winter taper
Although you might be trolling… I’m almost certain this was CORNELL’s taper meet. Or at least rested. Their other meet results are a joke compared to this meet.