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Boys stand out at Blumenthals, 200 Free Relay qualifies for MOC
LARRY BLUMENTHAL RELAY CARNIVAL
(at Atlantic City High School)
ATLANTIC CITY - The Vineland Boys swim team entered their final tune-up meet before Wednesday's season opener with the goal of making a statement to the rest of the Cape Atlantic League.
They did just that, winning three relays and taking top three finishes in each of the others at the Larry Blumenthal Relay Carnival at Atlantic City High School.
The team's first win came in the second event of the meet, when sophomore Jerry Capriotti sprinted out to an early lead in the 200-meter butterfly relay, allowing senior Ryan Humphries and freshman Troy Cervini to hold the lead before senior Andrew Radcliffe pulled away from the field in the anchor leg to give Vineland the win.
Two events later, Vineland's deck area was crowded to witness the boys' strongest event, the 200 free relay. The relay team of Radcliffe, Justin Reimels, Capriotti and junior Mike Oliva blazed the competition by nearly two full body-lengths, winning the event in 1 minute, 44.08 seconds, nearly a half-second under the qualifying standard for the 2008 NJSIAA Meet of Champions at GCIT. It was a huge accomplishment for the foursome, who narrowly missed qualifying for the M.O.C. in the state tournament against Mainland last season.
Vineland's last win came in the meet's final event, the 400 free relay, when the quartet of Radcliffe, junior Mike Smith, sophomore Bryan Masilotti and Oliva again won by a landslide, finishing in 3:56.63, more than six seconds better than the team's best finish in the event last season.
Other top three relays for Vineland were the 200 medley relay (Chris Stenger, Reimels, Humphries, Capriotti), the 200 backstroke relay (Suparerk Anusontarangkul, Smith, Stenger, Masilotti) and the 200 breaststroke relay (Nick Smaniotto, Radcliffe, Oliva and Reimels), all which finished third.
Vineland will hit the training again Monday and Tuesday in preparation for their showdown with an Egg Harbor Township team that embarrassed them in Vineland last season and stands along with Atlantic City and Mainland as the Fighting Clan's top competition for the Cape Atlantic League American Conference championship. The meet is slated for 4 p.m. Wednesday at Egg Harbor Township High School.
Full Vineland results of the Larry Blumenthal Relays will be available later this week.
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