Vineland High School Boys Swimming

The Fighting Clan swimmers began their preseason training regiment late last month in preparation of the season. The team will train four days every week in a clinic operated by former VHS All-American Brett Buonadonna before getting in the water for the first official team practice on November 15.

10/27/2007

History section completely updated

The "History" section of the website has been completed with the help of former coach John Casadia, Jr. Click here to view a brief history of the program and used the pop-up menu to check out the program's All-Americans, sectional titlests and more!

12/21/2007

Clan ready to begin most grueling part of season

After going a rather disappointing 1-2 in the three pre-New Year meets of the 2007-2008 season, the Vineland High School boys swim team is ready to enter 2007 holiday training and attack the last six dual meets of the year, as well as the South Jersey Coaches' Invitational, Eastern States meet in Long Island, N.Y., and the Cape Atlantic League Individual championships.

Despite the disappointing loss to Egg Harbor Township, the Fighting Clan has given the coaching staff plenty to be optimistic about. The team accomplished one of its major goals of the season just their second time in the pool when the 200 free relay team of Andrew Radcliffe, Justin Reimels, Jerry Capriotti and Mike Oliva qualified for the 2008 NJSIAA Meet of Champions at the Larry Blumenthal Relay Carnival with a time of 1:44.03. The foursome was unable to make the cut last year shaved and tapered, so to qualify in the second meet of the season was a big plus. That same meet, the 400 free relay team of Radcliffe, Mike Smith, Bryan Masilotti and Oliva also won in a time of 3:56.73. The team did not have a 400 free relay break four minutes all last season.

If it wasn't for a 13-3 disadvantage in the diving events and a controversial call that knocked sophomore Bryan Masilotti down a place in the 400 freestyle, Vineland also would have beaten a talented Egg Harbor Township team that defeated them by 28 points a year ago.

The following week the Fighting Clan traveled to compete against a very strong Atlantic City team. Despite the loss, junior Mike Oliva turned in what was perhaps the team's most impressive swim of the year when he won the 50-meter freestyle in a time of 24.69, a swim that converts to 22.06 in yards and would have been good enough for sixth at the Meet of Champions last year. To date, the coaching staff has still not confirmed a faster time being swum in a South Jersey high school meet this season.

Vineland begins its holiday training schedule tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. The coaching staff plans to get no fewer than 8,000 meters in each day of the regiment which is by far the hardest week and a half of the season. Vineland will return to action January 9 when they host the Braves of Absegami. The Clan also has big dual meets remaining against a solid Ocean City team and longtime rivals Mainland and Holy Spirit.