Clippers finish surprising 2nd at D-I meet
BRISTOL — As soon as Sunday’s R.I. Division I Swimming Championships had concluded at the Roger Williams University natatorium, Cumberland High head coach Rod McGarry strode over to the Lane 5 starting block and stood next to his senior co-captain, Ian Horstkamp-Vinekar.
They talked quietly for a few moments, and both wore pensive looks. Another swimmer ambled by, asked what they were doing, and then it became apparent.
They were waiting for the announcement of the team scores. Needless to say, when Barrington was called for third place, McGarry and Horstkamp-Vinekar erupted, and the rest of Clippers on the far side of the pool hustled to Lane 3 to rejoice.
“With 236 points, in second place, Cumberland,” the speaker stated.
And the party began.
The Clippers had actually clinched the runner-up spot by a mere half-point over the Eagles (235.5). Of course, Hendricken away with the team crown with 511 points, and Lincoln managed a superb fifth with 181 points, but Cumberland had pulled off the major surprise.
“I’m shocked, but wait … well, I am but I’m not,” McGarry smiled afterward. “Yes, I am because coming in runner-up to Hendricken is a feat not easily accomplished. But, no, I’m not shocked because of the wherewithal and desire this team has.
“Whenever I asked them to step up, without hesitation, the answer is always a thunderous ‘Yes. Just tell us what you want, Coach, and we’ll do it,’” he added. “They did her just now. I have to say I’m proud of each and every one of them. They all contributed to this in some way.”
He hesitated, then began wiping tears from his eyes. He informed his friend that he had lost his mom, Michele (pronounced Michael), about three ago at age 76 to Alzheimer’s Disease; he admitted they were very close, and her death naturally upset him.
“I can’t help but think there was a little divine guidance here at this meet,” he noted, looking up toward the bleachers. “I know she was here, and I’m sure she’s very proud of this Cumberland team.”
When asked if he had told his team about his mother, McGarry admitted he hadn’t but a swimmer’s parent had. “They’ve been great,” he said.
One thing’s a given: They were in the water, but none so more predominantly than Horstkamp-Vinekar, who accounted or helped account for 106 of the 236 points scored.
“There’s no one we’d rather have on the blocks in any situation, no matter how stressful or intimidating, than Ian,” McGarry noted. “He’s not only ridiculously fast, but he’s so poised. He’s cool as ice, and he welcomes pressure. He just loved to compete.”
That was obvious when Horstkamp-Vinekar coasted to the 100 butterfly title (52.81), then took the 100 backstroke gold (54.21, and just 1.01 ticks ahead of friend and Lincoln High senior McGovern Brown) just after helping CHS nail down a second in the 200 freestyle relay. He teamed with juniors Thomas Brennan and Jack Doherty, not to mention sophomore Nick Zerva, to a 1:32,63 clocking.
McGarry claimed that was the school’s fastest time in that event in at least 20 years.
Horstkamp-Vinekar anchored that relay in 22.19, then split 48.85 on his final leg of the third-place 400 freestyle relay. The quartet of Thomas Brennan, Zerva, frosh Will Brennan and the captain finished in 3:24.86, which ties their winter-best time.
It nevertheless seemed curious that Horskamp-Vinekar, instead of swimming his routine events, the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, that he yielded the former in favor of the 100 backstroke.
“We wanted to mix it up a little bit before the states (next Saturday at Brown University),” McGarry offered. “We also wanted to let other teams know he could do just about anything at states, so you can’t plan on him to do his usual events. He also wanted to do it to have a little fun.”
Stated Horstkamp-Vinekar: “I was in the running to do both of them, but I figured the 100 back was new, and I hadn’t swum it yet this season. I thought that could be a big race for me, so figured, ‘Why not?’
“I will say I didn’t feel all that great here,” he continued. “I’ve been a little sick lately (with a head cold and some chest congestion). On my last laps of the fly and back, I could definitely feel it. It was definitely a struggle to finish those races.”
Still, on this day, no one was more important than the other. In fact, it could be argued that Cumberland freshman Steve Zerva, who tied for 16th in the 100 backstroke (1:04.83), scored the runner up-clinching half point.
Or that senior Aidan Ocampo’s deadlock for 15th in the 50 freestyle (24.92) and 15th in the 100 freestyle (56.31) pushed the Clippers over the top.
Other important contributors included Zerva’s sevenths in the 200 freestyle (1:55.33) and 500 freestyle (5:17.43); junior Thomas Brennan’s sevenths in the 200 individual medley (2:08.98) and 100 freestyle
Photo by Ernest A. Brown (51.96); classmate Jack Doherty’s fifth in the 50 freestyle (23.24) and 12th in the 100 backstroke (1:02.33); and even freshmen Charles Kerbaj (5:45.75) and Colin Hyland (5:49.23) manufacturing five points with respective 14th- and 15th-place finishes in the 500 freestyle.
As for Lincoln, Brown seemed to take it in stride, that 100 backstroke loss to Horstkamp-Vinekar.
“I didn’t know he was swimming it until I saw the heat sheets a couple of days ago, and I thought, ‘Shoot! He’s so fast!’” he said with an impish grin. “If he didn’t swim it here, I probably would have won it, but I have to say I feel good about second, considering it’s against Ian. I have a lot of respect for him.”
Brown managed a good/frustrating day in the pool himself. He previously had joined senior Ben Goho, junior Charlie London and freshman Alex Lopes on the 200 medley relay that took second (season-best 1:42.21), then he finished third in the 100 freestyle (49.39). In that latter race, Moses Brown senior Ben Buroker finished .01 ahead of him).
He also anchored the fifth-place 400 freestyle relay; he combined with Goho, Lopes and London to record a winter top clocking of 3:34.94.
Other premier outings came from London, who placed sixth in the 100 butterfly (55.75) and 11th in the 200 IM (2:14.60); Goho, who mustered sixths in the 50 freestyle (23.67) and 100 breaststroke (1:03.90); Lopes 11th in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.24); and frosh Luke Abrahamson 10th in the 500 freestyle (5:24.31) and 11th in the 100 butterfly (1:01.32).
“As for McGovern, he’s where he wants to be,” head coach Tom DiIorio said Sunday. “He had a good swim in the 100 free and another in the back. This week, he’ll definitely be tapering, and I know he’s going to get his best times at states, just like he usually does.”