by Joe DiBlasi
jdiblasi@digitalsports.com
They will battle each other, with great intensity, throughout the fall, but last weekend all five MIAA varsity water polo teams came together as one, representing Baltimore, in the inaugural Philmore Cup, and bringing home an 8-7 victory over five rivals from Philadelphia.
The event was hosted by Episcopal Academy in Philadelphia, as Calvert Hall, Loyola, Gilman, McDonogh and Mount Saint Joseph took turns tangling with Philly contingent of Penn Charter, Haverford, Episcopal, Malvern Prep and Germantown Academy. Each local team played three games and earned one point for their conference with each victory.
The overall outcome came down to the last game of the day, which pitted Loyola and Haverford, and the Dons prevailed 16-6, to give Baltimore the title.
Calvert Hall, the eight-time defending MIAA champions, and Loyola each won three games in the event, while McDonogh and St. Joe each won one game.
Junior Tyler Elfert led the Dons scoring with 12 goals, in the tournament, and senior Tyler Thein had 10.
The Loyola effort was special, in that the team returned to Baltimore in the middle of the event, to attend a Memorial Service, on Saturday morning, for Suzanne Vineyard, the mother of Loyola player Ken Vinyard, who recently passed away after a battle with cancer. Following the service, the team, including Vineyard, returned to Philly for two late afternoon victories, to capture the Cup for Baltimore.
The MIAA water polo season opens on Tuesday at Blakefield, where the Dons will host McDonogh.
This Saturday and Sunday, Gilman will host The Gilman Challenege, with Calvert Hall, St. Joe, Gonzaga, Penn Charter, Lawrenceville, Landon and the host Geyhounds all particiating in another early season tournament. Games will begin at 7 a.m. each day, with the championship scheduled for Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
The first big MIAA match of the season will be held on Tuesday, Septemer 23, when Calvert Hall visits the Dons at Blakefield.