Wood's Crouthamel hoping to make this a winter to remember

By Jeff Saukaitis - Intelligencer Assistant Sports Editor

Carol Crouthamel is hoping to make this a winter to remember at Archbishop Wood.   The Vikings' most versatile swimmer, Crouthamel has helped Wood climb from also-ran to contender status during her previous years with the program.   Last year, Wood won all five of its Philadelphia Catholic League regular-season dual meets.   The Vikings, however, came up just shy of their first PCL team championship since 1991.   They lost in the title meet by 15 points to Cardinal O'Hara.   O'Hara's superior depth was the deciding factor.   Few could argue that Wood possessed more individual talent.   The Vikings won nine events, while O'Hara didn't finish first in any.   Wood welcomes back most of its top-notch swimmers this year; Crouthamel, Jillian Fitzgerald, Shannon Seckinger and Mary Skonicki will likely make many visits to the medal stand again at this season's PCL championships.   It's going to take higher-quality depth, though, to help the Vikings climb that final step and come home with the title, and Crouthamel is confident the Vikings have added that ingredient.   "I'm really excited," she said.   "We have a really strong team.   We've added some really good freshmen.   Each year, we keep getting closer, and this is the year it could happen.   "We have the swimmers to get first places, but we need to get more of those fifths and sixths."   Wood hasn't competed in a dual meet yet —Dec. 23 against Gwynedd-Mercy is the first non-league dual meet on the schedule —so it's difficult to say how much of an impact the Vikings' nine freshmen will have this season.   Wood also added a senior, Brynn Bailey, who is back on the team for the first time since ninth grade.   She'll try to add depth in the sprint freestyles and breaststroke.   The breaststroke is also Crouthamel's best event, although she is proficient in all strokes.   She qualified for Senior Nationals in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke events last year, so she hopes to qualify again during her club season with Newtown-based Spirit Swimming.   During her season with Wood, Crouthamel wants to continue her personal success and provide the kind of leadership she thinks it will take to lift the Vikings to the top of the PCL.   "I try to be a role model," Crouthamel said.   "As a leader, I want to make sure everybody knows they are contributing.   It doesn't matter how fast you swim, it's whether you go out and do your best."   Crouthamel recently removed some pressure from herself when she signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Minnesota on a swimming scholarship.   Three months ago, Crouthamel was considering five schools: Minnesota, Michigan, Miami, Northwestern and Florida.   She then narrowed it to Minnesota, Michigan and Miami before finally settling on Minnesota last month.   "I loved the whole atmosphere at Minnesota," said Crouthamel, who wants to major in secondary education and eventually become an English teacher.   "The coach and the team are great.   They seem focused not only on swimming, but on academics, too.   It felt like the right place for me."

Thursday, December 16, 1999