By Jeff Saukaitis - Intelligencer Assistant Sports Editor

  Matt MacKenzie is enjoying his finest swimming season ever at Archbishop Wood.   His best times in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles this winter have already surpassed his efforts at last year's   Philadelphia Catholic League championship meet.   MacKenzie's improvement, however, has much less to do with what he has done this winter than what he did during the fall.   A former cross country runner at Wood, MacKenzie decided he possessed his best athletic potential in swimming.   To realize that potential, though, he figured it would help to start swimming year-round.   So MacKenzie enrolled into NRG, a Bucks County-based United States Swimming club, and has reaped the benefits during the high school campaign.   In Wood's first three dual meets, MacKenzie never failed to place first in the 50 and 100 freestyles.   "It helped a lot to start swimming year-round, because I was able to start out the season in shape," MacKenzie said.   "When you swim year-round, you don't have to go through that period of the season where you're just working to get into shape.   "(Wood coach Charlie Stillwell's) influence had a lot to do with it.   He said it would be good to swim year-round, and it's helped me out".   "He did a lot of off-season training this year," Stillwell said, "and I think he realized what kind of potential he had.   "We've been working on his strokes every year, and he's gotten progressively better. His first year, he was swimming with his legs crossed; he had a big, old fishtail.   Now his hard work is really paying off.   He's a lot stronger.   "If he realizes his potential and keeps working, I see no reason why he can't make All-Catholic this year."   To earn All-PCL honors, a swimmer must finish among the top six in an individual event.   At last year's PCL title meet, MacKenzie placed 16th in the 100 free (53.26 seconds) and 20th in the 50 free (24.33).   In each of Wood's three dual meets, MacKenzie has bettered those times.   His top performances have been a 52.04 in the 100 free against St. Joseph's Prep and a 23.53 in the 50 free against Father Judge.   His 50 free time is tied for second-best in the PCL (Archbishop Ryan's Rob Querdi is first with a 23.16), and his 100 free time is third-best in the league (Bill Marcum of Cardinal O'Hara is first at 49.69).   "I'm hoping to break 50 (seconds) in the 100 free," MacKenzie said.   "In the 50 free, I'm hoping to get to a low 23 or high 22.   "I've talked about my goals with Charlie.   I think if I can get down to a 51 before I shave and taper for the PCL meet, I could have a good chance to get top six," MacKenzie said.   "In the 50 free, I'm not so sure."   Stillwell said the 50 free may ultimately prove to be a stronger event for MacKenzie, but it isn't as strong as the 100 right now because the senior's chief weakness is his difficulty getting off the starting block.   "He doesn't get off the block as well as most sprinters do," Stillwell said.   "In the 100, he can usually overcome that."   MacKenzie spends a good portion of his practice time working on starts and turns.   He's having quite a bit more fun at practice this season, thanks to Wood's overall team improvement.   The Vikings are 1-2 after last week's win over Ryan.   "We're greatly improved," MacKenzie said.   "We're looking at winning two league meets this year.   I know that doesn't sound like much, but we only won two meets total in my first three years combined."   That improvement is a tribute to the hard work of veteran swimmers like MacKenzie, who has pushed himself to new heights.

Thursday, February 3, 2000