By Andy Ross
Every team has one. Every school has that one other school that they refuse to cheer for. The one school that they cannot stand to watch win. The one school that they bust their butt every single day to beat. The one school that is circled on the schedule from the first day of practice. The one school where everyone brings their A-game. The one school where season records are thrown out the door, reputations are on the line, and bragging rights are at stake.
2. Stanford-Cal
Two of the best schools in swimming history, these two teams know a thing or two about winning. Since 1980, these two teams have won every Pac-12 championship on the men's side and have finished one-two at the conference meet every year since 2002. On the women's side, out of the 26 times the Pac-12 meet has been contested, Stanford and California have won 20 of them. Besides their battles at the Pac-12 meet, these two teams have some pretty good dual meets in mid-February. Dubbed "The Big Game" for all sports in the Stanford-Cal rivalry, "The Big Meet" also has its good endings.
The Stanford band has never made an appearance on the pool deck during the final relay, but one famous meet occurred in 2010. The Cal men were ranked No. 4 in the polls while the Cardinal from Stanford were No. 2. The two teams met in Palo Alto. In a hotly contested battle, Stanford and Cal went back and forth the entire meet. After Michael Zoldos of Stanford led a 1-2-3 finish in the 500, and Brent Eichenseer won the three-meter, Stanford led the contest 110.5-96.5 with two events to go. Sean Mahoney of Cal won a closely contested battle in the 200 breast against John Criste to get the Golden Bears within nine going into the 400 free relay. If the Bears won the relay and got third, there would be a tie. If Stanford finished second and third, the Cardinal would win. The 'A' team from Stanford took it out and led through three legs. Eugene Godsoe was anchoring for Stanford while Cal had Nathan Adrian. Adrian swam past Godsoe and Cal won the relay 2:55.26 to 2:56.69. Now it was up to the 'B' teams. Rob Andrews of Stanford had the swim of the relay going 44.47 on the third leg to pass Mathias Gydesen. Andrews' split was right with the 'A' splits as they averaged just over 44 seconds. Geoff Cheah anchored for the Cardinal and held off Nolan Koon of the Golden Bears to finished third, clinching the dual meet win by four points, 123.5-119.5. Upon closer inspection of the meet, Cal had a huge blow when their 'B' 400 medley relay was disqualified to open up the meet. The Bears lost two valuable points on that relay. In college swimming, every point matters.
On the women's side, the 2011 matchup in Berkeley was one to remember. Natalie Coughlin had beaten Stanford once in 2004. The 2006 Bears team also had beaten the Cardinal. But that was the last time the Bears beat the Cardinal in a dual meet entering the contest in February of 2011. Stanford was ranked No. 1 in the polls while California was No. 4. By the end of the first break, Cal led Stanford, 78-72. Stanford divers Stephanie Phipps and Meg Hostage went one-two on the three-meter to tie the score up with two events left. The top-ranked Cardinal stacked their 200 IM lineup with senior Liz Smith and superstar freshmen Felicia Lee and Maya Dirado. Cal sent in national team member Caitlin Leverenz, who had won both breaststroke events during the day. Leverenz won the race based on her back half while Stanford went 2-3-4. With one event to go, Cal led by a single point. Stanford led through three legs of the 400 free relay, but Liv Jensen of Cal put in a monster anchor leg of 47.8 to beat Kate Dwelley. Cal took first in 3:15.85 with Stanford second at 3:16.45. "And the Bears have won!" as Joe Starkey put it in the 1982 'Big Game.' The band was not on the field in this one but Cal had beaten Stanford in women's swimming for the first time since 2006. The Bears would go on to win their second national championship in three years.
Only a week later, it was the men's turn. This time it was No. 1 Cal against No. 2 Stanford in rainy Berkeley. The swimmers were in parkas, the coaches were under umbrellas, and the swimmers had to wait in the tunnel before each swim. It may have been cold, but the intensity of the meet was hot. Cal won three of the first five events, but it was Stanford's diving once again that kept them close. Cal led after six events, 58-54, and things started to get interesting. Stanford's Bobby Bollier had a minor upset beating Tom Shields in the 200 fly by 0.04.
In the 100 free, it looked like Cal seniors Nathan Adrian and Graeme Moore were set to go one-two for the Bears in their final home meet. But it was a botched last turn by Moore that opened the door for Stanford senior Alex Coville, and he chased down Moore and tied him for second behind Adrian. Matt Swanston of Stanford then held off a charging Mathias Gydesen to snag the 200 back. Chad La Tourette of the Cardinal out-touched Golden Bear Jeremy Bagshaw at the wall in the 500 by one-tenth. Stanford went 1-2-3 on the three-meter to get themselves an eight point lead with two events remaining. Cal then responded with a one-two of their own in the 200 breast led by Martin Liivamagi and Martti Aljand defeating Curtis Lovelace by 0.06 for second. Cal led by three going into the last relay.
With the rain still coming down, the 400 free relay was a winner-take-all with Cal the heavy favorites (they were the defending national champions in the event). Stanford sent in Alex Coville, Aaron Wayne, Jake Allen, and Austin Staab while Cal sent Moore, Josh Daniels, Marcin Tarczynski, and Adrian. Moore did his job, beating Coville. Aaron Wayne split a 43.1 and beat Josh Daniels on the second leg giving Stanford a one second lead. Jake Allen extended it over Tarczynski handing a 1.7 second lead to Austin Staab. The anchor legs, Staab and Adrian, are arguably two of the most successful swimmers in their school's history. Staab won three individual NCAA titles as well as one relay. Adrian won five individual titles and six relay titles. Adrian had closed the gap at the 50 to 0.37 seconds. With a 25 to go, they were neck and neck. Staab had used his underwater kicks to push past Adrian and the Cardinal won the race 2:53.97 to 2:54.05. Despite Adrian's 41.5 anchor leg, the top=ranked Bears had lost on the last relay for the second straight year.
The two teams went toe to toe again in the 200 free relay at the NCAA meet in Minneapolis a few weeks later. Stanford had the same four swimmers but a different order (Staab and Wayne trading places). Cal sent out three of the same four but replaced Tarczynski with Shields. Adrian beat Coville on the lead-off. Staab beat Moore. Allen opened up a big lead on Daniels and leaving it to two sophomores in Aaron Wayne against Tom Shields. Despite one of the most impressive underwater kick outs I have ever seen, Shields could not catch Wayne and Stanford held off Cal 1:15.26 to 1:15.34. With the victory, Stanford won their first relay at NCAA's since 2005. Cal would go on to win three more relays at the meet and capture their first national title since 1980 while Stanford finished third.
With so many great moments in this rivalry, it would be impossible to highlight them all. But when these two teams meet in mid-February in a cold Northern California outdoor pool, something special is going to happen. These teams are normally ranked pretty high when they meet and it is always a good show in "The Big Meet."
