HAMILTON, N.Y. – Syracuse’s swimming and diving teams broke the pre-meet silence with the classic ‘slow clap.’

Seconds later, Colgate stormed to the pool from the opposite end in ‘rally clap’ harmony.

SU wasn’t done. The Orange responded with an authentic pep rally-esque, back-and-forth chant between the men’s and women’s teams. The five-fold cheer started in whispers, gradually got louder and ended in thunderous shouting.

It wasn’t typical sideline chatter. But this isn’t a typical season for Syracuse.

‘We want to prove to the athletic department that we are not dispensable,’ junior Peter Gollands said. ‘We want to prove to them that we are exceptional athletes and exceptional students.’

Next year, the Syracuse swimming and diving teams will be cut in favor of a women’s ice hockey team. On Friday, the Orange began its farewell tour in style, as the men cruised, 170-61, and the women won, 129-94.

The meet meant more than a box score, though. Five months shy of extinction, the Orange exited an 80-plus year-old rivalry the victor.

That was something to shout about.

‘Boy, the energy and support for each other was all there today,’ Syracuse head coach Lou Walker said. ‘These two schools are very competitive but also very respectful. There is no animosity or any of that nonsense. It’s college athletics in the right way. There is a lot of respect and a lot of history.’

Such dignity was on display before the meet when Colgate athletic director David Roach and head coach Stephen Jungbluth presented Walker a gift and ensured SU it has an ally to the east. Roach, who coached the Raiders from 1997-2002, said to Walker, ‘You have our support, we love you, and anything we can do, we’d be glad to help you.’

The unexpected gesture was appreciated.

‘Obviously, it’s a difficult situation,’ Walker said. ‘Just to come down here and have people reach out to you means a lot.’

The rivalry is legitimate. As old as the NFL, it dates back to the 1920s when Ted Webster, after whom Syracuse’s pool is named, became friends with Colgate’s swimming coaches throughout his 36 years. The meet itself was a flashback, too. Bob Benson, who coached against Walker at Colgate from for 21 years, was an official at the meet.

Although the scores were lopsided, plenty of energy flooded the Lineberry Natatorium. On a key 100-yard freestyle win for the Syracuse women, Walker paced around the northwest corner, checking his stopwatch, whistling through his fingers and adding sporadic yelps of encouragement whenever Katlin O’Hara’s head bobbed above the surface. O’Hara nosed Colgate’s Emily Murphy for first, clocking in at 52.87 seconds.

Through the two-and-half hour meet, Syracuse’s swimmers rarely, if at all, sat down. Maybe it was the reality that their one-for-the-road season had officially begun. Maybe it was the natural adrenaline a rivalry produces. Probably, it was a lot of both.

‘This has been a rivalry for a long time,’ said Gollands, peering back at the pool. ‘This year is the ending for a long-standing rivalry. For Colgate, they can continue after this year. For us, coming out of a rivalry with a win in our last year, it’s…’

He trailed off. A semi-speechless Gollands isn’t the only one who will miss the yearly meet. The feeling is mutual.

‘We have great races,’ said Jungbluth, Colgate’s fifth-year coach. ‘I’ll definitely miss it. It’s close by, it’s great competition and they are always great sports winning and losing. I appreciate that attitude coming into it. It’s awesome.’

A steadfast Walker isn’t approaching this season any different from his 31 previous ones.

‘When you’re a senior at college, each day is your last year here,’ Walker said. ‘But it doesn’t (feel) like it’s your last year. Sometime down the road is when you reflect back. We’re getting ready every day and training every day. It’s like being a senior in college. You know it’s there, but it isn’t how you live your life.

‘It’s about swimming fast and getting good grades. We’ve accomplished that. The rest is out of our hands.’

The Orange isn’t in self-pity. The sport will be eliminated next season. But for now, the team will continue that dueling ‘Go, go Orange. Go-go-go Orange’ chant before every meet.

‘The cheer came from Colin Murphy,’ said Gollands, referring to his junior teammate. ‘It’s a new thing for us. Colin’s high school team did it, and it brought them good luck.’

Finally, some good luck.

Published on October 14, 2007 at 12:00 pm