Swimmer inspires at Loyola

By Mike Klingaman

October 1, 2008

Phil Scholz, who swam in the Paralympics, sits by the Loyola pool with his guide dog, Taxi. (Baltimore Sun photo by Barbara Haddock Taylor / September 29, 2008)

Phil Scholz is blind, but few have set their goals higher than the Loyola College sophomore who competed last month in the Beijing Paralympics.

"There are nine American records I'd love to break this year," said Scholz, a butterfly specialist. He holds 15 U.S. marks for blind swimmers, including one he set in China.

Six hours after his flight from Beijing landed, he took part in a 6a.m. team practice.

"Phil's story will serve as a lesson," Loyola swim coach Brian Loeffler said. "This guy represented his country and swam in the same pool as Michael Phelps, so anything is possible."

Grabbing attention

Eleven days ago, Morgan State's Edwin Baptiste made a spectacular one-handed catch at Winston-Salem State in North Carolina.

While 3,000 people attended the game, nearly 100 times that number have viewed Baptiste's reception on YouTube. Moreover, the catch has been featured on ESPN, which sent a crew to interview the Bears receiver last week.

"I'm amazed," said Baptiste, a junior from Miami. "I must have gotten 100 calls from people who saw it. I've probably watched it 10 times myself."

Only 10?

"I'm trying to stay humble," he said.

It was "an unbelievable catch," Morgan coach Donald Hill-Eley said. "I've never seen anyone running full speed, turn in the air, catch the ball in one hand, do a full tumble, land on his head and almost come back on his feet. ... In a couple of years, when he goes to apply for a job, someone will say, 'Oh, you're the guy who made that catch.'"

Something fishy

Winning can breed superstition. So it's no surprise that, after 20 straight victories, Salisbury University's volleyball team will take its star out for sushi. Again.

All-American Stacey Krebs dines on raw fish before every match. She'll likely do it again today before Salisbury (20-1) plays at Hood College (1-11).

"Having sushi on game day is tradition for me and [teammate] Jaime Marzocchi," said Krebs, a 6-foot senior from Liberty High. "Now, coach [Margie Knight] makes us do it. ... We love it."

Helping hands

It has been a bumpy road for Bowie State's football team, 2-2 after four away games. The Bulldogs host Lincoln University (Pa.) in their home opener at 1p.m. Saturday.

"It was taxing, physically and mentally, to spend the first month traveling - those were long bus rides - but our guys did it," Bowie coach Mike Lynn said.

Bowie's players handled themselves with aplomb on the road, the coach said. Last week, the team stopped at a Golden Corral in Colonial Beach, Va.

"I'm sitting there, eating," Lynn said, "when this lady comes over and says, 'Coach, your gentlemen are very respectful. They helped my 80-year-old mother at the buffet and even carried her plate for her.'"

Lynn thanked the woman.

"The world's perception of young African-American males - and football players - is not very positive," he said. "But that [incident] was typical of my guys."

E-mail

Reprint

Get home delivery of The Sun and save over 50% off the newsstand price