Local high school swimming will have a new look this season.
For 70 years, private and public schools swam under the banner of the Maryland Scholastic Association.
But the MSA has been dissolved, and now the private schools -- Calvert Hall, Loyola, Mount St. Joseph, Gilman, McDonogh, Archbishop Spalding and Severn -- are competing in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association.
The main rivalry still will be Calvert Hall-Loyola. The Cardinals and Dons dominated the MSA for 30 years; the last school other than Calvert Hall or Loyola to win the MSA title was Mount St. Joseph in 1964.
Calvert Hall ruled the last four years, capturing six of eight dual meets against Loyola and four MSA titles. Their only dual meet will be Jan. 30 at Loyola, with the MIAA championships Feb. 11 at Calvert Hall.
"We're one of the top two, but the probable favorite is Loyola," said Calvert Hall coach Reds Hucht. "I don't know if they have depth, but I'm sure they have more than we do. I've had JVs that could beat my present varsity. We don't have the horses."
His main horses are T.J. Apicella, John Braxton, Greg Hillis and Brian Norris.
Loyola coach Murray Stephens' top swimmers are B.J. Brannan, David McDonnell, Jason Knauff, Sky King, Matt Andrews, Ryan Brannan and freshmen Joe Curreri, Omar Fraser, John Lurz and Scott Shimkaveg.
"One of the toughest competitions will be diving," Stephens said, noting that Calvert Hall's Jon Repetti edged Loyola's Jeff zTC Harrison last season.
Gilman, Mount St. Joe and McDonogh will be the chief challengers. Gilman and Mount St. Joe were three-four in last season's MSA A Conference championships and McDonogh won the B Conference.