Fossil Ridge champ Rhianna Williams to bid adieu to swimming

Come Saturday evening the sun will set on one of the most storied Colorado prep careers in girls swimming. Or any sport, for that matter.

Yes, the end of the line finally has arrived for Regis Jesuit (Aurora) senior Missy Franklin, the Olympian who collected five medals, four of them gold, at the 2012 Summer Games and who, at 17 years of age, could very well be staring at an overall Olympic medal haul that someday will stretch into Michael Phelps territory.

However, this year's Class 5A state meet also will mark the final high school appearance for another decorated state champion. Yet for Rhianna Williams of Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins), the state championships not only will bring the end of her impressive prep career, but it will be her final race as a competitive swimmer, period.

On Wednesday, Williams was scheduled to sign a national letter of intent to join the track and field team at the University of Utah. The owner of six top-four individual finishes at the state swim meet, including victories last year in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle, Williams' swan song in swimming likely will be overshadowed by Franklin's swan song in the high school scene.



Not that the Fossil Ridge senior is complaining. In addition to expecting a sell-out crowd at the Edora Pool Ice Center in Fort Collins, the meet also will be televised by CBS Sports Network.

"I definitely think having her at the state meet is a positive thing," said Williams, whose high school medal haul might have been even more impressive if not for her career coinciding with Franklin's and that of former Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) standout Bonnie Brandon.

"It's nice to say you raced against someone like that. I think it will be a lot of fun."

Williams, who also is a sprint specialist on the track and is Colorado's reigning 5A champ in the 400 meter dash, will be perfectly content if Franklin gets the same attention she received at last year's state final, if Fossil Ridge also posts the same result in winning the state title.

It is shaping up to be an intriguing race for the team crown. Fossil Ridge, which also boasts defending butterfly state champion Bailey Nero, appears to be the favorite on paper, but Franklin's presence instantly gives Regis Jesuit two individual victories as well as two contenders in relay races. Cherry Creek is not quite the same team that finished just one point behind Fossil Ridge a year ago, and the state title hopes of Fairview (Boulder) have been dampened by a shoulder injury suffered by senior distance specialist Abbie Houck.

"We have more kids qualified than last year with 17 going, including our diver," Fossil Ridge coach Carolyn Fries said. "From our standpoint, we feel really good with where we're at. We're thrilled to be in this position and the girls are very focused."



Franklin is all but certain to accomplish the unique feat of collecting the maximum eight individual state championships in her four-year career. In addition to two relay state titles, Franklin has won three consecutive 100 backstroke titles in addition to a pair of wins in the 50 freestyle and one championship in the 200 freestyle. This year, however, Franklin is slated to swim the 500 freestyle and the 200 individual medley.

Already the owner of the Colorado state records in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free and the backstroke, setting fresh state marks in the IM and 500 not only would knock off the records set by Brandon last year, but would make Franklin the state record-holder in six of the eight individual swim races.

While the 5A meet will be competed at EPIC, the 4A meet also begins Friday in Thornton. Thompson Valley has won the past three 4A titles and is favored to make it four in a row. Preliminaries begin at 4 p.m. Friday at each site, while diving prelims begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at both venues. Championship finals are scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday.