Last season, Fossil Ridge celebrated its second Class 5A state title in the past three years. The Sabercats graduated only one state champion and are the overwhelming favorites to repeat in the big-school classification.
File photo by Ray Chen
Walking away from Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton last February, the
Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins) girls swimming and diving program must have been on cloud nine.
The Sabercats had just secured their second Class 5A state championship in three seasons with a dominating showing at VMAC. Fossil Ridge captured titles in nine of the 11 swimming events (Brittney Beetcher of
Fairview (Boulder) had the other two), including all three relays.
Even better for the Sabercats: Only one state champion – Bailey Kovac – was a senior, meaning that Fossil Ridge returns the bulk of its team.
Fast-forward to the start of the 2017-18 girls swimming and diving season, and the Sabercats are the team to beat in 5A this winter. Seniors
Kylee Alons and
Zoe Bartel each won two individual titles last season and were part of two winning relays. Senior
Bayley Stewart had one individual win and two relay championships, as did junior
Coleen Gillilan.
In 4A, defending champion
Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs) graduated only one individual champion. The Indians were young a year ago, with Swimmer of the Year
Cat Wright winning two individual titles as a junior.
Aspen, which won the inaugural 3A title, did the same. The Skiers' loss was a big one though in MVP Kennidy Quist, who won four titles.
MaxPreps Colorado girls swimming state leaderboardsAs the first month of the season winds down headed into the Coaches Invite this Saturday at VMAC, here is a quick glance at each of the state's three classifications:
Class 5A
Defending state champion: Fossil Ridge
State Meet: Feb. 9-10 at EPIC in Fort Collins
Returning all-state swimmers/divers: Natalie Arky, Sr.,
Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch) (2nd team); Kylee Alons, Sr., Fossil Ridge (1st team);
Caraline Baker, Soph., Fossil Ridge (2nd team); Zoe Bartel, Sr., Fossil Ridge (1st team);
Kirsten Belitz, Jr.,
Arapahoe (Centennial) (2nd team);
Franny Cable, Jr., Arapahoe (1st team); Coleen Gillilan, Jr., Fossil Ridge (1st team);
Kim Lanaghen, Jr., Fairview (2nd team);
Amelie Lessing, Jr., Fairview (2nd team);
Madeleine Mason, Sr., Fossil Ridge (1st team);
Andrea Niemann, Sr., Fossil Ridge (1st team);
Meredith Rees, Jr.,
Lewis-Palmer (Monument) (2nd team);
Kaia Reznicek, Jr., Fairview (2nd team); Bayley Stewart, Sr., Fossil Ridge (1st team);
Jada Surrell-Norwood, Soph.,
Regis Jesuit (Aurora) (2nd team);
Samantha Tamborski, Sr.,
Douglas County (Castle Rock) (1st team);
Riley Tapley, Jr., Fairview (2nd team);
Meriel Upton, Jr., Regis Jesuit (2nd team).
Overview: Fossil Ridge's biggest strength has been its relay teams. The Sabercats earned a state record in the 200-yard medley last winter, and just missed matching records in the 200 free relay by .20 seconds and the 400 free relay by .03 seconds. Fossil Ridge already owns the state's top recorded times in all three relays this season, set in a quad meet on Nov. 30. The quartet of Caraline Baker, Gillilan, Madeleine Mason and Alons' time of 1:35.62 in the 200 free relay is a little more than second off the state record. Regis Jesuit is currently second overall in the 200 and 400 free relays and second in 5A in the 200 medley. …
Emily Barrier of
Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins), who placed fourth in the 200 free as a junior, has the top time in that event. … Bartel (200 individual medley and 200 free), Alons (50 free), Bayley Stewart (100 back) and Gillilan (100 breast) have top times as well. … Fairview freshman
Karla Lessing is making an early impact with the state's top time thus far in the 500 free at 5:16.65. Lessing is just ahead of Barrier.
Class 4A
Defending state champion: Cheyenne Mountain
State Meet: Feb. 8-10 at VMAC, Thornton
Returning all-state swimmers/divers: Kylie Andrews, Sr.,
Heritage (Littleton) (1st team);
Sophia Bricker, Jr., Cheyenne Mountain (1st team);
Kyriana Chambo, Jr.,
Highlands Ranch (1st team);
Olivia Ellenwood, Sr., Sr., Rampart (2nd team);
Lainee Jones, Sr.,
Pueblo South (1st team);
Marissa Kiefer, Sr., Heritage (2nd team);
Ella Kirschke, Sr.,
Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) (1st team);
Erin Lang, Jr.,
Loveland (1st team);
Morgan McCarthy, Sr.,
Fort Collins (2nd team);
Caley Mitchell, Sr., Heritage (2nd team);
Izzi Mroz, Sr., Valor Christian (1st team);
Aleks Olesiak, Jr.,
Air Academy (2nd team);
Gabrielle Peltier, Jr., Rampart (2nd team);
Audrey Reimer, Sr., Fort Collins (2nd team);
Makenna Sanger, Jr.,
Windsor (2nd team);
Lindsay Stenstrom, Jr., Valor Christian (1st team); Cat Wright, Sr., Cheyenne Mountain (1st team).
Overview: Valor Christian graduated only one individual state champion, and Heritage returns Kylie Andrews, who won the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke. … Rampart, which finished fifth in the 4A state meet last winter, is off to a good start this season. The Rams have the top recorded 4A times in the 200 medley and 400 free relay, with a pair of freshmen in the 400 free lineup, and are just behind Heritage in the 200 free relay. Senior Alanna Clarke has the top record time in the 100 fly and is third in the 200 IM; freshman
Lindsey Immel has the top recorded time in the 100 free and is second in the 50 free. …
Niwot's Emiley Yie is another freshman making an early impact. Yie has the current top 4A time in the 200 free and is second in the 500 free to Fort Collins'
Madi Hunter. … Highlands Ranch's
Aimee Burton has the top 4A 50 free time and is second to Clarke in the 100 fly. … Reigning 200 free champion Lainee Jones of Pueblo South is currently holding the top time in that event.
Class 3A
Defending state champion: Aspen
State Meet: Feb. 8-10 at VMAC, Thornton
Returning all-state swimmers/divers: Kylie Behn, Jr.,
Durango (2nd team);
Amanda Blickensderfer, Jr.,
Pueblo County (1st team);
Davy Brown, Jr., Aspen (1st team);
Caitlin Cairns, Soph.,
St. Mary's (Colorado Springs) (2nd team);
Emily Driscoll, Sr., Aspen (1st team);
Isa Faddick, Sr.,
St. Mary's Academy (Englewood) (2nd team);
Sophia Hoffman, Soph.,
D'Evelyn (Denver) (2nd team);
Julianna Krinsky, Jr., Pueblo County (1st team);
Jamie Lefevre, Sr., D'Evelyn (2nd team);
Mikeldi Lewis, Sr.,
Eaton (2nd team);
Lucille Matheson, Soph.,
Longmont (2nd team);
Anna Maurello, Soph., Pueblo County (1st team);
Alexa Musso, Jr., Pueblo County (1st team);
Campbell Patteson, Soph.,
Kent Denver (Englewood) (1st team);
Abbey Selin, Sr., D'Evelyn (1st team);
Retta Smith, Sr., St. Mary's (1st team).
Overview: Pueblo County, which placed fifth at state a year ago, currently has the top times in all three relays. The Hornets return all four members of its 3A title-winning 200 free relay team. Junior Amanda Blickensderfer, who won the 100 breaststroke as a sophomore and was on the winning 200 free relay team, has the top early recorded time in the 200 IM and 100 breast and is second in the 100 free. … With Quist having graduated, keep an eye on Aspen's Davy Brown. The junior is the reigning state champion in the 100 back, and currently has the top time in that event and the 100 free, and is second in the 200 free. Teammate Emily Driscoll currently leads the 100 fly. …
Anne Younger of
Colorado Academy (Denver) currently has the top time in the 50 free and is second in the 100 back, while teammate
Aly Gallagher is first in the 200 free. … D'Evelyn's Abbey Selin, who won a state title in the 500 free as a junior, currently ranks first in that event.
