Cheyenne Mountain embracing challenge of Colorado boys swimming title defense

It's never an easy transition for prep swimmers when the calendar rolls around to the month of March.

As the girls conclude the state high school swimming championships in February, they immediately transition back into the club season. For the boys, the opposite is true.

"I think the month of March is hard," said Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs) coach Kate Doane, whose Indians are attempting to defend their Class 4A state title of a year ago. "Kids are trying to finish the club circuit and move forward into the high school season."

It's that competition, though, that helps make the sport what it is, and it's a challenge that must be embraced. Barely a month into the spring campaign, athletes have been forced to dive headfirst into the season with the state meet less than seven weeks away.

The Indians have already made a splash. While 2015 4A Swimmer of the Year Daniel Carr isn't with the squad as he focuses on this summer's Olympic Trials, Cheyenne Mountain's talent and depth have been on display early.

Cheyenne Mountain captured the Indian Invite last Friday, establishing a number of top times in the state. Doane said the team wishes Carr well, but the focus remains on the current roster.

"We have a lot of state experience coming back," she said. "When these guys get around each other, they just really swim fast and well. We're moving forward with what we have, and what we do have is a very strong team."

Junior Brayden Love holds the top time in the state, regardless of classification, in the 100 butterfly (50.59 seconds) and the 100 backstroke (57.02). Sophomore Kyle Leach, who was a member of the team's state-winning 400 free relay last year along with Westin Stieglitz and Jerry Birnbaum, holds the top mark in the 200 free (1:42.08) and the 500 free (4:41.79).

Cheyenne Mountain is currently second in the 200 free relay and third in the 400.

"I think they understand the team aspect. Both of them are absolutely willing to do whatever I/the team needs," Doane said of Love and Leach. "If I ask them 'where would you like to swim', they say 'wherever the team needs me' – and they're not the only ones. There are so many kids on this team who can literally plug into a spot and do great stuff."

Air Academy (US Air Force Academy), which finished second to the Indians a year ago but took two of the relay titles, is loaded again. Senior Tommy Baker owns the fastest time in the state in the 100 free (45.91) and is third in the 50 free; senior Caleb Hicks – who won the 100 fly last spring and was part both winning relays – is just behind Love in the fly.

"We have a very friendly rivalry with Air Academy. However, we respect them and they respect us," Doane said. "When we get to competition against each other, it's game on – we enjoy racing against them because they bring the best out of us and I feel we bring the best out of them as well."

Liam Gately of Thompson Valley (Loveland) won the 500 free as a sophomore last May.

The 4A state meet is May 20-21 at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton.

Class 5A
After staking its claim to the 5A state crown last May, Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins) hasn't missed a beat through the first few weeks of this season. The SaberCats rolled to the team title in the Dick Rush Coaches Invite in mid-March, swimming to firsts in the 100 backstroke (sophomore Danny Kovac) and the 100 fly (senior Loren Gillilan) and the 400 free relay.

Fossil Ridge returned three-fourths of its state-winning 200 free relay team from a year ago (Kovac, Mason Fine and Matthew Willis) and Kovac in the backstroke.

Regis Jesuit (Aurora) and Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village), which placed second and third behind the SaberCats at state, did the same at the Coaches Invite. The Raiders claimed two relays and currently own the state's top times in both.

Arapahoe (Centennial) sophomore Griffin Eiber won the 50 and 100 free at the Coaches Invite, and currently holds the top time in the 50 (21.12) and is second in the 100 to Air Academy's Baker. Heritage (Littleton) enjoyed a strong showing at the meet as well, with senior Michael Hinton claiming the 200 and 500 free and senior Patrick Kelley swimming to first in the 200 IM and second in the 100 fly.

Smoky Hill (Aurora) diver Devin Bellamy, the state runner-up last spring, took first at the Coaches Invite. Greeley West senior Brody Lewis, the defending champion in the 100 breaststroke, took first in that event and currently ranks in the top four in the state in three events.

Boulder has three members (Mick Bartholomew, Chris Nicholson and P J Stapleton) back off its 200 medley relay that won a state title last season, as does Cherry Creek (John Cremer, Hunter Fuqua and JJ Strain) in the 400 free relay.

The 5A state meet is May 20-21 at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

Class 5A
Defending champion: Fossil Ridge
Returning all-state swimmers: Mick Bartholomew, Sr., Boulder (200 medley relay); Devin Bellamy, Sr., Smoky Hill (diving); John Cremer, Sr., Cherry Creek (400 free relay); Mason Fine, Sr., Fossil Ridge (200 free relay);  Hunter Fuqua, Sr., Cherry Creek (400 free relay); Danny Kovac, So., Fossil Ridge (200 free relay, 100 back); Brody Lewis, Sr., Greeley West (100 breaststroke); Chris Nicholson, Sr., Boulder (200 medley relay); Gabriele Sasia, Sr., Highlands Ranch (100 butterfly); PJ Stapleton, Sr., Boulder (200 medley relay); JJ Strain, Jr., Cherry Creek (400 free relay); Matt Willis, Sr., Fossil Ridge (200 free relay); Michael Zarian, Jr., Fairview (Boulder) (500 free).

Class 4A
Defending champion: Cheyenne Mountain
Returning state champions: Tommy Baker, Sr., Air Academy (200 free, 200 free relay); Jerry Bimbaum, Jr., Cheyenne Mountain (400 free relay); Liam Gately, Jr., Thompson Valley (500 free); Caleb Hicks, Sr., Air Academy (200 medley relay, 100 butterfly, 200 free relay); Kyle Leach, So., Cheyenne Mountain (400 free relay); Westin Stieglitz, Jr., Cheyenne Mountain (400 free relay).