It marked the start of the first-ever championship meet in the classification, which was added, in part, to create more participation opportunities in the sport for girls.
Well, that worked.
Roughly 54 percent of participants in this year’s state meet didn’t participate at state last season. Two schools, Moffat County and Northfield, were represented after not sending a swimmer to last year’s state meet.
“This is great now,” said Kent Denver coach Craig Petersen, who saw his team qualify nine to the state meet — up from an average of three or four per year. “It’s great for the girls, it gives them some confidence, and it’s just so much more fun now for the kids.”
“It’s huge,” added Longmont coach Kelly Shipley, whose team also added a significant number of qualifiers this season. “It gives girls more opportunities to make it at the state level.”
It also has changed the meet in terms of competition as the enrollment gap has shrunk. Now, the top-end of the class is 1,234, spanning 42 schools. Last season, the cap was 1,410 — but that spanned 70 schools.
“This is so great for these girls. We’ve been trying to get this 3A classification going for years,” said Petersen, who credited Ron Johns — the Chatfield coach, coaches association president and state meet director — for his role in advocating for a third classification. “It hasn’t been right from the standpoint of schools. We had to compete at essentially a 4-to-1 ratio against some of these bigger schools. But this is huge. I couldn’t be happier for my girls.”
Alex Reddington. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
On Friday, St. Mary’s Academy senior Alex Reddington stood out in the prelims.
She ended the session with the top qualifying time in the 200 freestyle (1:52.93) and the 100 butterfly (56.35) — which wasn’t too surprising considering she won both events at the 4A state meet last season.
But Reddington also helped her team qualify second in the 200 medley relay, and anchored the Wildcats’ 400 freestyle relay that posted the top time of the round (3:41.79).
“It went really well,” Redding said of the prelims. “I posted some times I’m pretty proud of. I’m excited for tomorrow. It felt really good.”
Reddington added that while 3A was “a little less competition,” she liked the new class because “we were able to bring another relay here, we had a few more individual swimmers.”
“That is great,” Reddington said.
Aspen, the top-ranked team heading into the state meet, also had a number of girls who stood out.
Sophomore Davy Brown qualified first in both the 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke. Senior Kennidy Quist was first in the 50 free and second in the 100 free.
The team also qualified first in the 200 medley relay and second in the 400 freestyle. Both relays included Brown and Quist.
Pueblo County notched the top time in the 200 freestyle relay, finishing in 1:42.67. That group included Amanda Blickensderfer, who also qualified first in the 100 breaststroke.
THORNTON and FORT COLLINS — Final results from the 2017 state swimming and diving championships are below. Navigate to the classification of your choosing below.
Tickets to the girls swimming championships are on sale now, and online passes will permit early entry to the event.
Tickets can be purchased at GoFan.co. The only tickets available online are all-session passes. These tickets will allow their holders to enter the facilities 30 minutes prior to the on-site tickets.
Each site will only be selling single-sessions tickets.
Spectators are asked to be reasonable and respectful to other fans, and not reserve entire sections when they arrive.
Veteran’s Memorial Aquatic Centers (VMAC), Thornton
Class 5A and Class 3A
Do not arrive early to the facility! Teams will not be allowed into VMAC until the schedule designates that the pool doors are open to athletes.
Coaches and ADs: Due to limited parking at the VMAC, school district busses and vans will NOT be able to park in the VMAC lot. Once swimmers and coaches are dropped off, busses and vans need to exit the lot and drive east one block to Holly St., turn south and enter the Trail Winds sports complex to park.
Spectators: The parking lot at VMAC will not open until 8 a.m. on Thursday and Friday. In addition, spectators will NOT be allowed to park at Horizon High School from 6 a.m.-3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. Overflow parking will be available at the Trail Winds sports complex, one block east of the VMAC. There is a walkway from this area to the aquatics center.
Eldora Pool and Ice Center (EPIC), Fort Collins
Class 4A
Teams are encouraged to not show up prior to the scheduled time for check in. There is limited space inside the facility.
GoFan ticket holders will queue in the ice arena stands. Please bring a warm jacket.
The winter season in Aspen is more often that not going to evoke images of skiers hitting the slopes, attacking the powder with gusto.
It isn’t much different at Aspen High School – after all, the school’s mascot represents the town’s favorite pastime. But headed into this weekend, there is a buzz surrounding a different athletic endeavor for the Skiers, one that involves water instead of snow and takes place indoors.
But there is a good reason for that excitement as Aspen heads over the mountains to the Front Range for the Class 3A state swimming and diving championships at Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton. The top-ranked Skiers are competing in a new classification and are led by a Harvard-bound senior in Kennidy Quist who works just as hard in the water as she does out of it.
“I am a very competitive swimmer, so I always like to race whomever and see how I can do,” said Quist, who as a junior was the runner-up in the 4A 50- and 100-yard freestyle events and earned All-American times in both. “I just love pushing myself to be the best I can. I’d love to compete at 4A or even 5A, but I’m excited for this new state. It’s something new to try, and records can be set.
“I think it will be just a difference experience. It will be fun, not only for me, but the other swimmers on the team.”
Both the 5A and 3A classifications will compete at the VMAC, while the 4A state meet will be held at EPIC in Fort Collins. Preliminary rounds for 5A take place Thursday, with finals running Friday afternoon. Fairview is the defending 5A champion but will have its hands full with top-ranked Fossil Ridge and No. 3 Arapahoe.
Prelims for 3A swimmers will run Friday morning and diving prelims will go Saturday morning. The finals will get underway Saturday afternoon.
Prelims for 4A swimmers are Friday afternoon and divers go Saturday morning. The 4A finals begin Saturday afternoon. Valor Christian is the defending 4A champion, with Cheyenne Mountain and Heritage currently ranked ahead of the Eagles.
Aspen finished eighth at the 4A state meet last winter. The only teams to finish ahead of the Skiers and also make the drop to 3A are Manitou Springs (fourth in 4A) and St. Mary’s Academy (sixth).
Aspen has never had an individual or team champion in swimming.
(Submitted photo)
“Swimming in the mountains is not a very exciting sport,” Quist said. “At Aspen you hear a lot about skiing. I think bringing some notice to the swim program would be great, not only for me, but for the other athletes.”
A year ago Quist was poised to make a run at a title in both sprint events, but came up just short in both the 50 and 100 to Valor Christian’s Brooke Stenstrom, who is currently swimming for Stanford.
Stenstrom set a 4A state record in the 50 with a time of 23.22 seconds, with Quist coming in just behind at 23.45. The 100 was just as competitive, with Stenstrom edging out Quist by .36 seconds.
“Last year I was seeded first going into state but did not perform as well as I would’ve liked to,” she said. “The 100 free was especially frustrating for me. The time I posted the week before would have won.
“Brooke is obviously an amazing swimmer and person. I was happy for her, but a little frustrated with myself.”
Aspen coach Kathleen Callahan believes that Quist’s discipline in practice will pay dividends at state.
“It was a very exciting and close race for her,” Aspen coach Kathleen Callahan told MaxPreps earlier this season. “She didn’t win, so her goal will be to win. She doesn’t give up.”
Discipline is maybe the best word to describe Quist, who committed to Harvard in September. Her weekly schedule at Aspen would seem to defy the limits of time, as Quist is currently taking nine classes as part of the Ivy Diploma program. She has eight practices a week, which comes out to about 20 hours. She also competed in the Junior National Championships in December.
Then there is her volunteer work. Through the Ivy Diploma program, she works with girls in middle school to help prepare them for high school. She also works with students at an elementary school, in addition to helping out within the community at outside events and volunteering at an animal shelter.
It leaves little to no time for Quist to be a typical teenager, but she believes it will get her ready for the rigors of being a student-athlete at Harvard.
“I think Kennidy was born and physically meant to be a swimmer. But in addition to that, this kid has one of the best work ethics I’ve ever seen,” Callahan said. “She brings it hard to very practice. She works as hard in the pool as she does at academics – she’s super, super focused.”
Aspen has only 11 swimmers in its girls program, but Quist is hopeful that the state contingent can take the Skiers to new heights. Sophomore Davy Brown owns the top-seeded time in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke headed into state.
“I think we will perform surprisingly well at state,” Quist said. “Even though we’re small, we do train hard and have a lot of talent on the team. I’m hoping that we will place even higher than we have in the past.”
Jeffco Public Schools had more than 100 student-athletes sign with colleges on National Letter of Intent Signing Day on Feb. 1. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletic)
The list just kept on growing on National Letter of Intent Signing Day for Jeffco student-athletes.
Just more than 100 future college student-athletes signed Wednesday. Fourteen different high schools in Jeffco Public Schools had celebrations for either students who are moving on to the next level.
The likes of football standouts Dalton Keene (Chatfield) and Jake Moretti (Pomona) have already enrolled in classes at Virginia Tech University and the University of Colorado. Eight football players from Pomona’s Class 5A state runner-up team will play in college.
While Division I football players might be the headliners, there were a number of sports that were represented Wednesday. Jeffco student-athletes received basketball, baseball, soccer, diving, volleyball, softball, cross country, track, lacrosse and swimming scholarships.
Bear Creek High School
Neil Vanlerberghe, Western State Colorado University, Football
Barry Wesley, Colorado State University, Football
Brian Sanchez, Chadron State, Football
Dominic Encinas, Presentation College, Football
Brandon Schoengarth, Eastern New Mexico, Baseball
Jack Redford, Southern Illinois, Baseball
Jakob Pigati, Iowa Western, Baseball
Walker Rumsey, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, Baseball
Chatfield High School
Michael Ardourel, Richmond International Academic, Men’s Soccer
Jenelle Crozier, University of Minnesota, Women’s Diving
Haley Fuller, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Volleyball
Natalie Gaber, Carroll College, Softball
Haley Jacobsen, McCook Community College, Volleyball
Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech University, Football
Abigail Oglesby, Colorado Mesa University, XC/Track
Peyton Wayment, California State University, East Bay, Swimming
Jack Winkler, University of San Francisco, Baseball
Kylie Yang, University of Tampa, Women’s Lacrosse
Tanner Barnes, Augustana College, Baseball
Green Mountain High School
Danielle Lord, Biola University, Women’s Soccer
Dylan Jacob, Western State Colorado University, Football
Wheat Ridge High School
Alexandra Nillen, Clemson University, Women’s Soccer
Cori Wing, Fresno Pacific University, Women’s Soccer
Zane Ortiz, Metro State University, Track
Standley Lake High School
Jonah Staton, United States Military Academy, Men’s Swimming
Sophia Brown, University of Colorado-Colo Springs, Women’s Soccer
Camille Garcia, University of Colorado-Colo Springs, Women’s Soccer
Terrell Starks, Fort Hays State University, Football
Miya Vasquez, Frank Phillips College, Softball
Arvada West High School
Delaney Fletcher, Otero Junior College, Softball
Casey Southwick, Central Christian College, KS, Baseball
Ethan Weslar, Colorado College, Men’s Soccer
Brittany Phillips, Adams State College, Softball
Jacob R. Angelopulos, Adams State College, Baseball
Sara Catherine Mitchell, Butler Community College, KS, Softball
Ava Flow Kopperschlager, Williston State College, ND, Softball
Tyler Michael Norris, Western Nebraska Community College, Baseball
Ian M. Forbes, William Penn University, IA, Baseball
Cody Fatzinger, Western State, Wrestling
Chase Dixon, Western State, Football
Garrett Shipman, University of Wyoming, Football
Evergreen High School
Ben Setlak, Willamette University, Baseball
Brandon Swenson, Adams State University, XC/Track
Ryan Wilson, Colorado School of Mines, Soccer
Sofia Weiner, University of Virginia, Soccer
Marissa Hoerman, Concordia University of Nebraska, Volleyball
Alex Rupe, Cornell College, Football
Columbine High School
Mikey Griebel, University of North Dakota, Football
Lyndsie Pratt, Brock Port, Women’s Lacrosse
Maggie Allen, John Brown, Women’s Soccer
Ashton Mansur, Arizona Western, Baseball
Chase Anderson, Garden City Community College, Baseball
Jackson Block, University of Northern Colorado, Football
Amanda Porter, University of Arizona, Women’s Soccer
TJ Callahan, Colorado Mesa University, Football
David Solis, Air Force Academy, Men’s Soccer
Bradley Kinzer, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Football
Tanner Rivera, Duray College, Cross Country
Garrett Gilleland, Garden City Community College, Football
Tim Mullin, Western State, Football
Ralston Valley High School
Tori Maydew, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, Soccer
Megan Schuster, Wayne State College, Soccer
Sierra Perez, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Soccer
Sarah Bevington, Baylor University, Soccer
Cade Peratt, Indiana State University, Football
Anne Rouleau, Indiana University, Swimming
Sage Heffley, Colorado Mesa University, Soccer
Brock Downing, Eastern Arizona College, Baseball
Jeffrey Cyr, Nova Southeastern University, Baseball
Henrik Barndt, Indiana State University, Football
Salvetti D’Ascoli, Fresno City College, Football
TreVaughn Rhodes, Western State Colorado University, Football
Tyler Shannon, University of North Dakota, Football
Shayne Whitmyer, South Dakota School of Mines, Football
Pomona High School
Jake Moretti, University of Colorado, Football
Garrett Zanon, Colorado Mesa University, Football
Devin Madrid, Otero Junior College, Baseball
Ashley Madden, Colorado Mesa University, Basketball
Lauren Sale, Boise State University, Swimming
Abriana Ramirez, Western Nebraska Community College, Softball
Bryan Gallegos, Doane University, Football
Isaiah Hirtler, Black Hills State University, Football
Uriah Vigil, Colorado Mesa University, Football
Cameron Gonzales, Colorado Mesa University, Football
Jeremy Gonzales, South Dakota School of Mines, Football
Isaac Lopez, South Dakota School of Mines, Football
Julia Trujillo, Los Angles Southwest College, Basketball
D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School
Nolan Balbin, University of Nebraska-Kearney, Football
Zach Berry, South Dakota School of Mines, Football
Sarah Cerrone, Colorado Mesa University, Track
Lakewood High School
Brynne Davis, St. Olaf College, Girls Soccer
Casey O’Neill, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, Baseball
Kolton Peterson, Colorado Mesa University, Men’s Basketball
Wayne Rodgers, Central Methodist University, Softball
Dakota Ridge High School
Carter Akerfelds, Iowa Western, Baseball
David Brandt, Black Hills State University, Football
Keegan Cryder, University of Wyoming, Football
Derick Demgen, Presentation College, Football
Miranda Goepfert, Cornell College, Softball
Dawson Gorton, Presentation College, Football
Hannah Krats, Fresno State University, Women’s Lacrosse
Carlye Levy, Eastern Utah State, Softball
Nick Scott, Illinois Wesleyan, Men’s Lacrosse
Amber Sharshel, Gordon College, Women’s Soccer
Brendan Williams, Adams State College, Men’s Lacrosse
Brynn Martin, University of Alabama, Women’s Soccer
Golden High School
Rylie Wehner, Wayne State, Women’s Soccer
Conifer High School
Mark Ness, Trinity International University, Baseball
