AURORA | With more than a full month left in the season, it seemed odd that the Regis Jesuit girls swim team celebrated Senior Night so soon.
Yet with all but one of their dual meets in the rearview mirror, the Raiders’ Continental League meeting with Legend at the Bubble was the last chance at the home pool to recognize a massive senior class that has contributed to the program’s recent success.
A group that began as freshmen when Olympic hero Missy Franklin was a senior in helped Regis Jesuit win Class 5A state championships in consecutive seasons in 2012-13 and 2013-14 — McKensi Austin, Kaylie Breslin, Marian Fortuin, Olivia Froehlich, Natalie Hunt, Amanda Keller, Amy Lenderink, Grace Maddock, Claire Middlemist, Lindsay Painton, Emily Protz, Erika Sailer, Megan Tartell, Sierra Viereck, Madison Watts, Kate Weis and Erin Whitaker — celebrated, then had a blast on its way to a 135-51 win.
“It’s a big group of seniors and every single of them bring a lot of leadership and has great character,” Raiders coach Nick Frasersmith said. “They’ve been a big part of what we’ve done the last three years, for sure. It’s crazy to have this so early, but the season is really flying by. In a couple of weeks we have C League, then B League and A League and then state.”
Indeed, Regis Jesuit has just a road dual at Rock Canyon on Jan. 21 before it gets into league season.
Against Legend, the Raiders’ seniors got a ton of time in the pool and made the most of it. Six of them posted individual wins — Austin in diving, Whitaker in the 200 yard freestyle, Lenderink in the 100 butterfly, Protz in the 100 freestyle, Breslin in the 500 freestyle and Painton in the 100 backstroke — and also chipped in on a relay sweep as well.
Painton got tossed into the backstroke late by Frasersmith and shook off some major cobwebs to win the event in 5A state qualifying time of 1 minute, 0.34 seconds, nearly four seconds in front of runner-up and teammate Jessie Bixler.
“I hadn’t done the backstroke in a long time, so it was just like ‘alright, here we go!’” said Painton, who won the race from one of the edge lanes.
Painton — a University of Missouri signee — also reflected on nearing the end of her senior season.
“It just hit me today, it was a little scary,” she said. “It was sad to think about, but also happy because I have so many great memories to think back on…Being a part of the journey for the freshmen and sophomores this year has been so much fun. I remember how much the seniors inspired and touched me when I was a sophomore.”
Unlike several of her senior classmates — Austin (Georgia), Lenderink (Iowa) and Breslin (West Point) — Protz still has a choice to make about where she wants to swim in college.
After winning the 100 freestyle and being the last senior in the water when she anchored the 400 freestyle relay, Protz reflected on how fast the journey seemed and how much she enjoyed little things like team breakfasts and dance parties at practice.
“I cannot believe I’m a senior actually,” Protz said. “I watched all the girls above me over the last few years and they’ve been such role models, I can’t believe I’m here already. It’s been a wild ride, but it’s been so much fun. All of these seniors are amazing, they have great character in and out of the water.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better group.”
Rounding out Regis Jesuit’s near-sweep on individual events was junior Samantha Smith, who took the 200 individual medley, while a slew of underclassmen combined to power relays.
The Raiders have plenty to look forward to in the final weeks as they attempt to get back on top of 5A after Fossil Ridge got the best of them last season. Regis Jesuit finished in front of Fossil Ridge, but behind Fairview at the Coaches Invitational prior to winter break.
Frasersmith was blown away by the nearly 100 percent attendance he had from his team during winter break practices and he hopes to add more to his list of 15 state qualifiers as Regis Jesuit readies for the final stretch of the season.
“We definitely saw that the competition was steep; Fairview is very deep and strong and Fossil Ridge is right there as well,” he said. “It’s going to be a really fun state meet.”
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
REGIS JESUIT 135, LEGEND 51
200 yard medley relay — 1. Regis Jesuit A (Samantha Smith, Courtney Vale, Kaylie Breslin, Lindsay Painton), 1 minute, 51.81 seconds; 2. Legend, 1:56.47; 3. Regis Jesuit C (Dani Carr, Summer Edwards, Jessie Bixler, Audrey Trainer), 2:04.24; 4. Regis Jesuit D (Abby Gonzales, Catie Vitella, N. Cardenas Duran, Chloe Morton), 2:04.24; 5. Legend B, 2:05.86; 6. Legend C, 2:25.60
200 yard freestyle — 1. Erin Whitaker (Regis Jesuit), 2 minutes, 4.90 seconds; 2. Hannah Nelson (Legend), 2:09.15; 3. Megan Tartell (Regis Jesuit), 2:10.01; 4. Alexis Debever (Regis Jesuit), 2:12.04; 5. Hayley Stauber (Legend), 2:14.71; 6. Katie Vaeth (Regis Jesuit), 2:16.21; 7. Kellie Davis (Legend), 2:21.79; 8. Emily Milla (Legend), 2:28.61
200 yard individual medley — 1. Samantha Smith (Regis Jesuit), 2 minutes, 15.49 seconds; 2. Isabella Schultze (Regis Jesuit), 2:19.19; 3. Sarah Moden (Legend), 2:20.75; 4. Ellianna Brown (Legend), 2:30.85; 5. Anna Schiavone (Regis Jesuit), 2:37.25; 6. Natalie Hunt (Regis Jesuit), 2:38.18; 7. Emily Johnson (Legend), 3:02.03
50 yard freestyle — 1. Courtney Linton (Legend), 25.90 seconds; 2. Meriel Upton (Regis Jesuit), 25.96; 3. Tori Vale (Regis Jesuit), 26.18; 4. Izzie Capra (Regis Jesuit), 26.40; T5. Allyson Malik (Legend), 27.07; T5. Courtney Vale (Regis Jesuit), 27.07; 7. Emily Hoff (Legend), 29.86; 8. Emily Milla (Legend), 30.11
1-meter diving — 1. McKensi Austin (Regis Jesuit), 284.60 points; 2. Anne Marie Kenny (Regis Jesuit), 220.60; 3. Charli Dickman (Legend), 168.50; 4. Erin Stuteville (Legend), 166.75; 5. Mary Bach (Regis Jesuit), 163.50; 6. Paige Dickman (Legend), 159.90; 7. Madison Watts (Regis Jesuit), 143.30; 8. Kendall Moede (Legend), 137.90
100 yard butterfly — 1. Amy Lenderink (Regis Jesuit), 58.31 seconds; 2. Kassidy Cook (Regis Jesuit), 1:04.65; 3. N. Cardenas Duran (Regis Jesuit), 1:05.64; 4. Hayley Stauber (Legend), 1:06.13; 5. Becca Kholos (Legend), 1:07.28; 6. Hannah Nelson (Legend), 1:09.92; 7. Abby Feeder (Legend), 1:10.32; 8. Amanda Marsh (Regis Jesuit), 1:11.98
100 yard freestyle — 1. Emily Protz (Regis Jesuit), 55.69 seconds; 2. Claire Brennan (Regis Jesuit), 55.94; 3. Jennae Frederick (Regis Jesuit), 57.19; 4. Courtney Linton (Legend), 58.23; 5. Ashlee Lewis (Regis Jesuit), 1:01.85; 6. Becca Kholos (Legend), 1:04.18; 7. Emily Hoff (Legend), 1:08.32
500 yard freestyle — 1. Kaylie Breslin (Regis Jesuit), 5 minutes, 31.36 seconds; 2. Grae Paterson (Regis Jesuit), 5:33.63; 3. Audrey Trainor (Regis Jesuit), 5:45.98; 4. Erika Sailer (Regis Jesuit), 6:01.27; 5. Chelsea Linton (Legend), 6:25.62
200 yard freestyle relay — 1. Regis Jesuit A (Tori Vale, Isabella Schultze, Samantha Smith, Amy Lenderink), 1 minutes, 42.35 seconds; 2. Regis Jesuit B (Claire Brennan, Jennae Frederick, Erin Whitaker, N. Cardenas Duran), 1:45.31; 3. Legend A, 1:49.90; 4. Regis Jesuit C (Izzie Capra, Amanda Marsh, Alexis Debever, Grae Patterson), 1:50.10; 5. Regis Jesuit D (Megan Tartell, Anna Schivaone, Katie Vaeth, Natalie Hunt), 1:56.91; 6. Legend B, 2:02.37
100 yard backstroke — 1. Lindsay Painton (Regis Jesuit), 1 minute, 0.34 seconds; 2. Jessie Bixler (Regis Jesuit), 1:04.30; 3. Hadley Templin (Regis Jesuit), 1:04.68; 4. Abby Gonzales (Regis Jesuit), 1:04.74; 5. Abby Feeder (Legend), 1:05.22; 6. Ellianna Brown (Legend), 1:10.58; 7. Mauri Syddall (Legend), 1:16.36; 8. Mikaela Shepherd (Legend), 1:18.11
100 yard breaststroke — 1. Sarah Moden (Legend), 1 minute, 10.84 seconds; 2. Sierra Viereck (Regis Jesuit), 1:13.30; 3. Catie Vitella (Regis Jesuit), 1:13.86; 4. Claire Middlemist (Regis Jesuit), 1:15.00; 5. Allyson Malik (Legend), 1:16.82; 6. Cala Renehan (Regis Jesuit), 1:18.97; 7. Chelsea Linton (Legend), 1:23.72; 8. Emily Johnson (Legend), 1:35.12
400 yard freestyle relay — 1. Regis Jesuit A (Meriel Upton, Claire Brennan, Sierra Viereck, Emily Protz), 3 minutes, 50.46 seconds; 2. Legend A, 3:58.13; 3. Regis Jesuit C (Abby Gonzales, Summer Edwards, Katie Vaeth, Megan Tartell), 4:05.48; 4. Legend B, 4:09.87; 5. Regis Jesuit D (Erika Sailer, Claire Middlemist, Anna Schiavone, Cala Renehan), 4:27.76; 6. Legend B, 5:02.92; Regis Jesuit B DQ