COMMERCE CITY | With the exception of two divers qualified for the Class 5A girls state swim meet, the season came to a close for four Aurora girls swim team’s at Saturday’s EMAC Championships.
When the two-day meet wrapped up at Adams City High School, Rangeview — which won the Aurora Public Schools Championship meet a week earlier — again finished as the city’s top team, as coach Peter Gerard’s group racked up 339 points to finish third in the eight-team field.
Gateway finished behind Hinkley at the APS meet for the first time in more than a decade, but coach Dan Ambruso’s Olympians — who had Aurora’s only event champion in junior diver Jessica Mitchell — finished in fourth place, 23 points in front of coach Beth Himes’ T-Birds at the league meet.
Aurora Central finished eighth.
Mitchell’s rise throughout the season continued at the league meet, where she racked up 377.75 points to hold off Hinkley’s Brooke Connelly and win a third consecutive EMAC championship. Her score easily eclipsed the 340.55 she had at the APS meet a week earlier and brought her within 0.55 of a point of the league record, a 378.30 recorded by former Gateway star Cassie Brozek in 2012.
On Feb. 14 at the Edora Pool & Ice Center, Mitchell will compete in the 5A state meet for the first time, as will Connelly, a first-year diver who scored a season-high 373.15 points just three days after earning her required state cut at the Cherry Creek Invitational. She is the first Hinkley diver to make state in at least two decades and her coach, Jacob Butler, received the EMAC Dive Coach of the Year award.
Rangeview had no state qualifiers, but plenty of depth, which showed up at the league meet.
The distance freestyle trio of sophomores Sydney Comet and Brittany Ward and freshman Emily Haag performed well again, giving the Raiders three top-10 finishers in both the 200 and 500 freestyles. Comet finished fifth in the 500 freestyle and sixth in the 200 freestyle to lead the way.
Junior Natalie Provancal notched Rangeview’s top individual finish with her second-place results in the 100 breaststroke, while two-event APS champion Josephine Koch claimed top five results in both of her individual races. Demi Hassan and Bree Scott also qualified for two championship finals apiece and posted the identical time in the 50 freestyle.
In addition to Mitchell’s performance, Gateway got two championship finals swims from senior Hannah Espinoza, who finished fifth in the 100 butterfly and eighth in 100 breaststroke.
Senior Zion Jones advanced to the championship finals in both of her individual events for Hinkley, which suffered a disqualification in the 400 yard freestyle relay.
Haydee Lino’s 13th-place finish in the 200 yard freestyle paced Sarah Ferris’ Aurora Central squad.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2015 EMAC CHAMPIONSHIP GIRLS SWIM MEET
Team scores: 1. Brighton 602 points; 2. Northglenn/Thornton 498; 3. RANGEVIEW 339; 4. GATEWAY 213; 5. HINKLEY 190; 6. Westminster 145; 7. Adams City 99; 8. AURORA CENTRAL 58
200 yard medley relay: A Final — 1. Brighton, 2 minutes, 3.23 seconds; 2. Northglenn/Thornton, 2:10.12; 3. RANGEVIEW, 2:11.92; 4. GATEWAY, 2:22.51; 5. Westminster, 2:26.54; 6. HINKLEY, 2:28.16; 7. Adams City, 2:59.66
200 yard freestyle: A Final — 1. Malaney Dodson (Brighton), 2 minutes, 14.59 seconds; 2. Chandler Ritchey (Brighton), 2:14.92; 3. Josie Pomrenke (Brighton), 2:20.79; 4. Hannah Goldstein (Northglenn/Thornton), 2:22.22; 5. Hailey Mahaffey (Northglenn/Thornton), 2:24.44; 6. SYDNEY COMET (RANGEVIEW), 2:26.42; 7. Emily Sasin (Northglenn/Thornton), 2:27.20; 8. BRITTANY WARD (RANGEVIEW), 2:29.84
B Final — 9. Maddison Allen (Northglenn/Thornton), 2:33.08; 10. EMILY HAAG (RANGEVIEW), 2:36.38; 11. BETH REEVES (GATEWAY), 2:41.63; 12. Ivy Newton (Brighton), 2:42.53; 13. HAYDEE LINO (AURORA CENTRAL), 2:42.58; 14. KIM MORRIS (HINKLEY), 2:42.79; 15. ALLISON MAEZ (RANGEVIEW), 2:49.13; 16. Jessica Sanchez (Westminster), 3:00.29
200 yard individual medley: A Final — 1. Madi Dent (Brighton), 2 minutes, 31.75 seconds; 2. Hailey Cruz (Northglenn), 2:36.84; 3. Kianna Lotvedt (Brighton), 2:37.09; 4. MaxAnne Shuck (Brighton), 2:37.72; 5. JOSEPHINE KOCH (RANGEVIEW), 2:41.67; 6. Sydney Molloy (Northglenn/Thornton), 2:42.55; 7. Nicole Tyra (Northglenn/Thornton), 2:56.19; 8. ZION JONES (HINKLEY), 3:00.55
B Final — 9. MORGAN ZUGELDER (HINKLEY), 2:55.61; 10. TAMRY ROMERO (GATEWAY), 3:03.07; 11. DAPHNY XOY (HINKLEY), 3:04.80; 12. Allie Sears (Northglenn/Thornton), 3:05.84; 13. NATALIE PROVANCAL (RANGEVIEW), 3:05.86; 14. MAGDALENA LANDA POSAS (HINKLEY), 3:10.81; 15. Olivia Gonzales (Westminster), 3:12.05; 16. BECKY BOWERS (RANGEVIEW), 3:18.62
50 yard freestyle: A Final — 1. Desiree Salais (Brighton), 25.43 seconds (5ASQT); 2. Talia Passarelli (Northglenn/Thornton), 25.45 (5ASQT); 3. Maddie Hisler (Brighton), 26.86; 4. Isabelle Pawlak (Brighton), 28.11; 5. Kayla Binford (Brighton), 28.54; T6. DEMI HASSAN (RANGEVIEW), 29.50; T6. BREE SCOTT (RANGEVIEW), 29.50; 8. Emma Fiore (Northglenn/Thornton), 30.46
B Final — 9. Madison Burney (Northglenn/Thornton), 28.64; 10. Jaelyn Tobias (Northglenn/Thornton), 28.89; 11. EMMA HUG (RANGEVIEW), 29.42; 12. Cassandra Vigil (Westminster), 31.05; 13. Savannah Bodkin (Adams City), 31.15; 14. SIERRA MILLER (RANGEVIEW), 31.29; 15. VICTORIA OLIVA (HINKLEY), 31.32; 16. Quiana Honeysette (Westminster), 31.90
1-meter diving: A Final — 1. JESSICA MITCHELL (GATEWAY), 377.75 points; 2. BROOKE CONNELLY (HINKLEY), 373.15; 3. Asiah Stutz (Northglenn/Thornton), 318.60; 4. Sierra Edelen (Brighton), 313.40; 5. Savanah Edelen (Brighton), 297.05; 6. ALLI ROSALES (GATEWAY), 283.55; 7. Kendal Smith (Brighton), 276.25; 8. ANNA RISTVEY (GATEWAY), 272.96
B Final — 9. MICHELLE SANCHEZ (GATEWAY), 247.30; 10. Madeline Whelan (Brighton), 246.25; 11. ALYSSA CARLSON (RANGEVIEW), 244.75; 12. JESSICA MERCADO (HINKLEY), 217.85; 13. KIMBERLY QUINONEZ (HINKLEY), 195.60; 14. AIMEE NGUYEN (HINKLEY), 151.35
100 yard butterfly: A Final — 1. Madi Dent (Brighton), 1 minute, 7.15 seconds; 2. Hannah Goldstein (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:09.48; 3. Dana Guerrero (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:11.39; 4. EMMA HUG (RANGEVIEW), 1:17.93; 5. HANNAH ESPINOZA (GATEWAY), 1:20.21; 6. ZION JONES (HINKLEY), 1:22.44; 7. Quiana Honeysette (Westminster), 1:23.06; 8. Nicole Tyra (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:23.78
B Final — 9. TAMRY ROMERO (GATEWAY), 1:25.75; 10. Allie Donnici (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:29.10; 11. Jordan Walls (Westminster), 1:30.68; 12. MAGDALENA LANDA POSAS (HINKLEY), 1:32.03; 13. A. ALATORRE VAZQUEZ (HINKLEY), 1:32.54; 14. RIDER HOFFMAN (RANGEVIEW), 1:32.55; 15. Sofya Belkevich (Brighton), 1:32.84; 16. ALLISON MAEZ (RANGEVIEW), 1:37.01
100 yard freestyle: A Final — 1. Maddie Hasler (Brighton), 1 minute, 1.08 seconds; 2. Josie Pomrenke (Brighton), 1:01.57; 3. Chandler Ritchey (Brighton), 1:02.00; 4. Madison Burney (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:04.42; 5. Jaelyn Tobias (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:04.65; 6. Makayla Starks (Brighton), 1:04.79; 7. DEMI HASSAN (RANGEVIEW), 1:05.00; 8. BREE SCOTT (RANGEVIEW), 1:05.46
B Final — 9. Victoria Quintana (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:07.69; 10. VICTORIA OLIVA (HINKLEY), 1:09.69; 11. Jenna Olemeda (Westminster), 1:10.78; 12. MORGAN ZUGELDER (HINKLEY), 1:11.92; 13. Sonia Ruiz (Westminster), 1:12.19; 14. KALISSA HOWARD (RANGEVIEW), 1:12.54; 15. Allison Maisells (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:12.55; 16. ELYSIA GARCIA (RANGEVIEW), 1:14.11
500 yard freestyle: A Final — 1. Kiana Lotvedt (Brighton), 6 minutes, 12.57 seconds; 2. Malaney Dodson (Brighton), 6:13.39; 3. Sydney Molloy (Northglenn/Thornton), 6:25.70; 4. Hailey Mahaffey (Northglenn/Thornton), 6:39.11; 5. SYDNEY COMET (RANGEVIEW), 6:40.98; 6. Emily Sasin (Northglenn/Thornton), 6:43.78; 7. BRITTANY WARD (RANGEVIEW), 6:57.38; 8. EMILY HAAG (RANGEVIEW), 7:00.98
B Final — 9. LEIGHA KIRBY (GATEWAY), 7:03.29; 10. Rian Anderson (Brighton), 7:03.74; 11. Kristiana Watson (Northglenn/Thornton), 7:07.84; 12. Ivy Newton (Brighton), 7:17.47; 13. BETH REEVES (GATEWAY), 7:23.03; 14. Maria Castenada (Adams City), 7:36.85; 15. DESTINY MEJIA (RANGEVIEW), 7:51.81; 16. Jessica Sanchez (Westminster), 7:55.32
200 yard freestyle relay: A Final — 1. Brighton, 1 minute, 48.72 seconds; 2. Northglenn/Thornton, 1:50.29; 3. RANGEVIEW, 2:02.91; 4. Westminster, 2:07.24; 5. HINKLEY, 2:09.22; 6. GATEWAY, 2:16.73; 7. Adams City, 2:17.48; 8. AURORA CENTRAL, 2:34.93
100 yard backstroke: A Final — 1. Talia Passarelli (Northglenn/Thornton), 1 minute, 3.73 seconds (5ASQT); 2. MaxAnne Shuck (Brighton), 1:10.73; 3. Makayla Stark (Brighton), 1:14.05; 4. JOSEPHINE KOCH (RANGEVIEW), 1:14.52; 5. Kayla Binford (Brighton), 1:14.70; 6. Emma Fiore (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:15.02; 7. Ashlee Wentworth (Brighton), 1:16.56; 8. Victoria Quintana (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:16.96
B Final — 9. DAPHNY XOY (HINKLEY), 1:20.68; 10. JELENA DURDIC (HINKLEY), 1:21.29; 11. KIMBERLY MORAN (HINKLEY), 1:21.32; 12. ALICIA FRISBEE (RANGEVIEW), 1:24.15; 13. Savannah Bodkin (Adams City), 1:24.66; 14. BECKY BOWERS (RANGEVIEW), 1:24.97; 15. LEITH WENZEL (GATEWAY), 1:26.51; 16. Sage Tackett (Westminster), 1:28.27
100 yard breaststroke: A Final — 1. Isabelle Pawlak (Brighton), 1 minute, 19.15 seconds; 2. NATALIE PROVANCAL (RANGEVIEW), 1:22.22; 3. Glenna Dyson-Rob (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:22.47; 4. Hailey Cruz (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:24.08; 5. Fabiola Estrada (Brighton), 1:27.19; 6. SIERRA MILLER (RANGEVIEW), 1:27.60; 7. Faith Bejerano (Brighton), 1:29.47; 8. HANNAH ESPINOZA (GATEWAY), 1:29.98
B Final — 9. KIM MORRIS (HINKLEY), 1:28.78; 10. Allie Sears (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:29.22; 11. Cianna Peters (Brighton), 1:30.23; 12. Olivia Gonzales (Westminster), 1:30.54; 13. Allison Maisells (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:30.75; 14. Emily Drydal (Westminster), 1:33.55; 15. Abigail Jimenez (Adams City), 1:36.14; 16. HAILEA JOHNSON (RANGEVIEW), 1:36.80
400 yard freestyle relay: A Final — 1. Brighton, 4 minutes, 6.98 seconds; 2. Northglenn/Thornton, 4:11.53; 3. RANGEVIEW, 4:23.04; 4. GATEWAY, 4:51.45; 5. Westminster, 5:08.34; 6. Adams City, 5:20.52; 7. AURORA CENTRAL, 5:40.36; HINKLEY DQ
