AURORA | Rangeview’s reign of dominance continued at the Aurora Public Schools Championships Jan. 31, but Hinkley’s surge into second place was historic during the 25th annual gathering between four district rivals.
For the first time since 2004, coach Beth Himes’ Hinkley team overtook Gateway at the meet and may have finished second for the first time ever.
The Thunderbirds overcame a late disqualification and made Himes’ strategic moves pay off on their way to 292 points to the 284 for the host Olympians.
“It’s been so long, I can’t even remember the last time we finished in front of Gateway,” Himes said. “I knew it was going to come down to the end and I knew we had a small margin for error. We couldn’t have done it without all of our girls, so I’m pleased.”
Using observations from the dual meet between the teams prior to winter break, the Thunderbirds’ coaching staff shuffled swimmers around and loaded up its entries in the 100 yard backstroke.
Even missing standout diver Brooke Connelly, Hinkley rode performances from swimmers such as senior Zion Jones (3rd in 200 yard individual medley and 100 butterfly), junior Kim Morris (3rd in 100 breaststroke, 4th in 200 freestyle) and senior Kimberly Moran (2nd in 100 breaststroke) to hit its goal.
Gateway had two individual champions in state-qualifying diver Jessica Mitchell (see story above) and senior Hannah Espinoza in the 100 butterfly, but coach Dan Ambruso had a slew of swimmers totally new to the sport coming into this season.
With a fantastic performance in the Jan. 30 prelims, Rangeview coach Peter Gerard knew his team was a virtual certainty to win the meet for the 12th year in a row, but he enjoyed the extra boost that came from the chase for second.
“The mix between Hinkley and Gateway was a lot of fun to see,” Gerard said. “There was a lot more energy on deck, even when it wasn’t for first or second. Those 3-4-5 spots and consolations races are where the points are that really make a difference.”
The Raiders earned plenty of points themselves — 446 to be exact — and won 10 of the 12 events.
Senior Josephine Koch, junior Demi Hassan and sophomore Sydney Comet each claimed two event championships, junior Natalie Provancal captured one and the Raiders swept the three relay events to take the same spot they’ve occupied atop the city meet since 2004.
“Winning APS is always really important to us,” said Koch, who won the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke as well as swimming legs of the victorious 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.
“We tell the younger girls its a tradition that we win APS, so they need to keep it going,” she added. “It’s a big deal for us.”
The distance freestyle events made a big impact, as Comet, fellow sophomore Brittany Ward and freshman Emily Haag finished 1-2-3 in both the 200 and 500 freestyle finals for Rangeview.
“We know how each other swims, so if somebody is having a good day, we all have a good day because we want to keep up with each other,” Comet explained. “I was like ‘Ok, we’re going fast today!’”
Hassan proved the fastest sprinter at the meet by winning the 50 and 100 freestyles — and swam on both winning freestyle relay squads — while Provancal topped teammate Sierra Miller to win the 100 breaststroke.
Senior Bree Scott and junior Emma Hug swam on two winning relays, while Provancal, Miller, Ward and freshman Elysia Garcia also swam legs on relays for Rangeview.
Espinoza denied Hug the 100 butterfly championship, as she surged from behind to win the event by more than two seconds.
“I could feel the water on my back when she splashed, so I knew where she was,” Espinoza said. “I wanted it a lot and she wanted it a lot, but I was able to pull it out.”
Aurora Central finished fourth with 91 points, paced by Aimee Lino’s fifth-place in the 500 freestyle.
The new two-day format of the meet resembled what all four teams will see Feb. 6-7 at the EMAC Championship meet. Ambruso proposed the change and said it was greeted with positive reaction, as it allowed more swimmers to compete in prelims and allowed for rest before finals.
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
25TH AURORA PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIP GIRLS SWIMMING
Team scores: 1. Rangeview 446 points; 2. Hinkley 292; 3. Gateway 284; 4. Aurora Central 91
Full A & B final results, here.
200 yard medley relay: A Final — 1. Rangeview (Josephine Koch, Natalie Provancal, Emma Hug, Bree Scott), 2 minutes, 13.93 seconds; 2. Gateway (Beth Reeves, Nia Taylor, Hannah Espinoza, Leigha Kirby), 2:23.18; 3. Hinkley (Jelena Durdic, Kim Morris, Magdalena Landa Posas, Miriam Jimenez), 2:28.51; Aurora Central (Shirley Tun-Verde, Daysi Ortiz, Haydee Lino, Aimee Lino), DQ
200 yard freestyle: A Final — 1. Sydney Comet (Rangeview), 2 minutes, 29.72 seconds; 2. Brittany Ward (Rangeview), 2:29.91; 3. Emily Haag (Rangeview), 2:34.68; 4. Kim Morris (Hinkley), 2:38.09; 5. Beth Reeves (Gateway), 2:38.97; 6. Allison Maez (Rangeview), 2:47.76
200 yard individual medley: A Final — 1. Josephine Koch (Rangeview), 2 minutes, 43.63 seconds; 2. Hannah Espinoza (Gateway), 2:57.10; 3. Zion Jones (Hinkley), 2:59.49; 4. Tamry Romero (Gateway), 3:04.14; 5. Natalie Provancal (Rangeview), 3:04.16; 6. Daphny Xoy (Hinkley), 3:08.72
50 yard freestyle: A Final — 1. Demi Hassan (Rangeview), 28.35 seconds; 2. Emma Hug (Rangeview), 29.04; 3. Bree Scott (Rangeview), 29.57; 4. Nia Taylor (Gateway), 30.06; 5. Sierra Miller (Rangeview), 30.26; 6. Victoria Oliva (Hinkley), 30.77
1-meter diving: A Final — 1. Jessica Mitchell (Gateway), 340.55 points (w/12.2 DD, 5ASQT); 2. Anna Ristvey (Gateway), 271.55; 3. Alli Rosales (Gateway), 255.65; 4. Alyssa Carlson (Rangeview), 235.05; 5. Jessica Mercado (Hinkley), 233.75; 6. Michelle Sanchez (Gateway), 220.55
100 yard butterfly: A Final — 1. Hannah Espinoza (Gateway), 1 minute, 17.80 seconds; 2. Emma Hug (Rangeview), 1:19.93; 3. Zion Jones (Hinkley), 1:28.09; 4. Tamry Romero (Gateway), 1:28.51; 5. Magdalena Landa Posas (Hinkley), 1:29.14; 6. Rider Hoffman (Rangeview), 1:33.66
100 yard freestyle: A Final — 1. Demi Hassan (Rangeview), 1 minute, 3.05 seconds; 2. Bree Scott (Rangeview), 1:07.27; 3. Victoria Oliva (Hinkley), 1:09.59; 4. Leigha Kirby (Gateway), 1:10.34; 5. Morgan Zugelder (Hinkley), 1:10.99; 6. Kalissa Howard (Rangeview), 1:15.61
500 yard freestyle: A Final — 1. Sydney Comet (Rangeview), 6 minutes, 46.85 seconds; 2. Brittany Ward (Rangeview), 6:54.35; 3. Emily Haag (Rangeview), 7:04.30; 4. Beth Reeves (Gateway), 7:25.85; 5. Aimee Lino (Aurora Central), 7:47.31; 6. Shirley Tun-Verde (Aurora Central), 8:03.61
200 yard freestyle relay: A Final — 1. Rangeview (Elysia Garcia, Demi Hassan, Sierra Miller, Bree Scott), 2 minute, 01.52 seconds; 2. Hinkley (Victoria Oliva, Kim Morris, Morgan Zugelder, Zion Jones), 2:08.67; 3. Gateway (Leith Wenzel, Vannesa Cruz, Jackie Bailey, Tamry Romero), 2:17.07
100 yard backstroke: A Final — 1. Josephine Koch (Rangeview), 1 minute, 14.65 seconds; 2. Kimberly Moran (Hinkley), 1:20.67; 3. Becky Bowers (Rangeview), 1:22.13; 4. Daphny Xoy (Hinkley), 1:22.24; 5. Jelena Durdic (Hinkley), 1:23.42; 6. Alicia Frisbee (Rangeview), 1:26.50
100 yard breaststroke: A Final — 1. Natalie Provancal (Rangeview), 1 minute, 24.42 seconds; 2. Sierra Miller (Rangeview), 1:26.02; 3. Kim Morris (Hinkley), 1:27.41; 4. Nia Taylor (Gateway), 1:28.25; 5. Hailea Johnson (Rangeview), 1:33.92; 6. Destiny Gandara (Hinkley), 1:38.54
400 yard freestyle relay: A Final — 1. Rangeview (Demi Hassan, Brittany Ward, Josephine Koch, Emma Hug), 4 minutes, 28.11 seconds; 2. Gateway (Leigha Kirby, Nia Taylor, Hannah Espinoza, Beth Reeves), 4:44.52; 3. Hinkley (Victoria Oliva, Zion Jones, Morgan Zugelder, Magdalena Landa Posas), 4:45.47; 4. Aurora Central (Aimee Lino, Shirley Tun-Verde, Dianna Solores, Haydee Lino), 5:39.08
