The post Missy Franklin-era has arrived in Aurora and many city girls swimming programs seem ready to rise in the wake.
Despite the graduation of Franklin — a four-time gold medalist at the 2012 Summer Olympics who is now at the University of Cal-Berkeley — defending Class 5A state champion Regis Jesuit isn’t hurting by any means.
Coach Nick Frasersmith saw a group of outstanding leaders and talented swimmers depart in the senior class, but an influx of youth should help keep the Raiders in title contention again in 5A along with Cherry Creek, Fossil Ridge and Fairview.
“There’s a lot of character on the team, some good young freshmen and good senior leadership, too; it’s going to exciting,” Frasersmith said of his team, which has 70 swimmers and divers rostered.
Regis Jesuit scored 287 points at last season’s 5A state meet —putting it 44 ahead of Fossil Ridge — with six state placers back in juniors Taylor Wilson and Kellyn Toole and sophomores McKensi Austin, Kaylie Breslin, Amy Lenderink and Lindsay Painton.
The Raiders also return five other state qualifiers and got an infusion of young swimmers headed by freshmen Jannae Frederick, Samantha Smith, Isabella Schultze and Jessie Bixler to add to an already talented base.
The depth may create a problem come state time, as every team is only allowed to enter four swimmers per event and Regis Jesuit could have more qualifiers than that to choose from. In the opening dual meet against Chaparral alone, the Raiders qualified all three relays for state and saw sophomore Emily Protz, Breslin, Smith, Frederick, Wilson, Painton, Lenderink and Schultze make the state cut in at least one event.
Bixler, Chase, Sydney Cutler, Tori Vale, Sierra Vierick, Haley Baldwin, Erin Whitaker and Claire Middlemist each came within two seconds or less of qualifying times in their respective events as well.
Grandview was the only other city team to score at last season’s state meet — finishing an all-time best ninth — and coach Karen Ammon’s Wolves should score plenty again this season, with only one state swimmer graduating and several new additions.
The program has bettered its previous finish at state in four consecutive seasons and is in line to do it yet again.
Leading the way for the Wolves is senior Madison Dirks, a University of Pennsylvania commitment, who appears to have the best chance to win the first individual state title for the program.
Dirks finished third in both of her individual events last season — the 200 yard freestyle and 100 butterfly — and is also a driving force on Grandview’s relays, which posted two top-seven results last year.
Dirks’ freshman sister, Taylor, joins a family-oriented Wolves team powered by sister tandems of juniors Mackenzie and Morgan Ammon along with sophomores April and Mia Wood.
Mattie Cassaday Amanda Matheson, Hannah Meehan and Breanne Thompson — all seniors — give Grandview a shot of state meet experience in addition to their leadership.
“We seem to grow in depth and in overall strength every year; I’m OK with having great expectations,” Ammon said.
The pool at Smoky Hill is teeming with swimmers, as coach Scott Cohen found the largest group he’s ever had in more than a decade with the program as 70-plus swimmers came out.
The Buffaloes got shut out at last season’s meet, but all the swimmers who dove in return with experience under their belt.
Senior Lizzie Wiley has been a steady leader for Smoky Hill, while junior Julia Song is already faster than she was last year.
State qualifiers Madison Munns, a senior, and sophomore Gaby Antunez also return for the Buffaloes, as two seniors and two juniors who swam relays at state in seniors Kelsey Gaul and Audrey Zurcher and juniors Laura Ling and Melanie Vasina.
Coach Kevin Chatham’s young Cherokee Trail squad has two returning state qualifiers in juniors Aunyx Ashby and Grace Grigeriet, who could lead a larger contingent of Cougars back this year.
Eaglecrest and Overland have a tough road ahead in a Centennial League loaded with top talent.
Rangeview has won nine APS Championship meet titles in the past 10 seasons and senior Mariah Franklin hopes to extend the streak over Aurora Central, Gateway and Hinkley, which each continue to try to build depth while also developing a large number of swimmers totally new to the sport.
The Olys graduated their lone state qualifier from last season, Barbara Barocio.
NOTES: The 5A state meet moves to the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton for the first time, with 4A set to compete at EPIC in Fort Collins. The classifications will swap venues next season. The VMAC will also be the site of the annual Coaches Invitational, an all-classification meet that is a big measuring stick for most teams in the first portion of the season. The meet is scheduled for Dec. 21, with prelims at 8:30 a.m. and finals slated for 4 p.m.
AURORA 2013-14 GIRLS SWIMMING SEASON
KEY DATES: Dec. 2 — First meets allowed; Dec. 21 — Coaches Invitational at Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center (Thornton), prelims 8:30 a.m., finals 4 p.m.; Jan. 18 — Smoky Hill Invitational; Jan. 31-Feb. 1 — Centennial “B” League Championships at Smoky Hill; Continental “B” League Championships at Heritage; Feb. 1 — Aurora Public Schools Championships at Rangeview; Feb. 7-8 — Centennial “A” League Championships at Arapahoe; Continental “A” League Championships at Heritage; Feb. 14-15 — Class 5A state meet at Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center (Thornton), prelims 4 p.m. Feb. 14, finals 2 p.m. Feb. 15
2013-14 5A STATE QUALIFYING TIMES (IN YARDS): 200 medley relay — 2 minutes, 2 seconds; 200 freestyle — 2:03.80; 200 individual medley — 2:20.50; 50 freestyle — 26.00; Diving — 6, 200 (d.d. 10.1); 11, 335 (d.d. 12.1); 100 butterfly — 1:03.70; 100 freestyle — 56.80; 500 freestyle — 5:33.50; 200 freestyle relay — 1:48.00; 100 backstroke — 1:04.00; 100 breaststroke — 1:13.20; 400 freestyle relay — 3:59.00
RETURNING STATE PLACERS: McKensi Austin, soph., Regis Jesuit (4th, diving); Kaylie Breslin, soph., Regis Jesuit (11th, 100 butterfly); Madison Dirks, sr., Grandview (3rd, 200 freestyle/3rd, 100 butterfly); Amy Lenderink, soph., Regis Jesuit (16th, 50 freestyle); Lindsay Painton, soph., Regis Jesuit (3rd, 100 backstroke/5th, 100 freestyle); Kellyn Toole, jr., Regis Jesuit (8th, diving); Taylor Wilson, jr., Regis Jesuit (4th, 50 freestyle/9th, 100 freestyle)
RETURNING STATE QUALIFIERS: Gaby Antunez, soph., Smoky Hill (50, 100 freestyle); Mackenzie Ammon, jr., Grandview (200, 500 freestyles); Morgan Ammon, jr., Grandview (100 freestyle); Aunyx Ashby, jr., Cherokee Trail (50 freestyle); Mattie Cassaday, sr., Grandview (100 breaststroke); Meggie Chase, sr., Regis Jesuit (100 freestyle); Sydney Cutler, jr., Regis Jesuit (100 butterfly/100 breaststroke); Grace Grigeriet, jr., Cherokee Trail (200 individual medley); Christina Lawler, sr., Regis Jesuit (100 breaststroke); Amanda Matheson, sr., Grandview (50 freestyle/100 butterfly); Hannah Meehan, sr., Grandview (500 freestyle/100 backstroke); Madison Munns, sr., Smoky Hill (100 breaststroke); Emily Protz, soph., Regis Jesuit (200, 500 freestyle); Katherine Roth, sr., Regis Jesuit (100 backstroke); Julia Song, jr., Smoky Hill (50 freestyle/100 backstroke); Breanne Thompson, sr., Grandview (100 butterfly); Lizzie Wiley, sr., Smoky Hill (100, 200 freestyle); Mia Wood, soph., Grandview (200, 500 freestyle)
OTHER SWIMMERS/DIVERS TO WATCH: Ashley Bills, jr., Aurora Central; Jessie Bixler, fr., Regis Jesuit; Sophie Chapman, soph., Cherokee Trail; Danielle Clayton, sr., Regis Jesuit; Sami Daniels, jr., Grandview; Amanda DiMarino, sr., Gateway; Taylor Dirks, fr., Grandview; Samantha DuFour, jr., Cherokee Trail; Mariah Franklin, sr., Rangeview; Jennae Frederick, fr., Regis Jesuit; Kelsey Gaul, sr., Smoky Hill; Demi Hassan, sr., Rangeview; Christina Horstman, jr., Gateway; Emma Hug, Rangeview; Savi Lester, sr., Gateway; Lia Ling, jr., Smoky Hill; Jessica Mitchell, soph., Gateway; Isabella Schultze, fr., Regis Jesuit; Samantha Smith, fr., Regis Jesuit; Olivia Tyce, sr., Gateway; Melanie Vasina, jr., Smoky Hill; April Wood, soph., Grandview; Morgan Zugelder, jr., Hinkley; Audrey Zurcher, sr., Smoky Hill
COACHES: Aurora Central — Sarah Ferris; Cherokee Trail — Kevin Chatham; Eaglecrest — Jillian Fehringer; Gateway — Dan Ambruso; Grandview — Karen Ammon; Hinkley — Beth Himes; Overland — Michael Pineda; Rangeview — Peter Gerard; Regis Jesuit — Nick Frasersmith; Smoky Hill — Scott Cohen
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
