The last competitive dive in the pool for Aurora girls swimmers for the calendar year proved quite successful Dec. 19.
The Coaches Invitational at the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center featured a whopping 74 individuals from seven city swim teams, with those from Regis Jesuit, Grandview and Smoky Hill performing especially well in the multi-classification meet leading into winter break.
Coach Nick Frasersmith’s Regis Jesuit team won last season’s meet and finished second this time around behind runaway winner Fairview, as the Raiders scored 233 points to the Knights’ 366.
Regis Jesuit’s best event performance came in the 400 yard freestyle relay, in which seniors Amy Lenderink and Lindsay Painton, junior Samantha Smith and freshman Meriel Upton finished second. Lenderink (100 butterfly) and Smith (50 freestyle) each tied for the Raiders’ top individual result with sixth-place finishes.
Nine Regis Jesuit swimmers made at least one championship or consolation final heat individually, while all three relays placed in the top eight.
Two-time Coaches Invitational diving champion McKensi Austin of Regis Jesuit did not participate in the meet this season and none of Aurora’s eight diving qualifiers advanced to the championship round.
Coach Karen Ammon’s Grandview finished an all-time best fourth in the 5A standings with senior Mia Wood leading the way. Wood posted second-place finishes in the 200 and 500 yard freestyles and anchored fourth-place 200 and 400 freestyle relay and also received the prestigious Hoyt Brawner Award as the state’s top senior swimmer/scholar/citizen.
Senior April Wood (200 IM/100 butterfly), junior Taylor Dirks (100 butterfly/500 freestyle) and sophomore Simone Cade (100 freestyle/100 breaststroke) scored in two individual events apiece for the Wolves.
Coach Scott Cohen’s Smoky Hill team managed a 14th-place showing in the 5A classification, with junior Jordyn Richey’s sixth-place result in the 100 breaststroke topping the Buffs’ finishes.
Richey, senior Gaby Antunez and sophomore Natalie Rotondo each scored in two individual events and combined on playing 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams with junior Jianna Walker.
Seeded No. 43 in the 200 freestyle coming in, Rotondo moved all the way up to 15th in the final standings with a six-second time drop.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
AURORA 2015 COACHES INVITE PLACERS
200 YARD MEDLEY RELAY: 8. Regis Jesuit (Samantha Smith, Courtney Vale, Kaylie Breslin, Tori Vale), 1 minute, 50.86 seconds; 9. Grandview (Taylor Dirks, April Wood, Simone Cade, Molly Nankey), 1:51.34; 14. Smoky Hill (Gaby Antunez, Jordyn Richey, Natalie Rotondo, Jianna Walker), 1:52.93; 200 YARD FREESTYLE: 2. Mia Wood (Grandview), 1 minutes, 52.38 seconds; 15. Natalie Rotondo (Smoky Hill), 1:58.51; 18. Isabella Schultze (Regis Jesuit), 2:01.11; 19. Emily Protz (Regis Jesuit), 2:03.60; 200 YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY: 5. April Wood (Grandview), 2 minutes, 9.04 seconds; 16. Jordyn Richey (Smoky Hill), 2:13.60; 19. Jennae Frederick (Regis Jesuit), 2:15.83; 50 YARD FREESTYLE: 6. Samantha Smith (Regis Jesuit), 24.70 seconds; 7. Lindsay Painton (Regis Jesuit), 24.72; 8. Amy Lenderink (Regis Jesuit), 25.15; 14. Gaby Antunez (Smoky Hill), 25.15; 100 YARD BUTTERFLY: 6. Amy Lenderink (Regis Jesuit), 58.38 seconds; 7. Kaylie Breslin (Regis Jesuit), 58.59; 12. Taylor Dirks (Grandview), 59.14; 15. April Wood (Grandview), 59.95; 16. Natalie Rotondo (Smoky Hill), 1:00.03; 100 YARD FREESTYLE: 8. Lindsay Painton (Regis Jesuit), 53.66; 14. Simone Cade (Grandview), 54.85; 20. Claire Brennan (Regis Jesuit), 56.37; 500 YARD FREESTYLE: 2. Mia Wood (Grandview), 5 minutes, 1.47 seconds; 11. Taylor Dirks (Grandview), 5:16.30; 16. Lyssa Wood (Grandview), 5:21.74; 18. Emily Protz (Regis Jesuit), 5:24.60; 200 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY: 3. Regis Jesuit (Amy Lenderink, Claire Brennan, Isabella Schultze, Lindsay Painton0, 1 minute, 40.09 seconds; 4. Grandview (Molly Nankey, Ellie Furuta, Simone Cade, Mia Wood), 1:41.08; 100 YARD BACKSTROKE: 9. Samantha Smith (Regis Jesuit), 1 minute, 0.40 seconds; 19. Gaby Antunez (Smoky Hill), 1:02.08; 100 YARD BREASTSTROKE: 6. Jordyn Richey (Smoky Hill), 1 minute, 8.05 seconds; 17. Simone Cade (Grandview), 1:10.85; 400 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY: 2. Regis Jesuit (Amy Lenderink, Meriel Upton, Samantha Smith, Lindsay Painton), 3 minutes, 34.82 seconds; 4. Grandview (Ellie Furuta, Taylor Dirks, April Wood, Mia Wood), 3:37.75; 17. Smoky Hill (Natalie Rotondo, Jianna Walker, Gaby Antunez, Jordyn Richey), 3:48.78
Full Coaches Invitational results, here.