From one end of the Aurora pool to the other, the 2016-17 girls swimming season is shaping up as maybe one of the best on the whole in recent years.
Thirty-one individual or relay participants in last season’s Class 5A state meet from five Aurora programs return to the pool to give the city a wave of momentum from the start.
Regis Jesuit — the 5A state runner-up the past two seasons behind Fossil Ridge (2014-15) and Fairview (2015-16) — has the lion’s share of the returning state qualifiers, as coach Nick Frasersmith has back 17 state qualifiers which includes four swimmers who won individual state championships with relays in seniors Jennae Frederick, Isabella Schultze and Samantha Smith, plus sophomore Meriel Upton.
Smith — the younger sister of Olympic gold medalist Clark Smith — has signed with Southern Methodist, and Frederick is headed to swim at Colorado State.
Add in a handful of very fast freshmen and the Raiders have the makings of another very strong team, despite the graduation of four-year stalwarts McKensi Austin (a three-time 5A state diving champion), Amy Lenderink and Lindsay Painton.
Behind Regis Jesuit, Grandview and Smoky Hill return plenty of state veterans as well.
Coach Karen Ammon’s Wolves graduated a senior group that included twins April and Mia Wood — who are already excelling at the Colorado School of Mines — but have back state-experienced swimmers in senior Taylor Dirks, juniors Simone Cade and Sam Hufford and sophomores Lyssa Wood and Molly Nankey.
Dirks placed ninth last season in the 500 yard freestyle and helped the Wolves’ 400 freestyle relay team finish eighth, while Cade swam a leg on the ninth-place 200 freestyle relay.
Smoky Hill returns its only individual point scorers from last season’s 5A state meet in senior Jordyn Richey and junior Natalie Rotondo, plus other state qualifiers in senior Jianna Walker and juniors Vickie Liu and Brieyana Walton. Buffaloes coach Scott Cohen has some versatile, difference-making freshmen to add to the mix in Blythe Iverson and Maggie Robben.
Coach Kevin Chatham has watched his Cherokee Trail team get incrementally better in recent years and he is expecting a breakout to come this season. The Cougars qualified all three relays and three individuals last season, but couldn’t get on the scoreboard.
Senior captains Elma Spahic (an individual state qualifier last season), Ella Steckler and Carly McClain headline a group of swimmers with more depth, while the diving group features junior Christie Yee, who won an individual state championship during the gymnastics season.
Eaglecrest has back a promising sophomore in Kim Nguyen, who broke the program’s drought without a swimmer in state in the first meet of the season when she got her state cut in the 50 freestyle.
Overland’s experience level is down, but numbers are up with more than 30 young swimmers in the pool for coach Mike Pineda. Sophomores Joanna O’Connell and Tatiana Cantu provide much-needed leadership.
Rangeview returns its lone state qualifier from last season in sophomore diver Sarah Mortenson, and coach Peter Gerard (last season’s EMAC Coach of the Year) has a team with plenty of depth as it aims to keep its entrenched spot atop the annual Aurora Public Schools Championship meet (Jan. 27-28). The Raiders — who have a finished an Aurora-best third at the EMAC meet last season.
Coach Beth Himes’ Hinkley team hopes to keep the second spot in the APS pecking order its had in recent years since finally jumping over Gateway. Coach Dan Ambruso’s Olys — who graduated standout diver Jessica Mitchell — should still have enough to hold off improved Aurora Central for third place at the APS meet. Gateway plays host to the EMAC meet Feb. 3-4.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2016 AURORA GIRLS SWIMMERS/DIVERS TO WATCH
Returning Aurora 5A state champions: Jennae Frederick, Regis Jesuit, sr. (200 yard freestyle relay); Isabella Schultze, Regis Jesuit, sr. (400 free relay); Samantha Smith, Regis Jesuit, sr. (400 free relay); Meriel Upton, Regis Jesuit, soph. (200 & 400 free relays)
Returning Aurora 5A state placers: Claire Brennan, Regis Jesuit, soph. (15th, 100 yard freestyle); Simone Cade, Grandview, jr. (9th, 200 free relay); Taylor Dirks, Grandview, sr. (9th, 500 free/8th, 400 free relay); Jennae Frederick, Regis Jesuit, sr. (9th, 100 butterfly/14th, 200 yard IM/state champion, 200 free relay); Anne Marie Kenny, Regis Jesuit, jr. (6th, diving); Jordyn Richey, Smoky Hill, sr. (15th, 100 breaststroke/14th, 200 medley relay); Natalie Rotondo, Smoky Hill, jr. (10th, 200 free/14th, 200 medley relay/11th, 200 free relay); Isabella Schultze, Regis Jesuit, sr. (13th, 200 free/state champion, 400 free relay); Samantha Smith, Regis Jesuit, sr. (5th, 100 yard freestyle/10th, 100 yard backstroke/state champion with 400 freestyle relay); Meriel Upton, Regis Jesuit, soph. (state champion with 200 freestyle relay/state champion with 400 freestyle relay); Courtney Vale, Regis Jesuit, soph. (2nd with 200 medley relay); Jianna Walker, Smoky Hill, sr. (14th with 200 medley relay/11th with 200 freestyle relay); Brieyana Walton, Smoky Hill, jr. (11th with 200 freestyle relay)
Other returning state qualifiers: Jessie Bixler, Regis Jesuit, sr.; Izzie Capra, Regis Jesuit, soph.; Dani Carr, Regis Jesuit, jr.; Kassidy Cook, Regis Jesuit, sr.; Summer Edwards, Regis Jesuit, soph.; Rachel Hubka, Regis Jesuit, soph.; Sam Hufford, Grandview, jr.; Vickie Liu, Smoky Hill, jr.; Sarah Mortensen, Rangeview, soph.; Molly Nankey, Grandview, soph.; Grae Patterson, Regis Jesuit, jr.; Elma Spahic, Cherokee Trail, sr.; Hadley Templin, Regis Jesuit, jr.; Audrey Trainor, Regis Jesuit, jr.; Tori Vale, Regis Jesuit, sr.; Lyssa Wood, Grandview, soph.; Christie Yee, Cherokee Trail, jr.
