There will be no shortage of Aurora swimmers in the water the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center for the Class 5A girls state swim meet.
When league championship meets concluded Feb. 3, a total of 55 individuals and 15 relays teams from six city programs — Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest, Grandview, Overland, Regis Jesuit and Smoky Hill — had achieved the qualifying standard in at least one event.
Among the abundant qualifiers for the 5A state meet — which sees diving contested Feb. 7, swim prelims at 10 a.m. Feb. 8 and swim finals at 5 p.m. Feb. 9 — are winners of eight events at league championships, which makes it reasonable to believe that a big state meet is coming for locals.
Full list of Aurora qualifiers with their events and seeds, here
Regis Jesuit finished as the state runner-up to Cherry Creek last season and will try to figure out the formula to getting the better of the Bruins, winners of the last three state meets. Coach Nick Frasersmith’s Raiders — who finished in front of the Bruins at The REX Coaches Invitational, but lost a head-to-head dual — will try to do so with quality, depth and diving.
The diving competition proved very profitable for Regis Jesuit last season, as it netted 53 points from three top-10 finishers. It is likely to be a boon for the Raiders again this season, however they have just two qualifiers in seniors Sarah Mann and Maya Kriz. Mann won the Continental “A” League championship with Kriz second and the duo will try to give their team a jump start.
After that, 18 individual qualifiers and three relay teams will hit the water for the Raiders, which includes a defending state champion in senior Charlotte Burnham. Burnham won the 100 yard breaststroke in last season’s meet and is the top seed going into this season’s meet, while she adds a new event — the 50 freestyle — in which she is the fourth seed.
Freshman Natalie Daum and sophomore Lexi Stramel go in seeded to make championship finals in two events apiece and all three relay teams hold top-seven positions.
Coming off a third-place finish at the Centennial “A” League Championships, Cherokee Trail — in the midst of the best season in program history — is next among Aurora programs with 12 individual qualifiers and three relay teams.
The Cougars had no league champions, but depth brought them in behind only Cherry Creek and Arapahoe and encouraged them for a big state finish.
Senior Sarah Woren and junior Ella Drakulich would make the championship finals in two events if they hold their seeding, while senior Emme Metzmaker and junior Ava Zadigan — who was unable to swim at state last season after transferring — could score in two events.
Coach Kevin Chatham’s team should score in all three relay events and are particularly strong in the 200 medley, which goes into state seeded fourth.
Grandview came away with a whopping five event championships at the Centennial “A” League meet, which came from junior diver Addison Campbell and three seniors (two for Amelia Brown and one piece for Kaityln Hafer and Keira Vail). Campbell placed fourth in diving at last season’s state meet and should garner significant points again, as should the aforementioned senior trio, all of whom are seeded to score in two events.
Coach James Boone has all three of his relay teams seeded to make championship finals, headed by the all-senior 200 medley in second. A talented group of freshmen (three of Grandview’s total of 11) are a variable that could aid the Wolves.
Smoky Hill had a two-event Centennial “A” League champion in sophomore Cameryn Walkup, who is seeded for top-five finishes in both distance freestyles.
Coach Scott Cohen’s nine state qualifiers include four sophomores and a freshman, so the Buffs will look to establish a bar to shoot for in the coming seasons.
Eaglecrest has its largest contingent in quite some time, as coach Jiilian Fehringer’s team has all three relay teams in, as well as senior Shannon Beaulieu and freshman Mila Huseby individually.
Overland is represented in diving by senior Maya Richman, who is back after missing last season due to injury.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
