Jada Surrell-Norwood was becoming used to standing on the second-highest step of the medal podium of the Class 5A girls state swim meet.
For her first two seasons, that became the Regis Jesuit standout’s spot — both times below only former Fossil Ridge star Kylee Alons in the 100 yard freestyle — but she got to take that last step up Feb. 9.
Surrell-Norwood surged to win the 100 freestyle in a fast field at the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center to highlight a meet in which her Raiders performed well enough to be in contention for second place down to the final event before settling for third.
“Every year I got second and wished I’d been first, so it feels awesome knowing I had worked so hard to get there and I finally did,” Surrell-Norwood said.
“Standing on the first place spot on the podium felt great.”
Surrell-Norwood became the first event state champion from Regis Jesuit since 2016, when McKensi Austin won the 5A diving crown and the Raiders took both the 200 and 400 yard freestyle relay titles.
Since then, there had been several runner-up finishes for Regis Jesuit swimmers, including the past two seasons for Surrell-Norwood. Both times, Alons edged her (49.83 seconds to 50.13 in 2017 and 49.64 to 50.26 in 2018).
Even without Alons (who is now at North Carolina State) in the field this time, Surrell-Norwood felt she had some very worthy competition, led by Heritage’s Anna Shaw. Shaw had the top time in the event in prelims and definitely had an edge during the final race with one length of the pool remaining.
“I saw Anna out of the corner of my eye when I did the last turn and I thought ‘I’ve got to catch her,’” Surrell-Norwood said. “I knew she would was ahead of me and if she won it would have been awesome, but I really wanted this one.”
Surrell-Norwood not only enjoyed the state championship, but she also relished a bit of a different program at the state meet.
Instead of the 50 yard freestyle that she usually swam, Surrell-Norwood entered in the 100 backstroke and contributed to the Raiders’ success with a seventh place finish, while she also swam on Regis Jesuit’s 200 yard medley and 400 yard freestyle relay teams that each came in third.
Regis Jesuit nearly had a second state champion in junior Sophia Bradac, the fastest swimmer in the prelims of the 100 breaststroke.
Bradac couldn’t beat Fairview freshman Emma Weber to the wall as she finished second, but felt good that one of her friends and club swimming teammate grabbed the gold.
“I was really, really excited for Emma, she deserves it,” said Bradac, who swam a lifetime best time of 1 minute, 2.23 seconds, in prelims.
“I would have liked to win it, of course, but I think it’s really great what she did and I’m still really excited about what I swam,” she added.
Bradac also contributed a fifth-place finish in the 200 IM, senior Claire Brennan finished in the top six in both distance freestyle events, while senior Rachel Hubka and junior Parker Biley each made a championship and consolation final apiece.
Brennan grabbed fifth in the 200 freestyle and sixth in the 500 freestyle, Biley touched the wall sixth in the 100 backstroke and Hubka claimed eighth in the 50 free to grab some vital points for the Raiders.
“The girls really stepped up and it was fun to watch,” said Regis Jesuit’s Nick Frasersmith, selected as the 5A Swim Coach of the Year.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Sentinel Prep Sports
REGIS JESUIT’S 2019 CLASS 5A STATE SWIM PLACERS
Parker Biley (6th, 100 yard backstroke/14th, 200 yard individual); Catherine Bradac (11th, 100 yard breaststroke); Sophia Bradac (2nd, 100 yard breaststroke/5th, 200 yard individual medley); Claire Brennan (5th, 200 yard freestyle/6th, 500 yard freestyle); Kenna Cashman (15th, 100 yard breaststroke); Grace Dale (5th, 100 yard freestyle/13th, 200 yard freestyle); Rachel Hubka (8th, 50 yard freestyle/12th, 100 yard freestyle); Ellie Lopez (18th, 200 yard individual medley/20th, 100 yard backstroke); Jada Surrell-Norwood (state champion, 100 yard freestyle/7th, 100 yard backstroke); Meriel Upton (8th, 200 yard freestyle/11th, 100 yard freestyle); Courtney Vale(13th, 100 yard breaststroke); Relays — 200 yard medley (Parker Biley, Sophia Bradac, Jada Surrell-Norwood, Rachel Hubka), 3rd; 200 yard freestyle: (Isalina Colsman, Meriel Upton, Rachel Hubka, Grace Dale), 3rd; 400 yard freestyle: (Grace Dale, Claire Brennan, Sophia Bradac, Jada Surrell-Norwood), 3rd
REGIS JESUIT PRELIM RESULTS
200 yard medley relay: 3. Regis Jesuit (Parker Biley, Sophia Bradac, Jada Surrell-Norwood, Rachel Hubka), 1 minute, 44.85 seconds; 200 yard freestyle: 4. Claire Brennan, 1:52.30; 8. Meriel Upton, 1:54.57; 16. Grace Dale, 1:57.00; 27. Manna Nelson (Regis Jesuit), 1:59.44; 38. Franna Hutchens (Regis Jesuit), 2:01.21; 200 yard individual medley: 9. Sophia Bradac, 2:08.10; 15. Ellie Lopez, 2:09.71; 16. Parker Biley, 2:09.90; 27. Ava Leege (Regis Jesuit), 2:12.87; 29. Kenna Cashman (Regis Jesuit), 2:13.20; 30. Catherine Bradac (Regis Jesuit), 2:13.37; 36. Summer Edwards (Regis Jesuit), 2:14.72; 44. Caroline Clouatre (Regis Jesuit), 2:16.08; 46. Courtney Vale (Regis Jesuit), 2:17.17; 50 yard freestyle: 8. Rachel Hubka, 24.01; 26. Izzie Capra (Regis Jesuit), 24.78; 33. Mia Farrell (Regis Jesuit), 25.02; 35. Julie Plumleigh (Regis Jesuit), 25.10; 37. Ariana Mitsuoka (Regis Jesuit), 25.15; 63. Shelby Enderlein (Regis Jesuit), 25.92; 65. Kylar Cronin (Regis Jesuit), 25.96; 67. Amelie Colsman (Regis Jesuit), 26.13; 100 yard butterfly: 15. Franna Hutchens, 58.46; 25. Hayley Cook (Regis Jesuit), 59.70; 26. Izzie Capra (Regis Jesuit), 59.78; 29. Greta Leege (Regis Jesuit), 1:00.13; T30. Ava Leege (Regis Jesuit), 1:00.15; 100 yard freestyle: T2. Jada Surrell-Norwood, 51.95; 8. Grace Dale, 52.93; 11. Meriel Upton, 53.15; 13. Rachel Hubka, 53.30; 25. Ariana Mitsouka (Regis Jesuit), 54.43; 29. Mia Farrell (Regis Jesuit), 54.69; T38. Greta Leege (Regis Jesuit), 55.47; 54. Julie Plumleigh (Regis Jesuit), 56.46; 57. Shelby Enderlein (Regis Jesuit), 56.85; 500 yard freestyle: 7. Claire Brennan, 5:08.41; 16. Manna Nelson, 5:15.68; 27. Isalina Colsman (Regis Jesuit), 5:20.54; 32. Camille Shifrin (Regis Jesuit), 5:26.67; 200 yard freestyle relay: 4. Regis Jesuit (Rachel Hubka, Claire Brennan, Grace Dale, Meriel Upton), 1:36.87; 100 yard backstroke: 4. Jada Surrell-Norwood, 55.98; 6. Parker Biley, 56.13; 18. Ellie Lopez, 58.20; 30. Hayley Cook (Regis Jesuit), 1:00.50; 47. Abby Gonzales (Regis Jesuit), 1:02.21; 100 yard breaststroke: 1. Sophia Bradac, 1:02.23; 13. Catherine Bradac, 1:05.92; 14. Courtney Vale, 1:06.37; 16. Kenna Cashman, 1:07.12; 33. Summer Edwards (Regis Jesuit), 1:08.90; 56. Amelia Colsman (Regis Jesuit), 1:11.61; 400 yard freestyle: 2. Regis Jesuit (Jada Surrell-Norwood, Parker Biley, Sophia Bradac, Claire Brennan), 3:29.42
