Grandview's Oliver Shinberg (left) hands after completing the 100-yard backstroke during the Class 5A state swimming championships Friday, May 12, 2023, at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton. Monarch's Gavin Keogh (right) raises his head. Keogh unfortunately lost to Simberg. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Class 5A
boulder panthers
coach: emily sample
Last year's results: We sent five swimmers to the state meet.
Test 1-2-3: Senior captain Owen Pendergast competed in two relays at last year's state meet.
tea: Although the Panthers will be working with a smaller team this season, Sample sees great potential in the sprint freestyle event to build more depth in other events. She will rely on Pendergast, sophomore Gray Lewis, senior Kolton Lewis and freshman Grant McCune to make waves for the rest of the team.
fairview knights
coach: conor corrigan
Last year's results: He finished second at FRL and 12th at state with six top-10 finishes.
Test 1-2-3: Senior James Kershaw, described by Corrigan as a “versatile swimmer,” will serve his final season as team captain before moving on to swimming at Brown University.
tea: The Knights hope to build on last year's strong performance by benefiting from a “great team atmosphere that promotes teamwork, fast swimming and a good work ethic that the team has set for the team.” . They will look to the leadership of Kershaw, senior Leighton Thielman, junior Soren Koshman, senior Kyle Yin and junior Wesley Schlachter.
legacy lightning
coach: lee dodd
Last year's results: They finished 3rd in the FRL and 10th in the state tournament.
Test 1-2-3: Aidan Bailey, a senior who aims to swim in college next year, represented the Lightning in two individual events and two relay events at last year's state meet.
tea: The Lightning have lost a number of top players over the past few seasons, but Dodd describes this group as “rebuilding speed while maintaining high numbers.” She will rely on Bailey, senior captain Alex Zou, sophomore Tyler Mills and junior DK Nakajima, who she believes has a good chance of breaking the district record this year.
monarch coyote
coach: amber austin
Last season results: They placed fourth in the Front Range League and 5A state tournaments.
Test 1-2-3: The Coyotes just won the 400-yard freestyle relay and finished fourth as a team, the program's best state finish in the past 20 years.
tea: Austin believes his team can finish in the top three in the Front Range League and 5A state tournaments. There's a good reason for that. Juniors Gavin Keogh and Ethan DiFronzo and senior J.C. Holmes return after leading the 400-yard freestyle relay to gold last spring. Keogh and DiFronzo competed in second place in the 200-meter freestyle relay. Keogh also placed second in the 100 backstroke. Junior Matthew Martino returned with a 14th place finish in the diving.
class 4A
bloomfield eagles
coach: emily austin
Last year's results: We finished in 10th place at the prefectural tournament.
Test 1-2-3: Senior Nathan McCracken has two individual top-10 finishes at last year's state meet, finishing fifth in the 200 individual medley (1:59.83) and eighth in the 500 free (4:54.37). I accomplished it.
tea: Austin said she hopes the boys can maintain the status quo they set last season to maintain their placement in last year's league and state tournaments. She believes McCracken, junior Reece Gibson, senior Riley Glass, senior Burke Frese and senior Blake Frese will make the biggest impact early on.
Longmont Trojan Horse
coach: Michelle Urbina
Last season results: Three individuals and eight relays qualified for last year's 4A state tournament.
Test 1-2-3: For the fourth consecutive season, senior Ethan McClure is looking to qualify for the state meet in both the individual events and relays.
tea: “We want to build on last year's success,” Urbina said. “We have a core group of upperclassmen and some really talented underclassmen, and we're going to have even more people eligible to speak this year.” Leading the way are the 200 freestyle, 200 and 400 meters last spring. McClure earned a spot in the free relay. Others to watch are seniors Gentry Swanson and Tanner Whitson, and freshman Caleb Phelan.
silver creek raptors
coach: debbie stewart
Last season results: Runner-up in the 4A state tournament.
Test 1-2-3: Senior Steven Codevilla, team captain, qualified for the state meet in every swimming event during his high school career.
tea: Codevilla returns after finishing fourth in the 100-yard backstroke and eighth in the 100 freestyle at last year's state meet. He was also the anchor for Silver Creek's third-place 200 free relay and seventh-place 200 medley relay. Other notable athletes include swimmers Justin Gorich, James Storey, Chayakorn Nganpati Patpong and diver Levi Walker. Stewart said she hopes the team can finish in the top five at state again.
Please tell me about the postseason.
The state tournament will once again be held at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton, with the 4A tournament May 9-10 and the 5A tournament May 10-11. The deadline for state tournament entries is May 6th.
Learn more about Bloomfield Enterprises
