Girls Swimming & Diving: Kent Denver Sweeps Relays En Path to 3A State Championship

THORNTON — The women from Kent Denver discovered the sweetest approach to cap off a state championship. 

At the Class 3A Girls Swimming and Diving Championships on Saturday on the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center, the Sun Devils blew previous the rivals within the 400-yard freestyle relay, the ultimate occasion of the night time, with a time of three minutes, 32.19. They crushed the earlier classification file, set by St. Mary’s Academy in 2024, by practically two seconds. 

Camryn Williams, Hadley Carrington, Valerie Williams, and Elsa Anderson ended the state meet in fashion. 

Kent Denver tallied loads of factors in particular person occasions, as effectively, as they captured the college’s first workforce state championship in swimming and diving.

But, the best energy of the workforce turned out to be relays as in addition they gained the 200-yard medley (1:46.99) in a classification file time. If that wasn’t sufficient, they earned gold within the different relay too, the 200 freestyle, in 1:40.95.

Reese Rosenberg, Anderson, Valerie Williams, and Carrington swam the medley, whereas Rosenberg, Emily Lin, Olivia Altman, and Camryn Williams cruised within the 200 free. 

“Every year our team just thinks about relay records a lot, because it’s just such a fun accomplishment,” Anderson mentioned. “We just always dance together behind the blocks and get each other hyped up.”

The sensational sophomore knew Kent Denver had a wholesome lead over St. Mary’s Academy within the workforce standings getting into the ultimate race. 

“We just went into the last relay knowing that as long as we had safe starts it was going to go well,” Anderson mentioned. 

The entire day went so effectively, the truth is, that the Sun Devils scored 480 factors They had been effectively forward of 2024 champion St. Mary’s Academy (357) and defending champion Discovery Canyon (304).

Head coach Kim Garcia was assured all season about her workforce’s skills, however she additionally knew Friday’s preliminary swims weren’t their high performances. Nevertheless, they stepped up when it mattered most.

“That was an unbelievable performance for us,” she mentioned. “I scored out the meet from prelims and we were ahead, but it wasn’t our best performance. I knew we had room to get better. I knew we had more to show.”

You might say they confirmed out within the finals, although, with particular person champions within the 50 freestyle (senior Hadley Carrington), 500 freestyle (junior Camryn Williams), and 100 breaststroke (sophomore Elsa Anderson). Anderson’s time of 1:04.07 shattered the 3A file by simply over one second.

“It was a big goal of mine,” Anderson mentioned of the file. “I came in thinking about just staying calm and setting my own race, so that I can try and break it.”

She was additionally second within the 200 particular person medley.

Oh, and Williams defeated defending champion Tallaby Riddle of Evergreen within the 500 freestyle by 10 seconds with a time of 5:08.76. 

“That’s always been Cam’s strongest race,” her coach mentioned. “She has always been one of those kids that has been really tough and really gritty. It wasn’t her best time, but she gave everything she had.”

Carrington, the dash winner (50 free), is a dual-sport athlete who will play soccer at Rhodes College subsequent college 12 months. 

The Sun Devils had gold medal winners in a number of occasions, however in addition they discovered depth to again up their top-end expertise. Freshmen Altman (fourth in 200 freestyle) and Williams (second within the 100 butterfly, fourth in 200 IM) had been implausible additions to this system. Sophomore Elizabeth Kennealey added factors by ending third in diving.

Kent Denver has fairly an thrilling group of younger athletes. 

“In October, I knew we could win state with this freshman class,” Garcia mentioned with a smile. “They really rose to the occasion. We won league as well, which was the first time we won league in a long while. They have a lot of growing they can still do.”

Anderson noticed the potential within the first-years from the get-go, as effectively. 

“I remember last year we had just six girls (at state) and we came in third and it was the coolest thing ever,” she mentioned. “I never really thought we would win and then I saw our freshmen come up this year and all these new girls make state. Our hopes rose and rose throughout the season.”

The program has actually come a protracted methods beneath Garcia. Kent Denver is a sports activities powerhouse, incomes their seventieth workforce championship on Saturday, however they’re new to dominating within the pool. 

The workforce went undefeated all season. 

“Every time that we’ve come to state we’ve done a little bit better,” Garcia mentioned. “We were 15th my first year, ninth my second year, fifth my third, third last year, and then we won it all this year. It’s been an incredible journey for me.”

Their coach has fairly the swimming background as she was a person state runner-up a number of instances as an athlete at Cherry Creek. Then, she was an assistant for the Bruins for 10 years. 

Garcia’s wealth of expertise helped her construct Kent Denver right into a 3A power. 

“We started developing the mentality, believing we could be better each year,” she mentioned. “The school is amazing. They gave me the tools and resources I needed to build a program that would attract the best athletes in the state. Some of these girls, their times today would compete with 5A.”

Kent Denver hopes to win back-to-back state championships subsequent 12 months.

Other notable outcomes on Saturday included sophomore Alaia Sloan (Discovery Canyon) incomes gold in each the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.

University of Wyoming signee Lorelai Frauenfelder (Holy Family) gained the 200 IM by 0.19 seconds over Anderson. She additionally clinched a state title within the 100 freestyle. She was a two-time particular person winner in 2025, as effectively.

Wellington senior Cody Monajjem gained the 200 freestyle in 1:53.04. She additionally captured the 100 backstroke championship final 12 months. This time she was second. Nonetheless, she’s the primary swimming champion for her highschool (based in 2022) and was named the 3A Swimmer of the Year.

St. Mary’s Academy senior Mia Williams, who has signed with Georgetown University, gained the diving competitors.