5A Swimming & Diving: Cherry Creek Claims Third-Straight State Title, fifteenth Total

THORNTON — As Cherry Creek boys swimming was celebrating its third straight Class 5A state championship on the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center on Saturday night time, Regis Jesuit’s coaches lined up one-by-one to congratulate Bruins head coach Chris Loftis.

It was an indication of respect from the winningest boys swimming program in 5A historical past — at 24 whole titles — instantly after the Bruins secured their fifteenth.

Dating again to 2019, the 2 packages have been taking turns on the prime of the rostrum, however the Bruins shined brightest this season, scoring 388.5 factors to Regis’ 338.5.

“We’ve been doing this for a while as a staff (24 years), so we’re used to adversity and not quite finishing at the top.” Loftis mentioned. “It has been nice to have this run, but it’s the kids and the work that they do to put it together to get us to this point. I could not be more proud of them.”

The victory got here not by a gargantuan quantity of particular person occasion titles — although there have been two — however moderately by the collective. The Bruins opened up the meet with a 1 minute, 30 second 200 medley relay worthy of gold, then didn’t see its subsequent ascension to the highest of the rostrum till the second to final occasion, the 100 breast. 

Senior Kian Lihalakha gained that one at 55.87 seconds for his first ever solo title. He additionally served because the second leg of the 200 medley relay alongside Chase Emerson, Cade Palmateer and Kevin Schwartz.

“I wanted to go out really fast (in the 100 breast) but more controlled than yesterday, so I wouldn’t die as hard on the second 50,” Lihalakha mentioned. “It was pretty cool seeing No. 1 next to my time.”

Coming into his last highschool meet, he had solely ever gained a state crown within the 200 free relay when he was a sophomore, however admitted, “I was kind of carried by like three DI commits.”

Grant Pier helped carry the torch for his workforce by taking second in each the 200 free and 500 free, whereas Marcus Garland picked up fifth within the 200 free and sixth within the 100 free. Palmateer added fourth within the 100 fly, whereas Emerson put collectively fifth within the 100 again.

The 200 free relay notched second, then the 400 free relay wrapped issues up at third.

“It’s just the formula,” Loftis mentioned. “You score four in every event. That’s the goal and you know you want to have at least two in the A-final. It’s just the work that these guys do to get it to that point so I can’t be more proud of them.”

Event champions:

200 medley relay: Cherry Creek (1:30.00)

200 free: Trevyn Krauss, Regis Jesuit (1:37.72)

200 IM: Joey Sudermann, Columbine (1:48.01)

50 free: Ethan Swafford, Douglas County (20.21)

1-meter dive: Andrew Garrison, Highlands Ranch (616.30)

100 fly: Spencer Greene, Regis Jesuit (46.99)

100 free: Josh Heydt, Valor Christian, first (43.62)

500 free: Trevyn Krauss, Regis Jesuit (4:26.98)

200 free relay: Highlands Ranch (1:24.04)

100 again: Josh Heydt, Valor Christian (48.33)

100 breast: Kian Lihalakha, Cherry Creek (55.87)

400 free relay: Regis Jesuit (3:01.60)