4A Swimming & Diving: Monarch Holds Off Competitors to Repeat as State Champions

ARVADA – Monarch needed to maintain its breath a bit longer this season.

The Coyotes led the 4A state boys swimming and diving meet a lot of the afternoon Saturday, however they couldn’t shake Mullen or Glenwood Springs in staff standings for that sigh of reduction.

As Coyote athletes walked to their lane for the 400 freestyle relay finals, staff locations flashed on the board at Arvada Aquatics Center: Third, Mullen. Second, Glenwood Springs. First, Monarch.

Finally, the celebration may start.

“It was nerve-wracking,” senior Tobin Howe mentioned after the Coyotes collected their second-consecutive boys swimming and diving title. “We were about halfway through the meet and going into finals we knew if we kept our seed places, we had enough points to win. … Mullen was doing really well and I was a bit nervous. I was thinking it might come down to the last event. It almost did, but we pulled through.”

Monarch gained the occasion with 355.5 factors whereas Mullen positioned second with 344 and Glenwood Springs earned 340.5 to position third. The Coyotes completed with 402 factors in 2025 to earn their first title in class historical past.

The Coyotes misplaced a number of notables from that staff together with Ethan DiFronzo and Gavin Keogh, however this 12 months’s staff flexed depth and confidence that paved the best way to a second-consecutive championship.

Howe led the Coyotes in factors with 48 and earned the 200 IM title with a time of 1 minute, 51.67 seconds and secured the 100 breaststroke championship at 55.32. Isaac Skillern collected the 100 fly gold medal at 50.11. Skillern was second on the staff in scoring and completed with 43 factors.

Both swimmers missed these championships final 12 months however remained devoted all through the season to make sure they’d earn these keepsakes as private objectives and to help the Coyotes of their repeat bid.

Amber Austin mentioned Howe and Skillern’s success is a microcosm of the staff and what they’ve achieved all through the season.

“Everyone has a strong desire to be really good and the best they can be,” Austin mentioned. “That gets them up when they’re going to multiple practices a day and they want to improve. They like being good at everything they do and we’re happy to be here to assist them with that.”

Austin mentioned she loves her athletes’ “drive and commitment” to the grind and he or she’s not shocked by the outcomes of Saturday’s meet. While Howe will cap his profession with a pair of particular person championships and two staff trophies, Skillern will return for his senior marketing campaign.

Is there a shot at a third-consecutive title for the Coyotes?

“Hopefully,” Skillern mentioned. “We have a great program and I can see it happening again. I look forward to next year with this team and this environment.”

In addition to Howe, Cheyenne Mountain’s Barrett Kerrigan captured two titles – and was named the CHSCA Swimmer of the Meet. Kerrigan gained the 200 free with a time of 1:40.46, earlier than selecting up his third 500 free title with a time of 4:36.79. Glenwood Springs’ Breck Boyd gained the 100 again (49.92), whereas Mullen’s Thomas Bradac gained the 50 free (20.21) and Mountain View’s Julius Phillips claimed the 100 free title (44.42). 

Yesterday, Evergreen’s Henry Palmquist gained the diving title. 

In relays, Glenwood Springs gained the 200 medley relay (1:31.78) and the 20 free relay (1:24.18), whereas Mullen touched first within the 400 free relay for a second-straight season; with a time of three:07.12 this 12 months.