FORT COLLINS — In a captivating final day of the Class 5A state swimming championships at the Edora Pool and Ice Center in Fort Collins, Fairview outlasted both Fossil Ridge and Regis Jesuit for the team championship in a race with three programs racking up major points.
Fairview won the 5A team title. (Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com)
The Knights, who finished with 288.50 points, only won two of 12 events, but had a pair of individual state crowns from junior Brittney Beetcher (200- and 500-yard freestyle), and moved up in virtually every event in finals.
It was enough for Fairview to win its second state title in girls swimming and diving, the first since 2004, and their 22nd state championship overall in school history.
“If you look at it statistically, it was about the rank-and-file of girls who were in the consolation heat, not the championship heat,” long-time Fairview coach Bob Smartt said. “That kind of relentless over-and-over made the difference.”
Despite the fact Regis Jesuit, the runner-up with 260 points, touched the line first in both the 200 and 400 free relays, while Fossil Ridge (259, third place) cruised to a win in the 200 medley relay, and relays count for double points, Fairview’s depth in the top-16 of each event paid off.
And, it’s not as if the Knights did poorly in relays with a third-place showing in the 200 medley (1:47.00), a third in the 200 free (1:37.31), and a fourth in the 400 free (3:32.62). Senior Julia Benz earned silver in diving while racking up 467.80 points. Fellow senior Adee Weller was fifth in the 200 free (1:53.92) and third in the 500 free (5:07.51).
According to Smartt, Fairview’s team title came from earning points from the Knights at all levels, eight freshmen placed individually and each class was strong, and coming together as one united group.
“There’s always a struggle to build team when you’re so large and when we have girls from four different club teams,” he said. “We also have girls who aren’t club swimmers. Pulling that all together is a big challenge.”
“We have 125 girls on the team, so all season long it’s a management issue trying to cope with so many swimmers,” he added. “It wasn’t until today that it came together.”
As for Beetcher, the junior added to an impressive resume, which includes four state runner-up finishes in the 200 and 500 free her freshman and sophomore seasons, by winning her first-ever state championships.
“It was great to take home wins in both,” she said. “I think the 200 meant a little more, because I’m more of a distance swimmer, so to be able to do that for myself, I was proud of that. It’s so amazing to share it with this amazing team of mine.”
Regis, sneaking past Fossil by one point for second place, had the queen of 5A diving again as McKensi Austin claimed her third state title in a row with 539.90 points. She fell just short of her 5A state record of 540.30 from 2015.
Fossil Ridge, in serious contention for back-to-back titles, was undone a bit in the team competition by a DQ of Bailey Kovac in the 200 IM. The junior finished well clear of her challengers in the event, but the judges ruled that she failed to touch the wall on one turn, an unfortunate turn of events for both individual and team pursuits. Nonetheless, Kovac did cruise to a third consecutive 100 breaststroke crown in a time of 1:03.67.
The Sabercats added to their championship haul with a win by freshman Coleen Gillilan in the 100 butterfly in 53.60, a time close to Bailey Nero’s state record of 53.22. Nero is a 2015 Fossil Ridge grad. Gillilan was the runner-up in the 50 free in 23.53 as well.
Rock Canyon senior Abigail Kochevar capped off a spectacular career — which included three gold medals in the 100 back and one in the 50 free — by winning two events in one state meet for the first time. After rolling in the 50 in a time of 23.29, she came back for her third and final 100 back championship.
“It was bittersweet, because I’m sad that it’s ending,” Kochevar said of her last high school meet. “It was exciting though. I’ve never gotten two wins.”
The 50 free had proved elusive for Kochevar in the past with ThunderRidge’s Annie Ochitwa (University of Arizona) winning the last two while dropping the fourth fastest time in Colorado history last season (22.86), the quickest time ever by someone not named Missy Franklin.
“I’ve never been able to win it, because of Annie,” Kochevar, a soon-to-be Wisconsin Badger, said. “It meant a lot to me. I wanted it to be my turn.”
Heritage sophomore Kylie Andrews won the 100 free in 50.91. Arapahoe sophomore Delaney Smith claimed the 200 IM in 2:05.19.