The GHS girls swim team cruised to a third-place team finish at the Southwest Conference Championships in Grand Junction on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. Seniors Sam Jones and Zia Schwab took home first place in their respective events, while nine Cowboys, including three underclassmen, qualified for the upcoming state championships.
“We only had 10 kids down there, but we had two competing in the finals of almost every event,” said Head Coach Tami Maciejko. “Now we’ll get the cameras out and fine tune a couple things with our starts and turns ahead of state.”
Despite the team’s small size, the Cowboys packed a punch against the league’s top swimmers. The 200-yard medley relay team of Kathryn Frey, Audrey Meeuwsen, Maya Petrie and Sam Jones opened the meet with a third-place finish. Then the 400 freestyle relay team of Catalina Schwab, Jemma Petrie, Sam and Frey took fourth.
The senior frogkicking duo of Sam and Jemma returned to compete in their favorite event, the 100 breaststroke. Despite finishing second and third in the prelims, Sam and Jemma each shed time in the finals to take first and second place. Now swimming 3 seconds faster than her fifth-place state time last season, Sam is poised to return to the championship podium.
“It’s always so cool to see how close the breaststroke times were, it was like ‘boom boom,’ first and second in the finals,” Maciejko said. “I still think these girls have the potential to shed even more time, and push top-three at state.”
Diver Zia Schwab returned to the boards at the last minute after battling illness. Despite not being at full strength, the senior added over 36 points to her score, skyrocketing to a first-place finish. Additionally, Frey bagged a third-place time in the 200 freestyle, and junior sprinter Aiden Tomlin finished just behind her in fifth.
The underclassmen trio of Elora Jones, Maya and Meeuwsen also starred, and booked their tickets to the state meet. Maciejko said state experience will be crucial for the growth of her younger competitors.
“This is such a great group, of both great leaders and underclassmen,” Maciejko said. “I can’t say enough of how strong this freshman team has started.”
After battling through “Hell week,” and increasing mileage ahead of the regional meet, the girls will now reduce their workload, and taper into the state championship on Feb. 10-12.
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@gunnisontimes.com.)
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