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Provo • Facilities and fine coaching, combined with large numbers of dedicated athletes, often lead to dynasties in high school swimming.
How else can the dominance displayed by Skyline and Park City Saturday in the Class 4A and Class 3A swimming meets be explained?
The Eagles and Miners turned in dominating performances Saturday at the BYU swimming pool. Skyline's girls won their 12th Class 4A title since 2002, and Park City's boys and girls team each won their third straight titles in Class 3A. Skyline's boys also won in Class 4A.
It is the Skyline girls' eighth title under current coach Joe Pereira. Pereria, who heads the Utah Swimming Coaching Association, has also coached the Eagle boys to four of the past five.
"We didn't do great but everybody had good times," said Pereria, who celebrated by diving from the high dive despite battling pneumonia all week. "That's what we came here to do. The kids were looking to try to get some records. In 3A, Park City gets record after record and we want the records the same as they do."
Skyline, whose team wore "Uphold the Tradition" T-shirts, got big points from Adam Shelton, who won gold in the 50-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly and was on the winning 400 and 200 freestyle relays.
"I was happy with my fly but I wished I could have gone faster in the 50," said Shelton, who won four medals a year ago. "But a gold is a gold and I have to be happy with that, and happy to bring points to the team."
Box Elder's Jaron Nelson was named swimmer of the meet for his wins in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle. Skyline's boys beat second place Highland 354.5 to 179.
On the girls side, Skyline freshman Aleah Griffin won the 50 and 100 freestyle and was on the winning 200 and 400 freestyle relays. Skyline's girls beat second-place Highland 416.5 to 253.
Maple Mountain sophomore Makala Cazier set a 4A record in the 500-yard freestyle in 5:02.94.
"I felt like I was going pretty slow," said Cazier, who won the 200-yard IM Friday. "When I touched the wall, I was kind of scared because I wanted the record. I looked up and was so happy."
Murray junior Madelyn Flowers surprised herself by grabbing a state record in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:04.80.
"I was really surprised when I saw the time," she said. "It was my best ever. The girl next to me pushed me."
In the Class 3A meet, Park City's girls and boys combined for six records and the Miners blew away the competition to the point that first-year head coach Kelly O'Brien said her program might consider asking to be moved up.
"The conversation may come to move up to 4A or 5A and have the competition," she said. "There is great talent in the whole state and competing in 3A is a privilege. But we may be ready to go up."
Park City's girls, led by Sienna Senn and Rozie Selnick, beat second-place Cedar City 493-320. Senn and Selnick each won two individual titles and were part of two winning freestyle relays.
The boys, led by Lucas Hess and Jinwon Bailar, who each won two individual and two relay titles, defeated second place Cedar City 465-273.
Park City grabbed state records in the boys and girls 200 and 400 freestyle relays and the girls medley relay. Hess took the 200-yard freestyle mark Friday while Bailar got the 100-yard breaststroke mark.
Bailar said concentrating on academics hurt his training a bit this year but he was satisfied with his performance. He plans to swim for Colgate next year.
Hess said he enjoyed swimming for Park City's new coaching staff and said that while some changes were made this year, they were for the better. Hess shared swimmer of the year honors with Canyon View's Nathan Wallace, who broke the Miners' total domination with golds in the 50 and 100 freestyle.
"This is super exciting," said Wallace. "It's been a good four years of swimming and I made some school records."
Senn, who captured 3A swimmer of the year honors, specialized in the longer freestyle swims.
"I have always liked going longer," she said. "My theory is, the longer the better. I wish my time would be faster. Hopefully in the future I will get times I am looking for."
O'Brien praised Senn, saying she worked hard and never missed a practice.
"Our coaching staff is new and learning from each other," said O'Brien. "It's nice to have a new fresh idea and work with a team to do different things."
Cedar City's Katelyn Gross was the only swimmer to break Park City's hold on the girls' golds. She took first in the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard IM.
Twitter @Tribtomwharton —
Saturday's state swimming results
Class 3A Swimming
Girls' Results
Team scores: Park City 493, Cedar City 320, Desert Hills 255, Dixie 214, Juan Diego 168, Snow Canyon 141, Logan 99, Pine View 86, Bear River 72, Richfield 55, Canyon View 52, Hurricane 49, Carbon 46, Grantsville 42, Stansbury 39, Tooele 25, Ben Lomond 6.
200-yard medley relay: Park City (Mara Selznick, Joelle Hess, Kendal House, Katie Hale), 1:47.83. New state record. 200-yard freestyle: Sienna Senn, Park City, 1:55.34. 200-yard IM: Katelyn Gross, Cedar, 2:11.31. 50-yard freestyle: Rozie Selznick, Park City, 24.33. 500-yard freestyle: Siena Senn, Park City, 5:03.11. 100-yard freestyle: Rozie Selznick, Park City, 52.43. 100-yard butterfly: Katelyn Gross, Cedar City, 57.70. 100-yard backstroke: Mara Selznik, Park City, 57.70. 200-yard freestyle relay: Park City (Siena Senn, Elise Beller, Katie Hale, Rozie Selznik). New state record. 400-yard relay: Park City (Siena Senn, Mara Selznick, Elise Beller, Rozie Selznick), 3:35.57. New state record. 100-yard breaststroke: Joelle Hess, Park City, 1:06.23.
Boys' Results
Team Scores: Park City 465, Cedar City 273, Juan Diego 194, Bear River 187, Desert Hills 172, Canyon View 163, Logan 140, Dixie 114, Tooele 109, Snow Canyon 80, hurricane 73, Richfield 45, Pine View 45, Carbon 44, Grantsville 29, Ben Lomond 23, Stansbury 14.
200-yard medley relay: Park City (Cole Peterson, Jack McMullin, Jinwon Bailar, Dennis Djunic), 1:40.57. 200-yard freestyle: Lucas Hess, Park City, 1:41.89. New State Record. 200-yard IM: Jinwon Bailar, Park City, 1:58.94. 50-yard freestyle: Nathan Wallace, Canyon View, 21.27. 100-yard freestyle: Nathan Wallace, Canyon View 46.55. 100-yard butterfly: Lucas Hess, Park City, 51.55. 100-yard backstroke: Jinwon Bailar, Park City, 51.32 New 3A State Record. 200-yard freestyle relay: Park City (Vincent Hess, Lucas Hess, Alex Yokubison, Jinwon Bailar), 1:28.13. New 3A State Record. 500-yard freestyle: Cole Peterson, Park City, 4:58.22. 400-yard freestyle relay: Park City (Lucas Hess, Vincent Hess, Cole Peterson, Alex Yokubison). 100-yard breaststroke: Felix Weingartner, Cedar City, 1:02.25.
Class 4A Swimming
Girls' Results
Team Scores: Skyline 416.5, Highland 253, Corner Canyon 188, Judge Memorial 186, Wasatch 172.5, Kearns 159, Olympus 115, Maple Mountain 94, East 85, Woods Cross 79, Murray 79, Springville 74, Alta 50, Hillcrest 44, Box Elder 32, Payson 28, Cyprus 20, Bonneville 19, Spanish Fork 18, Bountiful 17, Timpview 16, Orem 12, Provo 11, Mountain View 2.
200-yard medley relay: Kearns (Kimerly Biesinger, Lily Plaudis, Harley Hamlin, Deja Martz), 1:51.51. 200-yard freestyle: Meghan Rainier, East, 1:54.02. 200-yard IM: Makayla Cazier, Maple Mountain, 2:05.67. 50-yard freestyle: Aleah Griffin, Skyline, 24.90. 100-yard freestyle: Aleah Griffin, Skyline, 59.70. 100-yard butterfly: Becca Goodson, Skyline 59.70. 200-yard freestyle relay: Skyline (Claire Brooks, Bailey Bills, Shelby Dibble, Aleah Griffin), 140.51. 500-yard freestyle: Makayla Cazier, Maple Mountain, 5:02.94. New 4A record. 100-yard breaststroke: Madelyn Flower, Murray, 1:04.80. New State Record. 100-yard backstroke: Zoe Phillips, Highland, 57.68. 400-yard freestyle relay: Skyline (Kiki Karahalios, Bailey Bills, Aleah Griffin, Claire Brooks), 3:40.90.
Boys' Results
Team Scores: Skyline 354.5, Highland 179, Wasatch 162, ;Box Elder 154. Timpview 141, Woods Cross 128, Olympus 103, Kearns 102, Cyprus 98.5, Provo 94, Hillcrest 93, East 92, Salem Hills 90, Springville 84.5, Murray 83.5, Uintah 79, Corner Canyon 72, Timpanogos 36, Alta 11, Mountain View 5.
200-yard medley relay: Skyline (Will Newbold, Cole Jackman, Alex Zini,. Mathew Beseris), 1:38.41. 200-yard IM: Anthony Puertas, Timpanogos, 1:57.39. 200-yard freestyle: Jaron Nelson, Box Elder, 1:40.92. 50-yard freestyle: Adam Shelton, Skyline, 21.02. 100-yard butterfly: Adam Shelton, Skyline, 50.91. 200-yard freestyle relay: Skyline (Adam Shelton, Young Wang, Erick Mosteller, Mathew Beseris), 1:27.14. 500-yard freestyle: Jaron Nelson, Box Elder, 4:40.70. 100-yard freestyle: Brigham Harrison, Timpview, 46.25. 100-yard backstroke: Corey Talmage, Olympus, 53.32. 100-yard breaststroke: Wyatt Graham, Salem Hills, 58.73. 400-yard freestyle relay: Skyline (Adam Shelton, Max Trevino, Erick Mosteller, Will Newbold), 3:12.87.