Provo » Mountain Crest needed an All-American performance Saturday afternoon to overhaul Springville's dream of a third consecutive 4A boys' state swimming title at BYU.
The Mustangs got what they needed and more while winning the state championship.
Meanwhile, in a year that saw Logan struggle in sports following a move from 3A to 4A, the Grizzlies ran away with the girls' team title.
"This was amazing," said Janessa Gammill, winner of the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events. "No one in 4A knew about Logan, or how fast we were."
Gammill knew that a state title was within reach following the team's second-place finish earlier this season to 5A Bingham in the Thanksgiving Invitational. Logan, thanks to a sweep of the top three places in the 500 free, scored 300.5 points, far in front of Olympus (200) and Timpview (192).
"We had a plan before we moved up," Logan coach Jerry Hodgkinson said. "The girls knew what to do. This exceeds our expectations."
Bonnie Dowling, of Spanish Fork, was named the meet's outstanding female swimmer, while Jake Taylor claimed the boys' trophy.
Mountain Crest's comeback performance was completed with Taylor's victory in the 100-yard butterfly. The win not only secured the senior's second All-American performance in this 2010 State Swimming Meet, but shot the Mustangs past Springville with an event to go.
"It was crucial that everybody scored; we needed every point," said Mountain Crest coach Yolanda Bates, eyes red from a congratulatory toss into the pool. "What makes this more special, I moved here three years ago and this is my first generation from freshmen to seniors."
Bates the mother was more proud than Bates the coach of her son Timmy's performance. Bates won the 100 backstroke and 100 free.
"I feel great," he said. "All the hard work has finally paid off. We knew we had a shot to try and take this."
The Mustangs also won the final event as Taylor anchored a 4A state-record performance by Mountain Crest's 400-yard freestyle relay team. The swim in 3:13.68 was nearly a full second quicker than the record, set in 1976.
"I have very mixed emotions," said Taylor, who didn't even swim in the event in which he holds the state record, the 100 free. "I missed breaking the oldest state record [in the 100 breaststroke] by three-tenths of a second. It was the same for the 50 free. I'm very pleased but disappointed."
» In their first year at 4A, the Logan girls cruise to the state swimming championship.
» Mountain Crest wins the final two events to claim the 4A boys' team title.
» Mountain Crest's Jake Taylor swims All-American times in the 50 free and 100 breast.
