Eli Hobson Sets CO 100 BR State Record at 53.58, Cherry Creek Wins 6 Events for 5A Team Win

2024 CHSAA 5A BOYS SWIM AND DIVE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• May 10th-11th, 2024
• Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center 
• Thornton, CO (MDT)
• SCY (25y)
• Meet Central
• 5A PDF Results 
• Results on Meet Mobile: “CHSAA State Championships 5A B24”

5A Boys Team Scores

1. Cherry Creek, 458.5
2. Regis Jesuit, 306.5 
3. Highlands Ranch, 263 
4. Fossil Ridge, 215.5 
5. Fairview, 205 
6. Smoky Hill, 198 
7. Columbine, 197 
8. Monarch, 179
9. Grandview, 168 
10. Douglas County, 157

The Colorado High School Boys Class 5A Swim and Dive State Championships began on Friday in Thornton, CO with swimming prelims and Saturday’s finals session, featuring the Cherry Creek boys winning all three relays and adding three additional wins for a dominant 2024 5A team win. 

The CHSAA 4A and 5A swimming classes are determined by school enrollment, with 4A schools under roughly 1600 students while 5A schools exceed 1600 student attendance.

The Cherry Creek team won with an overwhelming 458.50 points for their first 5A team win since 2021, 152 points ahead of Regis Jesuit’s 306.50 points. (For historical swim nerds, Regis Jesuit is Olympic champion Missy Franklin‘s alma mater). Highlands Ranch comfortably placed third with 263 points while Fossile Ridge held off Fairview by 10.50 points for fourth, 215.50 to 205. Smoky Hill also held off Columbine by one point for sixth, 198 to 197.

As aforementioned, Cherry Creek swept all three relays. They kicked things off in the 200 medley relay with a winning time of 1:29.12. Camille Trinquesse led off trailing 0.04s behind Grandview’s Oliver Schimberg, 22.55 to 22.59. Following a tight breaststroke leg, featuring Cherry Creek’s Trevor Boodt (25.12), Brodie Johnson blew Cherry Creek out of the water with 20.89 to establish their lead. Connor Kelly held on the freestyle anchor at 20.23 to seal Cherry Creek’s first relay win. Grandview took second at 1:31.85, just ahead of Columbine (1:32.oo) and Regis Jesuit (1:32.02).

This is the second-fastest 200 medley relay time in CHSAA/Colorado history behind Cherry Creek’s past 2021 state record time of 1:28.61.

Cherry Creek senior and Georgia Tech commit Johnson defended his 100 fly title with the fourth-fastest time in Colorado history at 47.33. Grandview junior Schimberg was the event runner-up at 48.37, with Rocky Mountain sophomore Samuel Lofstrom taking third at 49.00.

Johnson was back for Cherry Creek’s winning 200 free relay, leading off in 21.05, followed by Kian Lihalakha (21.01), Jamie Crawford (20.32) and a blazing sub-20 anchor from Colin Mikulecky (19.94). Monach took second place at 1:23.11, powered by Gavin Keogh‘s 19.85 anchor. Douglas County came in a tight third place at 1:24.30.

Cherry Creek’s winning time of 1:22.32 was another No.2 all-time state performance behind their own 2021 state record of 1:22.05.

In the 200 free, an accelerating Pine Creek’s James Schreiber denied Cherry Creek’s Mikulecky the finals win, narrowly touching him out 1:39.03 to 1:39.58. Fossil Ridge’s Ryan Stahl (1:40.03) also accelerated on Monarch junior Keogh (1:40.17) for third place by 0.15s. After being denied the 200 free title, Cherry Creek’s Mikulecky and Pine Creek’s Schreiber finished 0.02s apart in the 100 free final. Duke commit Mikulecky getting his revenge title over Schreiber, 44.86 to 44.88. Monarch’s DiFronzo took third place at 45.16. 

Into the last event, the 400 free relay, Crawford (46.30), Trinquesse (45.39), Kelly (45.61), and Mikulecky’s blistering 43.86 anchor gave Cherry Creek the 3-for-3 relay sweep. Fairview filed in for second place at 3:02.69, followed by Columbine (3:04.53). Cherry Creek’s winning time of 3:01.16 is the fifth-fastest time in Colorado history, flirting with Columbine’s 2021 record of 3:00.37, but marking their fastest 400 free relay since 2021.

The highlight swim of the session came from Lewis-Palmer senior Eli Hobson. One day after Jake Eccleston won the 4A class 100 breast title in a Colorado state record of 53.67, Hobson won the 5A title with an even faster 53.58. Coming in second behind Hobson was Smoky Mountain senior  and Utah commit Daniel Yi at 54.61, followed by Columbine’s Tobin Uhl (55.68) and Cherry Creek’s Boodt (56.25).

Hobson’s 53.58 broke both Joshua Corn‘s 2023 5A class record of 53.73 and Eccleston’s day-old 53.67 state record. Looking at the trio’s splits, Hobson trumped a 24.99 opener on Corn’s 2023 opener 50 of 25.11 Meanwhile, Eccleston was quieter at 25.52 but closed in 28.15, more than four-tenths faster than Hobson’s 28.59 closer. He still out-swam Corn’s 28.62 split for re-writing both 5A and Colorado state’s records.

Splits Comparison

Hobson also was a double-event 5A champion, taking the 50 free crown at 20.03 for the fourth-fastest time in Colorado history. Rocky Mountain’s Lofstrom took second at 20.35, just ahead of top-five finishers Fairview senior and Utah commit Layton Sealman (20.42) and Monarch junior Ethan DiFronzo (20.48).

More 5A Finals Highlights

• Contributing to Cherry Creek’s team win by defending his 1-meter diving title was junior Luke Ogren with 615.85 points, the third-best score in Colorado history.
• Flipping over to the 100 back, Grandview’s Schimberg also defended his 100 back 5A title at 47.49. Monarch’s Keogh took the silver at 48.07 while Cherry Creek’s Trinquesse took third place at 49.50.
• Fossil Ridge’s Brennen O’Neil won the 200 IM in the only sub-1:50 time of 1:49.13, ahead of Regis Jesuit’s Reid Magner (1:50.67). Yi from Smoky Hill (1:51.60) took third place by a tenth of a second, barely holding off Cherry Creek’s Trinquesse (1:51.70).
• Highlands Ranch senior Vladislav Kazakin took the 500 free win at 4:33.75. Regis Jesuit’s Magner took a tough, but close, third-place finish behind Smoky Hill junior Ian Noffsinger by 0.05s, 4:35.26 to 4:35.31.
• Smoky Hills’ Yi and coach Scott Cohen were both awarded CHSAA 5A swimmer and coach of the year.

All 2024 5A CHSAA Boys Champions

• 200 Medley Relay: Cherry Creek (Trinquesse, Boodt, Johnson, Kelly), 1:29.12
• 200 Free: James Schreiber (Pine Creek), 1:39.03
• 200 IM: Brennen O’Neil (Fossil Ridge), 1:49.13
• 50 Free: Eli Hobson (Lewis-Palmer), 20.03
• 1-Meter Diving: Luke Ogren (Cherry Creek), 615.85 points
• 100 Fly: Brodie Johnson (Cherry Creek), 47.33
• 100 Free: Colin Mikulecky (Cherry Creek), 44.86
• 500 Free: Vladislav Kazakin (Highlands Ranch), 4:33.75
• 200 Free Relay: Cherry Creek (Johnson, Lihalakha, Crawford, Mikulecky), 1:22.32
• 100 Back: Oliver Schimberg (Grandview), 47.49
• 100 Breast: Eli Hobson (Lewis-Palmer), 53.58 *5A/CO State Record
• 400 Free Relay: Cherry Creek (Crawford, Trinquesse, Kelly, Mikulecky), 3:01.64

5A Boys State Swimming: From the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton-Congrats to the Cherry Creek Bruins, the 2024 team State Champions! @creeksports @CreekAthletes @CCSDK12 pic.twitter.com/Yz5lXJSTD6

— Cherry Creek Schools Athletics & Activities (@CCSDATHACT1) May 12, 2024

Congratulations to Daniel Yi and Scott Cohen!! 5A swimmer and coach of the year!! @CCSDATHACT1 @ClarenceBuff @aurorasports pic.twitter.com/xJvUg3KpXD

— Smoky Hill Athletics (@SmokySports) May 12, 2024