Utah held its high school state championships last weekend and it resulted in multiple records being broken. Unlike most states, Utah has a huge number of high schools competing. Due to the large numbers Utah divides its state championships into three individual meets: the 5A, 4A, and 3A. It is much like the NCAA division I, II, and III format.
Brighton High school completely dominated the 5A meet, being the only team to reach 300 points on the men’s or women’s sides. The men finished with an incredible 382 to seize a victory and the women finished with 311.5 points.
Brianna Francis won the women’s 200 IM in a time of 2:04.52. The Alta high school senior was just off her own high school state record of 2:04.03 that she set at least years 5A championships. Francis came back towards the end of the meet to win the 100 breaststroke in 1:03.63.
Cal-bound Brighton senior Long Gutierrez stole the show, leaving the meet with four wins and three records to his credit. In the first of his swims Guitierrez won the men’s 200 IM in 1:52.57. That time beat his own 5A state record of 1:53.65 from last year’s 5A championships. Shortly after Guitierrez came out on top again, this time in the 100 fly. Guitierrez surged to the finish to touch the wall in 48.68, which was an all around Utah State Record. His time beat his old state record of 48.89 from last year. With two individual wins Guitierrez wasn’t finished with his domination. Guitierrez and his team swam together to take the 200 freestyle relay title with a time of 1:27.34. Hungry for another win the Brighton high school boys swam to victory in the 400 freestyle relay, this time breaking Skyline high school’s record of 3:10.94 set in 2001. The Brighton boys touched the wall in 3:10.51 to give Guitierrez his third record and fourth win of the meet.
Pleasant Grove senior Nathan Bramhall swam to a 5A state record in the 100 breaststroke. Bramhall finished with a time of 57.54 smashing his old record of 59.34 from last year. Bramhall was just short of the Utah state record of 57.47 set by David Lundberg.
In the 4A division Mountain Crest junior Haley Pabst and Skyline junior Lillian Moore were the main attraction, each finishing with two individual wins as well as one 4A state record.
Haley Pabst swept the sprint freestyle events, finishing with a 4A state record in the shorter of the two. Pabst’s 23.74 broke Carrie Olpin’s incredibly old record of 23.79 set in 1995. In the 100 free Pabst smoked the field with a 52.80, which was the fastest time of any swimmer in the 5A, 4A or 3A meets.
In Lillian Moore’s first event, the 200 IM, she came out on top in 2:07.97. Shortly after Moore went on to take the win in the 100 fly as well. This time Moore got the record that she wanted, obliterating her own 4A state record of 57.51 set last year with a time of 56.19. Along with her individual wins, Moore helped Skyline high school win two relay events. In the first of the two, the 200 medley relay, the team finished in 1:51.12. In the 400 freestyle relay the Skyline girls took the win in 3:36.52.
At the end of the meet the Skyline girls blew away their opponents, rounding up a total score of 406 points. Second place Mountain Crest high school finished way back with 211 points. The Mountain Crest boys however were able to top the competition edging out Springville high school 328 points to 324.
Wasatch high school was able to end the 3A meet with a win on both the men’s and women’s side. The men finished with 317 points and the women with 379. Only one record fell and no truly outstanding performances captivated the 3A meet but one star did shine brighter than the rest.
Desert Hills high school junior Amelia Draney took three wins during the meet and was the only swimmer to qualify for sectionals in three different events. Draney won the 200 freestyle in 1:52.37, which was just off her 1:52.29 3A record from last year. Hungry for more gold Draney tackle the 500 freestyle taking a big win in 4:59.38. Her time demolished her 3A state record of 5:03.07 that she set last year. With her continued improvement the Utah state record of 4:56.96 could be threatened in the next two years. To end the meet Draney helped her team win the 400 freestyle relay, finishing on top in 3:48.22. Draney is proving to be a very dominant freestyle swimmer and shows great signs of future success.
All state meet results are avaialble here from the Utah Swim Coaches Association.
I wonder if the Utes had a chance at Long G. It would be better for the PAC 12 to get Utah and ASU nearer the Big 4. Cal gets richer and richer.