THORNTON — Staying motivated wasn’t an issue for a veteran Regis Jesuit group looking to defend its Class 5A title.
Things didn’t always go smoothly this season, but the Raiders remained hungry and were rewarded with their second straight championship on Friday at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center.
“It really means a lot for the guys because right from the beginning, we were a great team,” said head coach Nick Frasersmith. “They pulled together for each other, did everything right, they worked hard. It was a great payoff.”
Regis Jesuit finished with 399 points, just ahead of the 388.50 points rewarded to second-place Cherry Creek — a team that had beaten the Raiders earlier this season in a dual match. The two boys swimming powerhouses finished atop Class 5A for the fourth consecutive season, with Cherry Creek winning it all in 2021 and 2019.
“I feel like it helped that we lost (during) the season to Creek,” said Regis senior Truman Inglis, who took first in the 50-yard freestyle (20.79 seconds). “That motivated us and gave us the strength that we needed.”
The Raiders’ latest state title was their 24th in program history — the most for any class.
Inglis, along with fellow seniors Hawkins Wendt, Carter Anderson and Ronan Krauss, were responsible for the Raiders’ only other win as they took first in the 200 freestyle relay (1:23.47).
“The depth that we had (was) quality,” Frasersmith said. “We probably had a smaller team than we normally bring to state, but they all really placed well and did a great job, especially coming into prelims.”
Class 5A swimmer of the year Chase Mueller led Columbine to a third-place finish (259 points), Monarch took fourth at 216 and Smoky Hill rounded out the top five with 210 points.
Already one of the most accomplished swimmers Colorado has to offer, Mueller won a pair of individual events for the second straight year, bringing his career total to five. The North Carolina State commit swam a 1:35.93 in the 200-yard freestyle — only .21 seconds off from the state meet record — before breaking a 12-year-old mark in the 500 free at 4:21.21.
“That race felt pretty good,” a composed Mueller said following his second win. “I just stuck to my race plan and I went out there and I knew I could do it.”
Mueller admitted that he entered the 500 free with confidence knowing that he had already broken the now-previous state meet record of 4:26.20, previously held by Cherry Creek’s Jared Markham, earlier this season.
“I wasn't really that surprised,” Mueller said. “But I was happy to have my name on that board again.”
Cherry Creek’s day began proficiently as Zachary Reese, Trevor Boodt, Brodie Johnson and Jason Fan led the 200 medley relay (1:30.38). Johnson, a junior, later won the 100 butterfly as well with a time of 48.62.
Although Chatfield finished seventh as a team, the Chargers produced a pair of first-place swimmers: Tristen Davin in the 100 free (44.85) and Joshua Corn in the 100 breaststroke (53.73).
Other individual event winners included Arvada West’s Drew Ravegum in the 200 IM (1:51.89) and Grandview’s Oliver Schimberg in the 100 back.