THORNTON — As Cherry Creek boys swimming was celebrating its third straight Class 5A state championship at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center on Saturday night, Regis Jesuit’s coaches lined up one-by-one to congratulate Bruins head coach Chris Loftis.
It was a sign of respect from the winningest boys swimming program in 5A history — at 24 total titles — immediately after the Bruins secured their 15th.
Dating back to 2019, the two programs have been taking turns at the top of the podium, but the Bruins shined brightest this season, scoring 388.5 points to Regis’ 338.5.
“We've been doing this for a while as a staff (24 years), so we're used to adversity and not quite finishing at the top.” Loftis said. “It has been nice to have this run, but it's the kids and the work that they do to put it together to get us to this point. I could not be more proud of them.”
The victory came not through a gargantuan amount of individual event titles — though there were two — but rather through the collective. The Bruins opened up the meet with a 1 minute, 30 second 200 medley relay worthy of gold, then didn’t see its next ascension to the top of the podium until the second to last event, the 100 breast.
Senior Kian Lihalakha won that one at 55.87 seconds for his first ever solo title. He also served as the second leg of the 200 medley relay alongside Chase Emerson, Cade Palmateer and Kevin Schwartz.
“I wanted to go out really fast (in the 100 breast) but more controlled than yesterday, so I wouldn't die as hard on the second 50,” Lihalakha said. “It was pretty cool seeing No. 1 next to my time.”
Coming into his final high school meet, he had only ever won a state crown in the 200 free relay when he was a sophomore, but admitted, “I was kind of carried by like three DI commits.”
Grant Pier helped carry the torch for his team by taking second in both the 200 free and 500 free, while Marcus Garland picked up fifth in the 200 free and sixth in the 100 free. Palmateer added fourth in the 100 fly, while Emerson put together fifth in the 100 back.
The 200 free relay notched second, then the 400 free relay wrapped things up at third.
“It's just the formula,” Loftis said. “You score four in every event. That's the goal and you know you want to have at least two in the A-final. It's just the work that these guys do to get it to that point so I can't be more proud of them.”
Event champions:
200 medley relay: Cherry Creek (1:30.00)
200 free: Trevyn Krauss, Regis Jesuit (1:37.72)
200 IM: Joey Sudermann, Columbine (1:48.01)
50 free: Ethan Swafford, Douglas County (20.21)
1-meter dive: Andrew Garrison, Highlands Ranch (616.30)
100 fly: Spencer Greene, Regis Jesuit (46.99)
100 free: Josh Heydt, Valor Christian, first (43.62)
500 free: Trevyn Krauss, Regis Jesuit (4:26.98)
200 free relay: Highlands Ranch (1:24.04)
100 back: Josh Heydt, Valor Christian (48.33)
100 breast: Kian Lihalakha, Cherry Creek (55.87)
400 free relay: Regis Jesuit (3:01.60)