Bulldogs claim state swim championship

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SALT LAKE CITY — Judge Memorial Catholic High School swimmers have had a blowout year, culminating in a 3A state victory for the boys team. At the state championship meet, Feb. 12 and 13 at South Davis Recreation Center, the boys team finished 57 points ahead of Union, a team that beat them by one point last year. The girls team finished in second place.

“It was an amazing season,” Coach Sage Maararen said. “I expected a lot from them, and they just blew me away with the way that they rallied during this pandemic. It almost made them more grateful and more appreciative for swimming, to realize that it is such a privilege that they get to do this.”

Both teams overcame several challenges on the way to victory. These included having to move practices to a new venue after their home pool at the University of Utah would not allow outside teams access during the pandemic. Maararen was able to find late-evening slots at the pools at Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center, but it meant a long drive for team members. Additionally, to ensure adequate social distancing, Maararen and assistant coach Chad Starks would only allow three swimmers per lane, which often resulted in wait lists for the practice slots.

The Bulldogs took these difficulties in stride and put in season performances that led them to do well at state. The boys team took home the state title for the first time in 16 years. Contributing to the title, the team of Nico Morton (sophomore), Buddy Yanelli (junior), Seth Overman (senior) and Benji Gillespie (freshman) came in first in the 200 Yard Medley Relay and the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay.

“They were absolutely incredible,” Maararen said of the boys team. “Going in, we knew they were contenders but that it was going to be a fight, tooth and nail, and they definitely brought their A game, so much so that we knew where we stood before going into the final event.”

Several individual swimmers had particularly strong showings at the state meet. Perennial powerhouse Morton, who was named Swimmer of the Meet, broke his own record in the 500 Yard Freestyle and took first in the 200 Yard Freestyle. Yanelli came in first in the 200 Individual Medley and 100 Yard Breaststroke, breaking his school record in the latter. Overman, a team captain, took second in the 100 Yard Breaststroke and third in the 50 Yard Freestyle.

A surprise at state was the performance of freshman Benji Gillespie, who took first in the 100 Yard Backstroke and third in the 500 Freestyle.

“He blew us away,” Maararen said. “I honestly thought he was going to be tapped out until he got a bit more muscle  built, but he dropped the hammer in that backstroke.”

The girls team came in second behind Carbon, winning two relays and distinguishing themselves in other events.

“I think the girls were absolutely stunning,” Maararen said. “Going into prelims, I felt like they were strong, and then after prelims I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, they’re going to be in a fight for second.’”

Carbon High School’s swim team is large and strong, and they claimed the girls state championship, as expected, she said. “Our girls fought tooth and nail for [second place]. It came down to the 400 freestyle relay … and it was an out-touch finish for our girls to take that.”

In that race, the team of Lanee Farr, (sophomore), Emmy Hardin-Reynolds (junior), Grace Sherman (senior) and Olivia Cowan (junior) took first.

Despite battling a shoulder injury this season, Cowan came in second in the 200 Yard IM and second in the 100 Yard Freestyle. Hardin-Reynolds came in third in the 100 Yard Breaststroke and fourth in the 200 Yard IM. It was a solid high-school career finish for captain Grace Sherman with fourth places in the 100 Yard Butterfly and 100 Yard Breaststroke.