Bulldogs swim teams claim 2022 state titles

Courtesy photo/JMCHS

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Judge Memorial Catholic High School junior Benji Child competes in the butterfly.

SALT LAKE CITY — A second consecutive state title for the male Bulldog swimmers was made all the sweeter when they were joined in the celebration by their female teammates, who also took state Feb. 12 at Cottonwood Heights Aquatics.

“It was an exciting weekend, that’s for sure,” said coach Sage Maararen, who described nail-biting moments along with elation as the Bulldogs moved ahead to pull off the double-victory. “It was really close for our boys.”

The boys’ team was expected to come in second overall but surprised everyone as over the weekend they inched their way to victory, she said. “It came down to the final few events. Canyon View is an incredibly strong school, so it was cool to get to swim against them and have some real races on our hands.”

Last year, the girls team placed second at state. This year, they started the championship meet strong. In the 200 Yard Medley Relay the Lady Bulldog team of Emmy Hardin-Reynolds, (senior), Amelia Conner, (freshman), Olivia Cowan, (senior) and Lanee Farr (junior) tied for first place (1:59.18) with the Soaring Eagle of Juan Diego.

“What a way to start a meet; you knew it was going to be a great meet just from that first event,” Maararen said. “For there to be a tie is unusual; for there to be a tie in a relay – that’s crazy. A tie for relay first against our rival school is mind blowing.”

Several individual performances also helped propel the team to the title. Senior Olivia Cowan, one of the team captains, came in first in the 100 Yard Freestyle with a time of 56.46.

“She was a great team leader,” Maararen said. “We’re so lucky to have leadership like she offered to our team as well as the role model she was as an athlete. She’s a very hard worker and she really trusts the process. She had an amazing two days at state, and I’ve never seen her smile so big.”

In several other individual events Judge swimmers finished strong. Freshman Delaney Dolan placed second in 200 Yard Freestyle (2:06.52) and 500 Yard Freestyle (5:41.76).

“Delaney is a powerhouse of smiles,” Maararen said. “She is one of the most positive and enthusiastic athletes I have ever met. She genuinely loves swimming; she loves the process and she’s an incredible competitor.”

Emmy Hardin-Reynolds, a senior, came in second in the 100 Yard Backstroke (1:06.31) and third in the 500 Yard Freestyle (5:57.65).

“I think she really surprised herself by how incredibly well she did on race day,” Maararen said of Hardin-Reynolds’s performance in the 500 Freestyle. Amelia Connor, Caeli Sherman and Marin O’Brien also performed well at state.

On the boys’ side, in the 200 Yard Medley Relay Nico Morton (junior), Buddy Yanelli (senior), Benji Child (junior) and Benji Gillespie (sophomore) took home a second-place finish (1:40.27) behind Canyon View.

“For a long time, our boys medley relay team has been untouchable,” Maararen said. ‘This is the first year where they really had a run for their money and really had to work and reach for it.”

Individually, senior Buddy Yanelli came in second in the 100 Yard Breaststroke (59.75) and third in the 200 Yard IM (2:03.29).

“He put out some great swims, managed to break his own school record in the 100 breaststroke and it was a good day for him,” the coach said.

Junior Nico Morton placed first (4:45.47) in the 500 Yard Freestyle.

“When he starts work and starts racing, it’s beautiful,” Maararen said of Morton. “There’s just a hush  when they watch Nico swim and just do his thing. I think we’re all excited to see what he can do next year as a senior.”

In the 100 Yard Butterfly junior Benji Child came in third (56.87), followed by freshman Matthew Eagar in fourth place (58.34).

Child has an unorthodox butterfly style, the coach said. “Under the water his butterfly mechanics are perfect; it just looks a little wonky on the top but clearly it works for him because he is so stinking fast. For him to pull off a 56:00 in the butterfly is just mind blowing.”

Eager is “another one of our freshmen who is just jaw dropping,” she said.

In the 100 Yard Backstroke sophomore Benji Gillespie, whom the team refers to as “Backstroke Benji,” placed second (55.15). Eager took fifth (59.23) in that race.

Gillespie “has amazing backstroke reach and he has been working really hard,” Maararen said. “He really knows what it takes to drop time and have a good swim.”

One surprise finish at state was that of senior Brennan Riad, who placed 10th (1:08.63) in the 100 Yard Breaststroke. Riad, who struggled earlier in the season, narrowly qualified for state at region.

“We did not think he would make it into finals, but boom, he did it,” Maararen said. “He pulled off a great day at prelims and made it into finals. And then finals — I don’t know where that kid has been hiding for the last four years. It was one of the most beautiful breaststrokes I have ever seen.”

“The great thing about our team, both the boys and the girls, is the depth we have managed to develop over the last handful of years,” Maararen said. “The points that they score for the team are invaluable; it’s those points that carry the team to victory.”