The first Colorado High School Girls’ Swimming rankings of the 2018-2019 season are out. With the state scoring to 20 places, rather than 16, this season, depth becomes even more valuable.
In Class 3A, the early season measures a tight battle between Pueblo County and Kent Denver, who are separated by only 12 points at the top of the rankings in the smallest class. Those two schools finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively, at last year’s State Championship meet. The 3A title is wide open after defending champions Longmont moved up to Class 4A.
Longmont isn’t ranked in the inaugural 4A standings, in spite of junior Lucy Matheson being ranked 2nd in the class in the 200 free so far this season (1:57.12). At the top of the 4A rankings is Rampart High School, projected with 363 points, followed by Cheyenne Mountain with 331. That was the same finish order (and about the same margin) as lasst year’s state championship meet. Mullen High School and Highlands Ranch sit 3rd and 4th – both teams tied for 6th at last year’s meet.
The 5A rankings are the most lopsided in week 1. Fairview High School has a 74-point advantage over Cherry Creek, 474-400, and the two are well clear of the rest of the state (including Valor Christian, who moved up to 5A after finishing 3rd in Class 4A last season).
Fossil Ridge graduated a monster class after their 4th-straight Class 5A title last year, including Zoe Bartel, Kylee Alons, Madeleine Masson, Bayley Stewart, Andrea Niemann, Phoebe Huey, and Cameron Kovac, and they come in 9th in the first rankings of the new season.
Notes from Rob Nasser, curator of the rankings:
- A team scores points just like a championship meet by placing an athlete or relay in the top 20 and points are awarded in that fashion.
- Adjustments have been made that account for athletes ranked in more than 2 individual events so that the scores are not skewed from one athlete/school.
- The main reason for this is to hopefully generate more publicity for all of the kids who have worked so hard for it and swimming and diving in general.
- This is geared more for prediction of how the state championship meets will turn out, rather than how a dual meet against two teams will fare.
- Times/scores have been pulled in only from data submitted to MaxPreps. If you do not see times in there that should be, then you most likely did not submit them. This should help to motivate people/coaches to submit them in a timely manner. (Hint: Submit your meets to MaxPreps ASAP)
- An exhaustive listing of all submitted times is located at MaxPreps.com.
- If there is a media outlet that you would like me to include when I send these out, please let me know and I will add them in.
That breaststroker Zoe Bartel wasn’t bad for Fossil Ridge last year either.