Sports

Swimming Preview – Extended Capsule

Grayson Blalock, Editor-in-Chief
December 4, 2019

Returning State Qualifiers – Payten Irwin, Sr, Meredith Olson, Sr, Raegyn Patzer, Sr, Sophie Wessbecker, Jr, Bella Reichel, So,

Who to watch – Anna Lillie, Fr, Anna Dunn, Fr, Kambrie Payne, Fr, Nyah Sanchez, Sr, April Fabre, Jr

For the Notebook – Erie’s returning state qualifiers build a strong core for the team. Irwin will be at the top of 3A in many individual categories, and Olson, Patzer, and Reichel will all contend in various freestyle distances. Wessbecker leads a group of several divers, including senior Nyah Sanchez, who look to score at state this year. April Fabre just missed qualifying in the breaststroke as a sophomore and has improved going into her junior year. And the trio of stud freshmen in Anna Lillie, Anna Dunn, and Kambrie Payne are already close to the level of Irwin and should provide a boost to the medley relay and contend in individual races as well.

Schedule Breakdown

Erie has a December-loaded schedule this year – half of their meets take place before Christmas. It will be crucial to have state qualifying times out of the gate from returning qualifiers.

They’re the only 3A team in the Longs Peak league, upping the difficulty level of their four dual meets. The duals will, however, give Erie a higher level of competition to see before state. Erie will also compete in larger tournaments – like the Mountain Vista invite to begin the season – that should help prepare them for state. In a change from last year, state swimming will be at VMAC in Broomfield instead of EPIC in Fort Collins, as the state championships outgrew EPIC.

Full schedule:

12/5, 5:00p @ Windsor (Windsor, CO)

12/6, 4:45p 2019 Mountain Vista Girls Early Bird Invitational – Diving

12/7, 10:00a 2019 Mountain Vista Girls Early Bird Invitational – Swimming

12/10 @ Greeley West (Greeley, CO)

12/13, 4:00p Legacy Lightning Invite- Diving

12/14, 8:00a, Lightning Invite- Swimming

12/18, 3:00p vs Brighton (Brighton, CO)

12/20, 4:00p, Coaches Invite (Diving)

12/21, 8:00a, The REX – Coaches Invite

1/4, 8:00a, Mountain View Invite

1/8, 4:00p, vs Broomfield