2015 Girls Swimming Capsule Previews
ADELSON SCHOOL
Head coach: Sam Koehler, first season
Top athletes: Sophie Jorgenson (Jr.), Camryn Armstrong (Sr.), Leemor Aizenberg (Fr.)
Outlook: The Lions are hoping to improve throughout the season.
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BISHOP GORMAN
Head coach: Ron Aitken, 16th season
Top athletes: Anne Boodt (Sr.), Rachel Boodt (Jr.), Emma Burns (Jr.), Reese Dixon (Jr.), Rielle Dizon (Jr.), Maria Geraghty (Jr.), Josie Larreau (Sr.), Marley Maluafiti (Sr.), Shannon Page (So.), Megan Thompson (So.)
Outlook: The Boodt sisters, Larreau and Maluafiti all were state finalists last season and are hoping to lead the Gaels to a sixth straight state crown.
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BOULDER CITY
Head coach: Sara Carroll, 22nd season
Returning letter winners: Ten
Top athletes: Montana Lloyd (So.), Alex Hubel (Sr.), Jessica Purdy (Sr.), Mandy Gebhart (Sr.), Abby Sauerbrei (So.)
Outlook: Hubel won both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle at last year’s state meet, and Lloyd took the 100 backstroke.
Purdy and Gebhart each finished second in two events in the state meet, and Sauerbrei had two third-place finishes.
“We’re hopeful to win state,” Carroll said. “We lost some major scorers at regional and state.”
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CHEYENNE
Head coach: Tom Garcia, 20th season
Top athletes: Gabriella Garfield (So.), Gisela Gutierrez (So.), Tallyn Clark (Fr.)
Outlook: “We hope to continue to perform well in Division I-A after graduating several state qualifiers last year,” Garcia said. “Several veteran swimmers return to join up with a freshman club swimmer, a German exchange student and a diver.”
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DESERT PINES
Head coach: Jonathan Scheaffer and Jose Osorio, first year
Top athletes: Rebecca Hernandez (Jr.), Jennifer Martinez (So.)
Outlook: With only 11 swimmers on its roster, Desert Pines is focusing on individual improvement.
“We expect to send our top performers to state this year,” Osorio said. “We strongly believe we have a chance to place at regionals. For our beginning swimmers, we are working with them to improve their swimming abilities so that next year they are competing at a varsity level.”
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FOOTHILL
Head coach: Chem Simoneau and Stacie Berndt, first season
Top athletes: Andrea Heerdt (Sr.), Victoria Bogdon (So.), Lauren Hulsholff (So.)
Outlook: Heerdt (sixth in 100-yard butterfly) and Bogdon (fifth in diving) each placed in the top six in the Sunrise Region meet last year.
“We look forward to a strong season as half the team returning are upperclassmen with solid times,” Simoneau said. “Our goals this season include increasing the number of swimmers making regionals and state, athletes earning personal records, and for swimmers to work hard and enjoy competing as individuals and as a team.”
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LAS VEGAS
Head coach: Michelle Bryk, seventh season
Top athletes: Kim Curiel (Sr.), Kate Blackburn (So.)
Outlook: Curiel and Blackburn return to a lead a 25-swimmer roster.
“Our goal as a team is to win meets and qualify as many swimmers as possible for regional events, and most importantly have fun,” Bryk said.
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LIBERTY
Head coach: Brittany Guerrero and Leah Wikler, fourth season
Top athletes: Sarah Cunningham, Elayna Gardner, Elysha Madson, Maggie Powell, Brooke Skelly
Outlook: The Patriots are hoping to improve throughout the season.
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PALO VERDE
Head coach: Brent Gonzalez, 11th season
Top athletes: Erin Emery (Sr.), Izzy Goldsmith (Jr.), Hailey Houck (Jr.), Reese Lamph (So.), Taylor McCoy (Jr.), Adri Piccininni (Jr.), Kasdyn Rafie (Jr.)
Outlook: Goldsmith is the defending Division I state champion in the 100-yard breaststroke and finished third in the state in the 100 freestyle.
Emery placed second and Houck third in the state in both the 200 and 500 freestyles. Lamph, McCoy, Piccininni and Rafie also saw action in the state meet on relay teams.
They lead a solid group of returnees for the Panthers.
“The girls team is hoping to contend with Green Valley and Bishop Gorman for the state title,” Gonzalez said. “We’re hoping to outduel Gorman for the region title.”
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SIERRA VISTA
Head coach: David Jurvelin, 11th season, and Mike Boland, first season
Returning letter winners: Fifteen
Top athletes: Isabella Green (Sr.), Polina Frolova (Sr.), Jessica Pearce (Sr.), Lina Herbig (Jr.), Randi Meldrum (Sr.), Jessica Hernandez (Sr.)
Outlook: Green is the school record holder in the 100-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke, and qualified for the state meet in both events.
“We have lots of returning swimmers from last season, and several joined club in the offseason,” Jurvelin said. “We’re hoping to send seniors Isabella Green, Polina Frolova and Jessica Pearce out with a bang after three great years.”
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SPRING VALLEY
Head coach: Jean Rees, seventh season
Top athletes: Ashlyn Lessenger (So.), Nevina Warsita (So.), Paige Jacobson (Jr.)
Outlook: Jacobson swam a leg on the Grizzlies’ Division I state qualifying medley relay team, and, along with Warsita and Lessenger, placed in the top eight in individual events in the Sunset Region meet.
“We are looking forward to a great season with our girls team,” Rees said. “In our first year in Division I-A, we are hoping to get our girls to state in some individual events and relays.”
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VIRGIN VALLEY
Head coach: Jan White, sixth season
Returning letter winners: Two
Top athletes: Kennedi Ludvigson (So.)
Outlook: Ludvigson was a member of the Bulldogs’ 200-yard freestyle relay team that went to the state meet.
“We hope to build confidence, skills and friendships as we have fun learning a life-long sport,” White said.
