4A STATE: Record-setting Barker keys Gaels girls’ third straight title

Olivia Barker remembers well winning Bishop Gorman’s first girls swimming state championship as a freshman with only three teammates.

Barker had a dozen teammates around her Saturday, but the junior swam like she was the only Gael in the water.

Barker won two events — breaking her state record in the 100-yard butterfly and posting an upset in the 100 backstroke — and helped set records in the winning 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays, leading Gorman’s girls to their third straight title in the Class 4A state meet at UNLV’s Buchanan Natatorium.

“Now we’re winning with 10 or 12 girls, and it’s so great,” Barker said. “It’s like we’re one big family, which is really nice.”

Gorman won with 132½ points. Boulder City was second with 95 and Coronado third with 75.

The Gaels started the meet with a record-setting blitz in the 200 medley relay in 1:47.02. Barker’s third-leg time of 24.33 seconds paced the team to knock off the mark of 1:48.69 set by Reno in 2002.

Gorman’s winning time of 1:36.98 in the 200 freestyle relay downed Carson’s record of 1:40.13 from 2002, and Barker used a new, lighter suit to add a win in the 100 butterfly in 54.66 — topping her mark of 55.09 set last year in Reno.

But Barker saved her best for last.

Barker tried a new event in the 100 backstroke and faced last year’s state runner-up in Coronado’s Nicole Mertel, the top seed. The Gorman standout used a late surge in the final 25 yards to nip the South Carolina signee, 56.55 to 56.86.

“The last 25, it really hurt really bad,” Barker said. “I just wanted to finish. I thought if I kicked harder and threw my arms (faster), I would just get back to the wall faster so I wouldn’t feel any more pain.

“I didn’t really expect to win that. But I was really happy with my time. Nicole is amazing.”

Catie Miller and Lindsey Englestead went 1-2 for Gorman in the 200 individual medley, with Miller winning in 2:03.90.

“For the first few years, there was a lot of pressure on three girls,” Gorman coach Ron Aitken said. “But now we have the support of 11 or so girls who all have a role in this championship. They make it better for the whole team to be able to do what they’re good at. Each one has their role, and that’s the key.”

Boulder City freshman Alex Hubel took the 50 freestyle in 23.54 and the 200 freestyle in 50.84.

Coronado’s Sammy Harrison won the 200 freestyle in 1:49.72 and the 500 freestyle in a state-record 4:49.82.

Silverado’s Mallory Harris won the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.12.