2016 Boys Swimming Capsule Previews
ADELSON SCHOOL
Head coach: Sam Koehler, second season
Returning lettermen: Two
Top athletes: Noah Ferber (Sr.), Edan Cohen (So.), Ben Khavkin (Fr.)
Outlook: Ferber and Cohen both were Division I-A Southern Region meet finalists last year, and Ferber swam on units that hold the school record in both the 200-yard medley relay and the 400 freestyle relay.
“We’re excited for a great season,” Koehler said.
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BOULDER CITY
Head coach: Sara Carroll, 22nd season
Top athletes: Nick Lara (Sr.), Braden Klouse (Jr.), Cade Braden (Jr.), Clayton Pendleton (So.), Joren Selinger (Sr.), Paco Cuevas (Fr.), A.J. Pouch (Fr.)
Outlook: As usual, the Eagles have talent everywhere one looks.
Lara, who will swim at Navy next year, has been a state meet finalist each year. Braden was part of the state championship medley relay team last year, and Klouse was a state finalist each of the last two years.
Boulder City also will benefit from the return of Selinger, who was a state finalist as a freshman and sophomore before competing in track last year.
“I expect us to contend for top spots at regionals and state,” Carroll said.
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CANYON SPRINGS
Head coach: Jonathan Hillmer, 12th season
Top athletes: Jacob Rendon (Sr.), Dakota Read (Sr.), Noe Roca (Sr.), Jose Yanez (Sr.)
Outlook: Rendon was a state finalist int he 100-yard breaststroke last season.
Read and Roca were Sunrise Region finalists last year.
“We will have some strong returners and some new fast faces,” Hillmer said. “Jacob Rendon intends on a return trip to the state meet.”
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CHAPARRAL
Head coach: Wendy Holsclaw, fifth season
Returning lettermen: Five
Top athletes: Adam Mirjanian (So.)
Outlook: Mirjanian finished sixth in the 500-yard freestyle at last year’s Division I-A state meet and will be among the leaders on an inexperienced team.
“Considering that 25 of the 30 swimmers on my team are brand new to the sport, my goal is to teach technique, camaraderie and sportsmanship,” Holsclaw said. “I’m positive that we will have a successful season with improved times and knowledge of our great sport.”
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CORONADO
Head coach: David Stump, sixth season
Returning lettermen: Fifteen
Top athletes: Parker Evans (Sr.), Brandon Nellis (So.), Sean Marchewski (Jr.), Juston Lee (Jr.)
Outlook: The Cougars return 15 lettermen, including a handful of state meet qualifiers in Marchewski (relays), Lee (relays), Evans (50-yard freestyle and 100 freestyle) and Nellis (100 backstroke).
“We are looking to springboard off of a great season last year,” Stump said. “Most would view this season as a rebuilding year for us. I prefer to see it as reloading. We have a strong core of upperclassmen along with a very good looking freshman class.
“Finishing in the top five at the state championships and the region meet are always our two main goals.”
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DEL SOL
Head coach: Kenneth Belknap, third season
Top athletes: Stuart Hall (Jr.), Daniel Hernandez (Jr.), Gregory Holt (So.)
Outlook: Hernandez and Holt each qualified for the Southern Region meet in multiple events, and Hall took fourth in the region meet in the 100-yard breaststroke.
“This should be the largest team in school history,” Belknap said. “It’s the first year we’ll have divers, and we should have a record-setting number of region finalists.”
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FAITH LUTHERAN
Head coach: Stephen Blank, 13th season
Top athletes: Eric Anderson (Sr.), Justin Tayrien (Sr.), Dylan Gagnon (Jr.), Brayden Guedry (Fr.)
Outlook: Gagnon was the I-A champion in diving last year and returns to help a team that has talent.
“The team hasn’t changed too much since last season,” Blank said. “Excellent athletes that graduated essentially have been replenished from the lower grades.”
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LAS VEGAS
Head coach: Michele Bryk, eighth season
Top athletes: Zander Carson (Jr.), Tanner Thomas (Sr.), Chris Tejeda (Jr.)
Outlook: Carson and Tejeda both are sprint freestylists, and Thomas is expected to compete in the longer freestyle events.
“We hope to have a successful season with a winning record and qualifying as many athletes as possible for regional events,” Bryk said.
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LIBERTY
Head coach: Carolyn Battin, first season
Outlook: Battin, who coached Silverado’s swimming teams for six years, takes over at Liberty and hopes to guide the Patriots to a successful season.
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PALO VERDE
Head coach: Brent Gonzalez, 12th season
Top athletes: Mihail Amiorkov (Jr.), Alec Clinton (So.), David Miller (So.), Bryce Rogers (Sr.), Richard Selznick (Jr.), Dylan Sweikert (So.)
Outlook: Amiorkov, Miller, Rogers, Selznick and Sweikert all placed in at least two events at last year’s state meet, and Clinton took fourth in the 500-yard freestyle.
The three-time defending state champion Panthers are gunning for a fourth straight crown and trying to continue their streak of 15 consecutive Sunset Region titles.
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SHADOW RIDGE
Head coach: Jonathan Hillmer, fifth season, and Allan Clark, third season
Top athletes: Corey Beck (Sr.), Cade Jewell (Jr.), Trevor Glisson (Sr.), Wesley Custer (So.), John Liu (Jr.), David Word (Jr.), Omar Moore (Sr.), Jonathan Nichols (Jr.), Logan Teeter (So.)
Outlook: The Mustangs bring back six Sunset Region finalists in Beck, Jewell, Glisson, Liu, Word and Nichols.
“Many returners and a lot of experience will keep this team on the up and coming list,” Hillmer said. “The team placed fifth in the Sunset Region last year and hopes to break into the top four this year with size, speed and depth.”
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SPRING VALLEY
Head coach: Jean Rees, seventh season
Top athletes: Ahmed Mohamed (So.), Jorge Padilla (Sr.)
Outlook: The Grizzlies graduated arguably the best swimmer in the school’s history in Jay Yang, who won two individual state titles last year.
Padilla has the potential for a big season.
“We’re looking forward to a great season,” Rees said. “Ahmed Mohamed should have a great year as he swims high school for the first time.”
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VALLEY
Head coach: Norman LaFave, first season
Top athletes: James Larson (Jr.)
Outlook: Larson qualified for the Division I state meet in the breaststroke last season and leads a team that is hoping to show improvement.
“We have six or seven swimmers who could make regionals and a couple of promising swimmers that could go to state,” LaFave said.