2017 Boys Swimming Team Capsules

Head coach: Sam Koehler, second season

Returning lettermen: Three

Top athletes: Ben Khavkin (So.), Noah Ferber (Sr.), Alex Shmulevich (Sr.)

Outlook: The Lions return only three lettermen, but are hoping for a successful season.

“We’re looking for big improvement from our returners,” Koehler said. “We have a number of freshmen who we hope will be successful.”

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BISHOP GORMAN

Head coach: Ron Aitken, 18th season

Top athletes: Nicholas Becker (Jr.)

Outlook: Becker was a state meet qualifier last year and leads a large group of returnees.

“Our team depth has improved,” Aitken said.

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BONANZA

Head coach: Michael Harrison, first season

Outlook: Harrison takes over a program that is hoping to show improvement this season.

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BOULDER CITY

Head coach: Sara Carroll, 24th season

Returning lettermen: Nine

Top athletes: Braden Klouse (Sr.), A.J. Pouch (So.), Paco Cuevas (So.)

Outlook: Pouch (state champion in 100 breaststroke, fourth in 500 freestyle), Cuevas (state champion in 200 individual medley, fourth in 100 butterfly) and Klouse (second in 100 freestyle, fifth in 200 freestyle) each had two top-five finishes in last year’s Division I-A state meet.

The Eagles have won six straight state titles and are hoping to compete for a seventh consecutive crown.

“It looks like a big team this year with a lot of new swimmers, but also a group of valuable veterans that will score well at regionals,” Carroll said.

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CENTENNIAL

Head coach: Alex Smith, first season

Returning lettermen: Five

Top athletes: Sawyer Grimes (Fr.), Jackson Larson (So.), Tyler Peterson (Jr.), Kyle Paronto (Fr.)

Outlook: Smith takes over a team that was hit hard by graduation but is hoping to reload quickly.

“We are in a growing year this year,” Smith said. “We lost a lot of great seniors and are starting over with a very impressive group. We hope to have a lot of the boys qualify for regionals this year.”

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CHAPARRAL

Head coach: Wendy Holsclaw, sixth season

Returning lettermen: Ten

Top athletes: Adam Mirjanian (Jr.), Daniel Alvarez (Jr.), Jesus Ruiz (Sr.)

Outlook: Mirjanian was a Division I-A state-meet qualifier last year. Alvarez and Ruiz both were Southern Region meet qualifiers.

They lead a list of 10 returnees for the Cowboys.

“I’m looking forward to an individually-successful season,” Holsclaw said. “Our goal is to have a men’s relay at state.”

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CORONADO

Head coach: David Stump, seventh season

Returning lettermen: Seventeen

Top athletes: Juston Lee (Sr.), Sean Marcheski (Sr.), Timmy Newton (Jr.), Brandon Nellis (Jr.)

Outlook: Newton was the Division I state champion in diving last year and joins state qualifiers Lee, Marcheski and Newton among Coronado’s 17 returnees.

“We were hit pretty hard with graduation last year, but we are not rebuilding this year; we are reloading,” Stump said. “Our underclassmen will have to step up and provide the depth we need to contend for a state championship. We have a very solid freshman class coming in to add the depth we need.”

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DESERT PINES

Head coach: Jose Osorio, first season

Top athletes: Roberto Hernandez, Jaime Martinez, Siavash Mirzazadeh

Outlook: Osorio, who coached Desert Pines’ girls team the last three years, takes over the boys squad this year and hopes to help the team improve during the season.

He said he hopes to send Hernandez (100 freestyle), Martinez (100 breaststroke) and Mirzazadeh (200 individual medley) to the state meet.

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DURANGO

Head coach: Sarah Jacques, first season

Outlook: Jacques takes over a team that is hungry for success.

“I’m looking forward to start developing a strong swim team here at Durango,” Jacques said.

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ELDORADO

Head coach: Cheri Grossman, ninth season

Returning lettermen: Four

Top athletes: Tyler Harper (Sr.), Andrew Winder (Jr.)

Outlook: The Sundevils are lacking in returning swimmers, but are hoping to be competitive this season.

“We’re looking to rebuild our team after losing many seniors over the past two years,” Grossman said. “It looks promising.”

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FAITH LUTHERAN

Head coach: Stephen Blank, 14th season

Top athletes: Brayden Guedry (So.), Sean Brombosz (Sr.), Mike Fisk (Sr.), Hunter Harbauer (Fr.), Dylan Gagnon (Sr.), Ryan Little (Jr.)

Outlook: The Crusaders bring back a handful of talented swimmers.

“We’re excited about moving into the (Class) 4A,” Blank said.

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FOOTHILL

Head coach: Chemberyle Simoneau, third season

Returning lettermen: Thirteen

Top athletes: Kaden Jesperson (Sr.), Denver Renner (Sr.), Jacob Buckley (Jr.), Jesus Garza (Sr.)

Outlook: Renner took second in the 200 freestyle and in the 100 butterfly at the Division I state meet, and Jesperson was second in the 500 freestyle and fourth in the 200 individual medley. Buckley was fourth at state in the 100 butterfly and sixth in the 200 individual medley.

They lead a group of 13 returning lettermen for the Falcons.

“We have the majority of our top swimmers returning, including the core group of swimmers who made state last year,” Simoneau said. “We have added several strong new swimmers and have seen tremendous growth in those swimmers that joined our program last year.

“Our goal is to improve upon our second-place finish at the regional meet and third place at the state championship meet.”

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GREEN VALLEY

Head coach: Bob Swift, 14th season

Top athletes: Benny Weber (Sr.), Christian Chandler (Sr.), Terry Wright (Sr.), Danny Corona (Jr.), Matas Maksimatas (So.), Gabriel Weber (So.), Mason Romantic (Fr.), Kennith Lee (Fr.)

Outlook: The Gators have a handful of talented returnees and are hoping some young swimmers can contribute.

“We will again be looking at competing for the Sunrise Region championship and going into state improving on last year’s performance,” Swift said. “We will also be working on developing our new talent for the coming years.”

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LAS VEGAS

Head coach: Cameron Durieux, first season

Top athletes: Zander Carson (Sr.), Cris Tejeda (Sr.)

Outlook: Carson and Tejeda, both sprint freestylists, return to lead a team that hopes to make a splash in the postseason

“Our expectation is to make a strong showing at regionals this year with possibly earning more medals than last year,” Durieux said.

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PALO VERDE

Head coach: Brent Gonzalez, 13th season

Returning lettermen: Seventeen

Top athletes: Mihail Amiorkov (Sr.), Alec Clinton (Sr.), David Miller (Jr.), Richie Selznick (Sr.), Dylan Sweikert (Jr.)

Outlook: It might be wise to just reserve a couple of lanes at the state meet for Panther swimmers, who are chasing their 17th consecutive Sunset Region and fifth consecutive state titles.

Amiorkov (200 individual medley, 100 breaststroke), Clinton (200 individual medley, 500 freestyle), Miller (200 freestyle, 100 butterfly), Selznick (100 butterfly) and Sweikert (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle) all competed in the state meet last season and lead a group of 17 returnees. Sweikert won the 100 freestyle state title.

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RANCHO

Head coach: James Pemberton

Top athletes: Nathan Weinstock (So.), Josip Zrnic (Sr.), Edwin Garcia-Soto (Sr.)

Outlook: The Rams are hoping to show improvement this season.

“We had limited numbers last year, but high numbers and high hopes this year,” Pemberton said. “Rancho could be well represented in postseason swimming. We finally have the high number of participants, and they are highly motivated and skilled. We will be focusing a majority of our time on skill technique and the rest on speed.

“Everyone is going to see a new and improved Rancho Rams swim team this season.”

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SIERRA VISTA

Head coach: David Jurvelin, 13th season

Returning lettermen: Ten

Top athletes: Amil Kurtagic (Sr.), Haris Kurtagic (Jr.), Ian Cook (Jr.), Nate Cruz (Sr.), Daryl Lopez (Sr.), Desmond Flor (Sr.), Emanuel Maxilom (Sr.), Nikita Nazarov (Fr.)

Outlook: Haris Kurtagic (second in 100 breaststroke, third in 100 freestyle), Amil Kurtagic (second in 500 freestyle, fourth in 200 freestyle) and Cook (third in 100 backstroke) all finished in the top four in individual events at last year’s Division I-A state meet and were a part of the Mountain Lions’ state-meet winning 400 freestyle relay team.

Cruz, Lopez and Flor all were members of the 200 freestyle relay team that placed fifth in the state meet.

“After having the boys team place second overall at Division I-A state last season, the move back to (Class) 4A will be tough,” Jurvelin said. “We did keep a lot of strong swimmers on the guys’ side and have a few incoming freshmen who will help us stay competitive.”

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SPRING VALLEY

Head coach: Jean Rees, ninth season

Top athletes: Kaleb Irwin (Sr.), Gavin Gould (Fr.), Caleb Gould (Fr.)

Outlook: Irwin competed in the 50 freestyle in the Division I-A Southern Region meet last year.

Rees said she is excited to see how twins Gavin and Caleb Gould perform in their first season.

“We have a new and exciting young team of mostly freshmen and sophomores,” Rees said. “After returning to Class 4A, our goal is to hold our own in the Southwest League of the Sunset Region.”

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SUNRISE MOUNTAIN

Head coach: Jake Des Roches, third season

Top athletes: Eric Moreno (Sr.), Kenyon James (Sr.)

Outlook: James has been a member of the Miners’ state-qualifying 200 freestyle relay team the last two seasons. He and Moreno both were Southern Region finals qualifiers as individuals last season.

“The past two years have seen the team finish exceptionally well at the Division I-A regionals,” Des Roches said. “Look for Eric Moreno and Kenyon James to make steady progress throughout the season. Both of them should be contenders to earn a state qualifying spot.”

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VALLEY

Head coach: Ryan Ocampo, first season

Outlook: Ocampo takes over a program that is hoping to show improvement this year.

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VIRGIN VALLEY

Head coach: Jan White, seventh season

Returning letter winners: Five

Outlook: The Bulldogs are hoping to be competitive in Class 3A this year.

“With the change in region schools, we hope to take a team for all three relays to state and a few of our kids to go to state individually, as well,” White said. “More importantly, I hope to help kids to enjoy swimming and make it a lifelong activity.”