Agon is the proud sponsor of all high school coverage (recruiting, results, state championships, etc.) on SwimmingWorld.com. For more information about Agon, visit their website?AgonSwim.com.?National Records for High School Are Pending Application Verification.? Click Here to Learn More
The Arizona DII State Championships took place on Saturday, Nov. 7 at Phoenix Country Day School in Paradise Valley, Az.
The meet was highlighted by a record-setting performance from Sunrise Mountain’s Daniel Matheson. His time of 4:20.64 in the 500 free broke the Arizona state record of 4:21.48 set by Horizon’s Ben Olszewski in 2014. Matheson was also named the DII Male Athlete of the Year.
Desert Mountain used their impressive depth to claim the girls team title with a final score of 245 ahead of Campo Verde (223). Verrado clinched the championship crown on the boys’ side, finishing with 270 points to Campo Verde’s 244.
Full meet results can be found on Meet Mobile – AIA D2 Swim & Dive Championships.
GIRLS MEET
Top 5 Team Scores:
1. Desert Mountain – 245
2. Campo Verde – 223
3. Cactus Shadows – 204.5
4. Salpointe Catholic – 196
5. Arcadia – 166
The meet began as Salpointe Catholic’s Sasha Ganem (27.76), Alyssa Hernandez-Haddock (30.52), Sydney Even (25.51), and Sofia Prevatt (24.39) won the 4×50 medley relay in 1:48.18.
Soon after helping her medley relay team to victor, Even was back in the water to secure a win in the 200 free for the second-straight year with a final time of 1:51.42. Gilbert’s Rachael Lytle, who will remain in-state and swim for Northern Arizona, flew to the top of the podium in the 100 fly, getting her hands to the wall in 56.74.
It was a one-two punch for Cactus Shadows in the 200 IM as Madelyn Bachmeier won the event in 2:05.49, followed closely by teammate Sera Hanagan (2:05.62). Bachmeier then went on to win the 100 back, powering home in 57.10 as the first of only three swimmers to crack 60 seconds.
Bachmeier (23.82) and Hanagan (24.39) teamed up with Katherine Rink (24.52) and Jenna Moore (25.57) to win the 4×50 free relay in 1:38.30. Rink (53.52), Hanagan (52.64), Moore (55.87), and Bachmeier (51.98) also won the 4×100 free relay in 3:34.01.
Campo Verde’s Paige Treptow successfully defended her state title in the 50 free, stopping the clock in 23.87 to edge out Berrado’s Makena Malkemus (23.89). Malkemus redeemed herself in the 100 free, winning in 52.18. Treptow, who won this event in 2019, finished third in 52.61.
For the second-straight season, Desert Mountain’s Kylie Nay won the 500 free; her time of 5:02.39 was slightly ahead of runner-up’s Danielle Gleason (5:02.79) of Shadow Mountain. Campo Verde’s Sydney Blackhurst got her hands to the wall the fastest in the 100 breast, turning in a time of 1:03.70 for the win.
BOYS MEET
Top 5 Team Scores:
1. Verrado – 270
2. Camp Verde – 244
3. Saguaro – 187.5
4. Desert Mountain – 170
4. Catalina Foothills – 170
Verrado began their winning ways as Jacob Cress (24.58), Bryan Gamboa (27.72), Ryan Tiffany (24.71), and Connor Watkins (20.85) won the opening 4×50 medley relay in 1:37.86.
Matheson dominated the 200 free, winning the event in 1:37.17 as the only swimmer in the field to crack the 1:40-barrier. The soon-to-be USC Trojan also handily won the 500 free by 10 seconds, posting a final time of 4:20.64 for another gold medal. His time broke the Arizona state record of 4:21.48 set by Ben Olszewski of Horizon in 2014.
Higley’s Keaton Jones, who won the 500 free last year and took second (4:30.78) this season, powered home to victory in the 100 back with a time of 50.45. Arcadia’s Grant Stoddard successfully defended his state title in the 100 fly, getting his hands to the wall in 49.42 to hold off a charging Cress (49.63).
Canyon del Oro’s Riley Stewart was the first of only three swimmers to dip below the two minute-marker in the 200 IM, doing so in a winning time of 1:54.54. Andrew Schou of Salpointe Catholic won the 100 breast in 58.23, only one-tenth ahead of Ironwood’s Carter Dooling (58.33).
Campo Verde’s Jeremy Graunke, who will stay in-state and swim for the Sun Devils, splashed-and-dashed his way to the top of the podium in the 50 free with a quick 20.13 ahead of his teammate Christian Osterndorf (20.46). Osterndorf, who has also committed to Arizona State, grabbed gold in the 100 free (44.83) ahead of Graunke (45.27).
Campo Verde’s Osterndorf (20.36), Brandon Kuhl (22.42), Hayden Grossarth (23.23), and Graunke (19.57) joined forces to win the 4×50 free relay in 1:25.58. Graunke (44.98), Kuhl (49.34), Grossarth (51.79), and Osterndorf (45.33) combined yet again to win the 4×100 free relay in 3:11.44.
Congratulations Daniel!! Great Racing today!! ?
Way to “represent” TEAM CAMPO ! Great results in a tough year of COVID
Awesome!!! Congratulations!!! #Fighton ?