STATE SWIMMING Koontz wins state 100 free title

Adam Trumble / Nevada Appeal

Adam Trumble / Nevada Appeal

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Douglas swimming standout Shelby Koontz capped a brilliant freshman season Saturday, winning the Division I state title in the 100 free at the Carson Aquatic Center.

Koontz won the event with a time of 51.19, breaking the school record in the event for the fifth time this season.

It marked Douglas’ first swimming state title in any event since 2010 and the first in an individual event since 2009 (Haley VonSchottenstein, 100 breaststroke).

Koontz, the Northern Division I Swimmer of the Year, also finished second in the 50 free, just getting edged out at the end by Bishop Gorman’s Amy Lubawy, who touched at 23.50. Still, Koontz broke her own school record in the event with a time of 23.81. She led briefly coming out of the turn, but wasn’t able to hold Lubawy off.

Also showing strong for Douglas was senior Shaelin Morefield, who finished third in the girls 200 IM with a time of 2:07.36. Her time fell short of her school and regional record set last week (2:06.33) but will stand as the second-best time in the event in the Douglas High record books.

Morefield fell as far back as fifth coming out of the breaststroke but turned in a strong 50 free to closed in third. She also took third in the 100 fly with a time of 56.74 — again just a shade of her own school record.

On the boys side for Douglas, senior Kyle Johnston finished third in the 200 IM with a time of 2:01.23 after riding in four or fifth for much of the race. Johnston also finished fourth in the 100 fly at 53.13 seconds.

Anthony Sellers finished fifth in diving while Jordan White took seventh. Sellers also collected his regional diver of the year hardware. Janosch Lancaster took sixth in the 100 back, seventh in the boys 200 free and Savannah Chappell was seventh in the 100 backstroke.

Savannah Chappell, Meagan Skilling, Erica Chappell and Koontz finished third in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:55.53. Skilling, Morefield, Emma Gray and Koontz took third in the girls 200 free relay.

Erica Chappell, Emma Gray, Savannah Chappell and Morefield took fourth in the 400 free relay. Kevin Smithen, Lancaster, Andy Esparza and Johnston took third in the boys 200 free relay. Lancaster, Adam Dack, Kevin Smithen and Johnston finished sixth in the boys 400 free relay.

The Douglas girls wound up finishing fourth in the team standings behind state champion Bishop Gorman, Palo Verde and Galena. The Douglas boys were fifth behind Palo Verde, Green Valley, Coronado and Reno in order.

Carson finished 14th in the boys standings and tied for 17th in the girls standings.

Carson boys were seventh in the 200 medley relay (Tallon Rauch, Gary Showalter, Casey Garrett, Dagen Kipling) with a time of 1:46.96.

Elizabeth Eveest took eighth in the girls 200 free. Dagen Kipling was eighth in the 200 IM. Abigail Pittman finished eighth in the 500 free and Gary Showalter took eighth in the 100 breaststroke.

McQueen’s Patrick McCrillis won the 50 free, leading from start to finish and finished with a time of 21.59. He also won the 100 free at 46.52. Rachel Matsumura of Galena won the 100 backstroke and Ally Concepcion of Manogue won girls diving. McCrillis, Matsumara and Concepcion were the only Northern Nevada male athletes to win state titles on Saturday.