Swim-dive: Preview of D-I & D-II boys & girls state meets

November 6, 2019 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Catalina Foothills Skylar Dikeman (pink cap) seeks a D-II title in the 50 free to go with two the last two seasons she won in D-III. (Andy Morales photo).

Brophy Prep is primed for yet another boys swim and dive title while Chaparral's girls aim for a six-peat at the Division I state meet Thursday Nov. 7 and Friday Nov. 8 at Kino Aquatic Center in Mesa.

The Division II meet is set for Skyline Aquatic Center also in Mesa the same days. Canyon del Oro's boys and Arcadia's girls are defending champions. Prelims for swimming events at both locations are Thursday starting at 2:30 and finals for swimming events are Friday also commencing at 2:30.

All diving competition takes place both days at Kino Aquatic Center. D-II prelims begin Thursday at 10:20 a.m. followed by D-I prelims at 3:45. D-II diving semis are Friday at 9:50 followed by finals at 10:50. D-I semis are Friday at 3 p.m. followed by finals at 4:30. 

Here's a look at teams and athletes to watch by division and gender:

D-I BOYS

It's anticipated Brophy will notch its 32nd consecutive big school state title with Chaparral trying to chase down the Broncos. That was the case last year as Chaparral moved up from D-II to become Brophy's top competition.

Top two times for each event from psych sheets: 200 medley relay: 1. Brophy 1:35.94. 2. Chaparral 1:36.24. 200 free: 1. Matt Milovanovic, Brophy 1:40.78, 2. Cooper Kiel, Chaparral 1:42.69. 200 IM: 1. Matt Milovanovic, Brophy 1:53.50, 2. Aaron Rosen, Pinnacle. 50 free: 1. Jon Carlo LoVullo, Boulder Creek 20.89. 2. Rick Popper, Boulder Creek 21.34. Diving: 1. Gage DuBois, Brophy 485.5. 2. Zachory Lundgren, Basha 478.05. 100 fly: 1. Essias Smith, Desert Ridge 50.14. 2. Lucas Kelly, Chandler 50.15. 100 free: 1. Jon Carlo LoVullo, Boulder Creek 46.48. 2. Brevin Bartsch, Desert Vista 47.19. 500 free: 1. Ellis Bohon, Chaparral 4:35.67. 2. Luke Walker, Desert Ridge 4:37.36. 200 free relay: 1. Boulder Creek 1:25.88. 2. Brophy 1:25.96. 100 back: 1. Matt Milovanovic, Brophy 50.41. 2. Dylan Krueger, Brophy 51.27. 100 breast: 1. Matthew LeBlanc, Chaparral 56.92. 2. Aaron Rosen, Pinnacle 58.48. 400 free relay: 1. Brophy 3:08.70. 2. Boulder Creek 3:09.44.

NOTES: The most decorated swimmers are Chaparral senior Matthew LeBlanc and Brophy senior Matt Milovanovic. LeBlanc has racked up first-place finishes three times in the 100 breast, two 200 IM titles and been part of two top relay teams - 2016 400 relay and 2018 200 medley relay. Milovanovic has a 100-back title and swam a leg of 400 relay win last year. He also shares a 200 medley relay title from 2017. Other returning event champions are Boulder Creek's Jon Carlo LoVullo (50 free), Desert Ridge's Essias Smith (100 fly), Chaparral's Ellis Bohon (500 free), Pinnacle's Dylan Melin (200 free) and Skyline diver Daniel Knapp. One of the most anticipated swims is the 500 free  and 400 relay where as many as four teams could break 3:07, according to long-time swim coach Pat O'Neill, now at Red Mountain and formerly at Mesa Mountain View and Brophy Prep.

D-I GIRLS

Chaparral is the defending team champ, but if one tacks on D-II titles in 2016 and 2017 and D-I titles in 2014 and 2015 then the Firebirds have won five straight. Chaparral is loaded and winning again is a foregone conclusion.

Top two times for each event from psych sheets: 200 medley relay: 1. Chaparral 1:44.78. 2. Xavier Prep 1:47.80. 200 free: 1. Ashley Strouse, Chaparral 1:50.82. 2. Grace Dunn, Chaparral 1:51.99. 200 IM: 1. Riley Courtney, Chaparral 2:06.05. 2. Morgan Brophy 2:06.47. 50 free: 1. Greer Pattison, Chaparral 23.18. 2. Nicole Kepl, Liberty 24.38. Diving: 1. Isabelle Lombardi, Desert Vista 4440.83. 2. Tiah Barrow, Red Mountain 434.48. 100 fly: 1. Morgan Brophy, Chaparral 56.22. 2. Ashley Catchpole, Highland 57.62. 100 free: 1. Kalli Fama, Perry 52.67. 2. Hailey Garcia, Hamilton 53.03. 500 free: 1. Ashley Strouse, Chaparral 4:58.78. 2. Kara Church, Mtn. Ridge 4:59.92. 200 free relay: 1. Chaparral 1:38.44. 2. Xavier 1:38.61. 100 back: 1. Greer Pattison, Chaparral 54.42. 2. Kalli Fama, Perry 57.23. 100 breast:  1. Blakely Schuricht, Chaparral 1:04.75. 2. Abby Taylor, Chandler 1:05.46. 400 free relay: 1. Chaparral 3:26. 75. 2. Xavier 3:36.32.

NOTES: A hoard of Chaparral swimmers are overflowing with medals in the Firebirds' recent dominance. Juniors Ashley Strouse and Greer Pattison are off the charts - Strouse owns two individual titles in the 200 free and 500 free and has helped 200 relay and 400 relay teams to two titles each in her first two seasons - that's the maximum eight titles. Pattison is just one back of her teammate in total  titles with two wins in the 100 back, one in the 50 free and four relay firsts -- two 400 relay, one 200 medely relay and one 200 relay. Gold medals in 2017 went to Chaparral junior Riley Courtney (100 breast) and legs of 200 relay and 200 medley relay. Chaparral senior Chloe Zapata has participated in four winning relays 2016 (200 relay), 2017 (medley relay), 2017 (200 relay) and 2018 (200 relay). Chaparral junior Samantha Krew has golds in the 200 free relay and 400 free relay in both 2017 and 2018. Other returning event champions are Perry senior Kalli Fama (100 free in 2018) and Mesa Mountain View sophomore Emma Becker (100 breast and 200 IM from last year.

 

D-II BOYS

The team-title race is crowded and depth likely will tell the tale at the end. Top contenders are Camp Verde, Catalina Foothills, Salpointe and Verrado with Canyon del Oro and Sunnyslope mixing it up as well. Canyon del Oro is the defending champ.

 

Top two times for each event from psych sheets: 200 medley relay: 1. Salpointe 1:38.62. 2. Verrado 1:39.65. 200 free: 1. Aidan Reagan, Salpointe 1:41.15. 2. Colby Raffel, Sunnyslope 1:43.67. 200 IM: 1. Jadan Nabor, Verrado 1:51.81. 2. Landon Driggers, Gilbert 1:53.46. 50 free: 1. Christian Ostendorf, Campo Verde 21.03. 2. Grant Stoddard, Arcadia 21.55. Diving: 1. Daniel Muller, Centennial 532.05. 2. John Angelovic, Verrado 443.88. 100 fly: 1. Grant Stoddard, Arcadia, 51.60. 2. Ryan Trichler, Desert Mountain 52.82. 100 free: 1. Christian Ostendorf, Campo Verde 47.06. 2. Luke Miller, Campo Verde 47.17. 500 free: 1. Jackson Keaton Jones, Higley 4:32.28. 2. Aidan Reagan, Salpointe 4:37.30. 200 free relay: 1. Campo Verde 1:26.98. 2. Canyon del Oro 1:29.01. 100 back: 1. Jackson Keaton Jones, Higley 50.58. 2. Jadan Nabor, Verrado 51.36. 100 breast: 1. Tate Bahti, Sunnyslope 59.74. 2. Riley Stewart, Canyon del Oro 59.93. 400 free relay: 1. Campo Verde 3:15.23. 2. Verrado 3:17.45.

NOTES: Top performers returning in this meet are Verrado senior Jadan Nabor and Centennial diver Daniel Muller. Nabor won the 200 IM and 100 back last year and the 100 fly in 2017. Muller is the two-time state dive champ. Another returning champ is Salpointe's Quinn Teller (50 free). 

 

D-II GIRLS

Top team-title contenders are Catalina Foothills, Campo Verde, Arcadia and Cactus Shadows. Canyon del Oro and McClintock should show well. Arcadia is the defending champion.

Top two times for each event from psych sheets: 200 medley relay: 1. Catalina Foothills 1:47.08. 2. Salpointe 1:49.32. 200 free: 1. Ayden Chanin, Notre Dame Prep 1:54.99. 2. Sydney Even, Salpointe 1:55.04. 200 IM: 1. Kennedy Noble, Millennium 2:06.74. 2. Christiana Williams, Catalina Foothills 2:06.90. 50 free: 1.Paige Treptow, Campo Verde 23.96. 2. Skylar Dikeman, Catalina Foothills 24.10.  Diving: 1. Summer Westmoreland, Catalina Foothills 433.10. 2. Isabella Plantz, Catalina Foothills 397.83. 100 fly: 1. Sadie Edwards, Paradise Valley 56.16. 2. Rachael Lytle, Gilbert 57.52. 100 free: 1. Paige Treptow, Campo Verde 52.25. 2. Isabella Wylie, Paradise Valley 53.78. 500 free: 1 Ayden Chanin, Notre Dame Prep 5:03.30. 2. Kylie Ney, Desert Mountain 5:04. 77. .200 free relay: 1. Cactus Shadows 1:39.08. 2. Canyon del Oro 1:40.07. 100 back: 1. Kennedy Noble, Millennium 54.55. 2. Skylar Dikeman, Catalina Foothills 56.44. 100 breast:  1. Christiana Williams, Catalina Foothills 1:04.59. 2. Sadie Edwards, Paradise Valley 1:04.70. 400 free relay: 1. Cactus Shadows 3:38.45. 2. Campo Verde 3:40.90.

NOTES: Catalina Foothills senior Skylar Dikeman has two 50 free titles won in 2018 and 2017 competing for Sabino. Dikeman's been part of six relay championship teams (2016-2018) also at Sabino. A few champs return in this division for the ladies. Paradise Valley senior Sadie Edwards won the 100 fly and Millennium sophomore Kenndy Noble captured the 100 back.  Edwards won two D-III titles in 2017, winning the 200 IM and 100 fly. She competed at that time for American Leadership Academy-Queen Creek.