2016 Girls Swimming Capsule Previews
ADELSON SCHOOL
Head coach: Becky Lamph, eighth season
Returning letter winners: Six
Top athletes: Leemor Aizenberg (Jr.), Sophie Jorgensen (Sr.), Morgan Chudd (Fr.)
Outlook: Aizenberg was a Division I-A Southern Region finalist in the 100-yard butterfly, and Jorgensen was a region finalist in the 100 breaststroke.
They lead a group of six returnees for the Lions.
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BOULDER CITY
Head coach: Sara Carroll, 22nd season
Top athletes: Montana Lloyd (Jr.), Abby Sauerbrei (Jr.), Sarah Estes (Jr.), Mandy Gebhart (Jr.), Aimee Garcia (Fr.), Rose Pouch (Fr.)
Outlook: The Eagles’ junior class has a strong pedigree and will be among the team’s leaders.
Lloyd, Sauerbrei, Estes and Gebhart all advanced to the state finals each of the last two years.
“I would 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: Katie Stauch (Sr.), Haley Moore (So.), Melissa Corrales (Jr.), Nia Hopkins (Jr.)
Outlook: The Pioneers were hit hard by graduation but have talent returning.
“The team is rebuilding its base with many seniors having graduated last year, but the returners will create the nucleus of this year’s team,” Hillmer said.
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CORONADO
Head coach: David Stump, sixth season
Returning letter winners: Eighteen
Top athletes: Tayler Luna (Jr.), Sara Gong (Jr.), Tara Wise (Jr.), Cassidy Schnitzler (Sr.), Sae Adachi (So.)
Outlook: The Cougars return 18 letter winners, including a handful of state meet qualifiers in Luna (100-yard freestyle and 200 freestyle), Gong (50 freestyle, breaststroke) Wise (butterfly, diving), Schnitzler (relays) and Adachi (relays).
“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 athlete: Bridget Droegemuller (So.)
Outlook: Droegemuller finished third in the state meet in the 500-yard freestyle last year.
The Dragons should have more depth this year and hope to be more competitive as a team.
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FAITH LUTHERAN
Head coach: Stephen Blank, 13th season
Top athlete: Rori Conners (Sr.)
Outlook: The Crusaders are hoping for a successful season.
“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: Kate Blackburn (Jr.), Tina Wong (Jr.)
Outlook: Blackburn probably will compete in the sprint freestyles, and Wong is expected to compete in the breaststroke and the distance freestyles.
“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: Allie Emery (So.), Izzy Goldsmith (Sr.), Hailey Houck (Sr.), Reese Lamph (Jr.), Taylor McCoy (Sr.), Adri Piccininni (Sr.), Emelia Piccininni (Jr.), Kasdyn Rafie (Sr.), Grace Siebmann (So.), Erica Sullivan.
Outlook: Deep, talented, star-laden. Pick your favorite adjective for the Panthers.
Goldsmith is the defending Division I state champion in the 50-yard freestyle and 100 breaststroke.
And she has plenty of company with the Panthers returning seven more swimmers who placed in at least two events at state.
“The girls team is hoping to repeat as region and state champions,” Gonzalez said.
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SHADOW RIDGE
Head coach: Jonathan Hillmer, fifth season, and Allan Clark, third season
Top athletes: Kelsey Barnson (Jr.), Madison Ritz (So.), Alix Adams-Boyd (Sr.), Paige Ahlbach (So.), Kiley Anderson (Jr.), Charlotte Brereton (So.), Brianna Chavez (Jr.), Sophia Jacobson (So.), Cassidy Ludwig (Jr.), Emily Pinegar (Sr.), Sarah Simmons (So.)
Outlook: Barnson (100-yard breaststroke), Ritz (100 backstroke), Brereton (100 butterfly) and Ludwig (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle) all were Sunset Region finalists last year and are part of a large group of returnees for the Mustangs.
“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: Shayne Berkedal (Sr.), Kara Thompson (Jr.), Paige Jacobson (Sr.), Ashlyn Lessenger (Jr.), Nevina Warsito (Jr.)
Outlook: Lessenger was the state runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle last year and took third in the 100 butterfly.
Jacobson was third in the state in the 100 backstroke and the 200 freestyle, and Warsito took third in the 100 backstroke and fourth in the 100 butterfly last year.
“We’re looking forward to a great season,” Rees said. “Our girls team hopes to do well with the addition of divers.”
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VALLEY
Head coach: Norman LaFave, first season
Top athlete: Nathalie Martinez (Sr.)
Outlook: Martinez, who swims freestyle, backstroke and butterfly, returns to lead a group that hopes 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.
