Girls Swimming: Cougars test Silver Creek at the All City Meet

Even though it wasn’t a win, for head coach Sarah Stamp, her team’s razor-thin loss to rival Silver Creek at the All City Meet last weekend was still pretty special.

“When I scored it out on paper, we were down 40 points,” admitted the coach. “To close that gap down to one point is a very impressive feat by the girls.”

Not only did the Cougars win six of the meet’s 12 events, but they did so in upset fashion.

“We weren’t slated to win more than two of the events,” Stamp said. “But we rallied and came together as a team, and had great swims all day.”

An annual event, the All City Meet is limited to teams from the Longmont area schools—Longmont, Niwot, Silver Creek, and Skyline. Niwot last won the event in 2014, and has finished behind Silver Creek every year since. This year, however, with the addition of standout freshmen Payten Irwin and Abbie Shaw, Niwot finally had the depth to challenge Silver Creek’s dominance.

It is hard to understate Irwin’s impact on the team this season. Of the Cougars’ six wins last Saturday, she was a party to three, as an individual in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, and as a member of the 400 freestyle relay team. She also swam on the second-place 200 freestyle relay team. Stamp expected to see some fast times from her freshman this year, but has been caught off guard by just how well she’s swimming. “She’s definitely exceeded my expectations, and I think she’s even exceeded her own,” she said. “She continues to drop times for us.”

Stamp was also impressed by how quickly Irwin has become competitive in unfamiliar events, such as the relays.

“Payten has definitely risen to the occasion,” Stamp continued. “She’s doing quite the phenomenal job.”

Irwin’s freshman teammate Abbie Shaw was also a big factor for the Cougars on Saturday, with an individual win in the 100 backstroke, and a team win in the 400 freestyle relay. She was also on the second-place 200 freestyle relay team, with senior Chase Balman, Irwin, and sophomore Kristi Vu.

As much as her newcomers have boosted the team, Stamp said she’s also excited by times turned in by her veteran swimmers, including junior Amalia Luthens and Balman. Balman, whose junior year was spent rehabbing a stubborn shoulder injury, bested Silver Creek’s Jenny Weygandt for the first-place medal in the 50 freestyle with a time of 26.22 seconds. Stamp said that Balman has finally returned to form, and may be having the best season of her career.

“That’s the moral of the story for Chase,” explained Stamp. “Last year was a really rough year for her, but now she’s our top 50 free swimmer and one of our top 100 free swimmers.”

Rounding out the top finishes for Niwot was Maddie Barkow’s win in the dive event, with 260.25 points.

“It was a great day of swimming, a great day of diving,” said Stamp of her team’s surprise performance. “It was just a great day.”

Earlier in the week, Niwot competed against Estes Park and Mountain View in a three-way meet at the Mountain View Aquatic Center. With wins in 10 of the 12 meet events, Niwot scored 561 teams points to finish in first. Irwin had four first place finishes (200 medley relay, 200 IM, 100 butterfly, and 400 freestyle relay), while Luthens had three (200 medley relay, 200 freestyle, and the 400 freestyle relay).

Next week, the Cougars go head-to-head against Windsor on Jan. 24, and are off until the Northern League Conference Meet, which will be held at Mountain View, Feb. 3-4.

Niwot v. Estes Park, Mountain View (Mountain View Aquatic Center, Jan. 19)

Niwot — 561

Mountain View — 466

Estes Park — 341

200 medley relay —1. Niwot (Luthens, Kenkel, Irwin, Balman), 1:55.45; 2. Estes Park, 1:56.41; 3. Mtn. View, 1:59.17; 4. Niwot (O. Thramann, Knight, Brigham, Myers), 2:01.33; 5. Estes Park, 2:13.39

200 freestyle — 1. Amalia Luthens, 2:12.85; 2. Abigail O’Donnell, Mtn. View, 2:13.81; 3. Christina Otte, 2:17.03; 4. Kaelin Flanery, Estes Park, 2:17.37; 5. Eva Kitlen, 2:27.70

200 IM — 1. Payten Irwin, 2:20.40; 2. Claire Jepson, 2:36.26; 3. Lily Busse, Mtn. View, 2:39.16; 4. Andra McDougall, Estes Park, 2:39.73; 5. Stacey Bui, 2:44.21

50 freestyle — 1. Tasha Reichhardt, Mtn. View, 26.89; 2. Chase Balman, 27.10; 3. Ella Thramann, 27.32; 4. Bella Fisher, Estes Park, 28.09; 5. Jillian Stephenson, 28.27

Diving — 1. Madison Barkow, 247.40; 2. Olivia Reins, Estes Park, 199.25; 3. Taylor Lenhart, Mtn. View, 198.60; 4. Ivy Todd, Estes Park, 185.65; 5. Bailey Ash, Estes Park, 150.80

100 butterfly — 1. Payten Irwin, 1:01.89; 2. Abigail O’Donnell, Mtn. View, 1:08.83; 3. Abby Lemirande, Estes Park, 1:15.83; 4. Taylor Lenhart, Mtn. View, 1:16.77; 5. Eva Kitlen, 1:17.67

100 freestyle — 1. Claire Jepson, 1:01.04; 2. Kristi Vu, 1:01.77; 3. Olivia Thramann, 1:02.42; 4. Becca Smith, Estes Park, 1:03.10; 5. Grace Peterson, Mtn. View, 1:05.55

500 freestyle — 1. Tasha Reichhardt, Mtn. View, 5:44.24; 2. Amalia Luthens, 5:57.08; 3. Sophie Busse, Mtn. View, 6:04.17; 4. Christina Otte, 6:22.32; 5. Kaelin Flanery, Estes Park, 6:26.24

200 free relay — 1. Niwot (E. Thramann, Stephenson, Vu, Balman), 1:55.45; 2. Estes Park, 1:56.41; 3. Mtn. View, 1:59.17 4. Niwot (0. Thramann, Knight, Brigham, Myers), 2:01.33; 5. Estes Park, 2:13.39

100 backstroke — 1. Chase Balman, 1:07.30; 2. Andra McDougall, Estes Park, 1:08.83; 3. Bella Fisher, Estes Park, 1:10.19; 4. Stacey Bui, 1:13.69; 5. Lily Busse, Mtn. View., 1:14.89

100 breaststroke — 1. Camryn Kenkel, 1:16.51; 2. Olivia Reins, Estes Park, 1:16.58; 3. Sophie Busse, Mtn. View, 1:17.09; 4. Sidney Ryan, 1:18.50; 5. Audrey Ryan, 1:23.47

400 free relay — 1. Niwot (O. Thramann, Jepson, Luthens, Irwin), 4:05.23; 2. Mtn. View, 4:17.89; 3. Estes Park, 4:18.88; 4. Estes Park 5:03.60; 5. Mtn. View, 5:07.46

All City Meet, Centennial Pool, Jan. 21

Team Scores —1. Silver Creek 428, 2. Niwot 427, 3. Longmont 305, 4. Skyline 115

200 medley relay — 1. Silver Creek, 1:53.53; 2. Niwot (Jepson, Kenkel, Luo, Vu), 1:58.83; 3. Niwot (Luthens, S. Ryan, Kitlen, E. Thramann), 2:01.64; 4. Silver Creek, 2:02.08; 5. Longmont, 2:05.56

200 freestyle — 1. Payten Irwin, 1:59.70; 2. Meghan Magill, SC, 2:00.47; 3. Megan Bush SC, 2:11.81; 4. Claire Jepson, 2:13.51; 5. Emma Pearson SC, 2:13.59

200 IM — 1. Brandi Vu, Silver Creek, 2:09.86; 2. Lucille Matheson, Longmont, 2:12.88; 3. Hanna Luo, 2:20.23; 4. Sara Findley, Silver Creek, 2:20.36; 5. Karly Pearson, Silver Creek, 2:22.73

50 freestyle — 1. Chase Balman 26.22; 2. Jenny Weygandt, Silver Creek, 26.33; 3. Kristi Vu 26.45; 4. Nicole Schlegel, Silver Creek, 26.50; 5. Madison Black, Silver Creek, 26.72

Diving — 1. Madison Barkow, 460.25; 2. Alexandra Smith, Silver Creek, 345.05; 3. Taryn Eveland, Longmont, 341.65; 4. Rebecca Bruker, Longmont, 295.74

100 butterfly — 1. Payten Irwin, 59.89; 2. Sara Findley, Silver Creek, 1:03.65; 3. Eva Kitlen, 1:08.08; 4. Cailyn Eveland, Longmont, 1:08.14; 5. Melanie Boyle, Longmont, 1:08.97

100 freestyle — 1. Brandi Vu, Silver Creek, 54.52; 2. Abigail Shaw, 56.09; 3. Chase Balman, 57.59; 4. Lauren Bonde, Silver Creek, 57.79; 5. Hanna Luo, 58.64

500 freestyle — 1. Lucille Matheson, Longmont, 5:23.15; 2. Meghan Magill, Silver Creek, 5:35.30; 3. Amalia Luthens, 5:52.49; 4. Emma Pearson, Silver Creek, 6:00.52; 5. Eva Kitlen, 6:11.67

200 free relay — 1. Silver Creek, 1:42.16; 2. Niwot (Shaw, Balman, Irwin, Vu), 1:43.23; 3. Longmont, 1:48.70; 4. Niwot (E. Thramann, O. Thramann, S. Ryan, Stephenson), 1:49.47; 5. Silver Creek, 1:55.89

100 backstroke —1. Abigail Shaw, 1:01.77; 2. Amalia Luthens, 1:04.22; 3. Claire Jepson, 1:04.54; 4. Nicole Schlegel, Silver Creek, 1:04.65; 5. Emelie Hartrampf, Silver Creek, 1:06.02

100 breaststroke — 1. Karly Pearson, Silver Creek, 1:12.55; 2. Camryn Kenkel, 1:14.85; 3. Sydney Wyatt, Longmont, 1:16.48; 4. Sidney Ryan, 1:17.54; 5. Shay Maruna, Skyline, 1:19.83

400 free relay — 1. Niwot (Balman, Luo, Shaw, Irwin), 3:43.36; 2. Silver Creek, 3:43.82; 3. Silver Creek, 4:00.10; 4. Longmont, 4:01.84; 5. Niwot (O. Thramann, S. Ryan, Luthens, Jepson), 4:04.2