NHS girls swim and dive team has strong showing at BOCO Invitational

Three meets in a busy week kicked off earlier this month at the Mountain Vista Invitational Jan. 7 where the Niwot High School swim and dive team placed 11th in a field of 23 teams. Highlights included Rowan Lavigne's ninth-place finish in the 100 freestyle, seventh in the 100 breaststroke, and 10th in the 200 freestyle relay with teammates Stephanie Mow, Catherine Knight and junior Reese Lavigne.

First-year coach Ella Thramann was pleased with the team's performance, especially since only half of the team's 45 swimmers were available. "After three weeks off," she said, "that first meet was exhausting."

After a two-day break, Niwot High hosted Thompson Valley High School on Jan. 9 at the newly constructed Aquatic Center of St. Vrain Valley located at Silver Creek High School in Longmont.

The Cougars prevailed by a score of 178-104. Junior Charlotte Heuer took first in the 50 freestyle with a state-qualifying time of 26.24 seconds. Diver Elizabeth (Izzy) Fay, who had already qualified for state, won the girls diving with a score of 240.65 points. Multiple first place victories included Juliana Strope in the 100 breaststroke. Niwot captured first through sixth places in the breaststroke and first through fourth places in the 100 backstroke.

Niwot High finished out the week with another strong performance at last weekend's Boulder County Invitational at the Broomfield Community Center with a 693-point performance putting them sixth in a field of 13 squads of all classes.

The Cougars had two second-place finishes behind local Class 5A powerhouse Fairview High School in the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay. Senior standout Jamieson Legh finished in a three-way tie for first (out of 227 competitors) in the individual standings with 66 points on the strength of her first-place finishes in the 100 IM (59.45) and 50 fly (25.56). Rowan Lavigne and Charlotte Heuer tied for 15th in total individual points.

The team will wind up the regular season with a dual meet at Mountain View Jan. 19, the District meet Saturday, Jan. 21 at Mountain View High School, followed by Conference meet. Coach Thramann and her assistants, Nate Waara and Christopher Leigh, are looking forward to a strong finish.