Multiple Cougar swimmers qualify for state, Izzy Fay sets NHS record at league championships

The Niwot High School girls swimming and diving team added some depth to its state squad during the Granite Peaks League championships.

In what was Niwot's final meet before the state championships, two Cougars achieved Class 4A state-qualifying times at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton, according to head coach Ella Thramann.

Junior Thalia Milam did so first in the 50-yard freestyle preliminaries on Friday, Jan. 31. Needing to swim under 26.50 seconds, she broke through with a time of 26.43 seconds. One day later during the GPL finals, she took 14th with a slightly faster mark of 26.42.

Meanwhile, senior Devi Burnett showed her flare for the dramatic in the 100-yard freestyle. With the Class 4A state target mark at 58.20 seconds, Burnett fell just short in prelims at 58.31 before delivering a qualifying time of 58.11 in the finals.

"I'm overall super proud of her," Thramann said of Burnett, who placed 16th in the 100 free.

Niwot senior and defending Class 4A state 1-meter diving champion Izzy Fay may have produced the most impressive performance at the GPL meet. Fay took first while racking up an NHS-record 543.60 points. For reference, she recorded 538.30 points en route to winning last year's state title.

Fay wasn't the only Niwot diver to shine at the GPL championships, however. Milam, who dives in addition to her swimming events, took second (431.85), Genevieve Saunders was third (421.90), and Sienna Wood placed sixth (374.70). About three months prior, Saunders and Wood helped Niwot gymnastics win the Class 4A state title.

Niwot's relay teams remained a bright spot during the GPL championships. The Cougar quartet of Burnett, Milam, junior Ava Altenborg, and freshman Kyrie Moorman finished fourth in the 200 free relay (1:45.10) and fourth in the 400 free relay (3:48.53). Both times are well below the state-qualifying mark.

"I'm really confident in our relays," Thramann said. "Our relays are so strong right now. That's going to be super exciting for us to see where they place (at state)."

Individually, sophomore Mira Stroker finished 20th in the 100 butterfly, junior Lila Repsher was 18th in the 100 backstroke, junior Phoebe Donovan took 13th in the 100 breaststroke, and Altenborg was 12th in the 100 freestyle and 14th in the 100 back. Sophomore Camilla Wier-Bigelow also took 24th in the 100 breast.

Overall, Niwot placed seventh in the Granite Peaks League team standings.

"All of us are super close," Burnett said. "If it's a serious meet, we're not serious right away. We're like, 'Alright, let's get excited before.' I guess that's what makes us special."

Although some of Niwot's younger swimmers fell short of qualifying for state, Thramann believes their experience at the GPL championships should benefit the Cougars' approach to next season.

"It was huge for them," Thramann said. "I think they got to see the competition that they have to go up against at some point. It encouraged a lot of them that they want to qualify for state. I think that's a lot of their goals for next year."

Those who qualified will return to the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center for the Class 4A state championships from Feb. 7-8. Thramann's message to Niwot's state swimmers is to keep things simple.

"A lot of them I think over-stress it and compare themselves to others," Thramann said. "I want them to swim for themselves, have those PRs (personal records) and be proud of themselves no matter what placement they get."