For those not in the competitive swimming world, imagine giving everything you’ve got, pushing as hard as you can, every muscle aching for a break, and all while holding your breath.  That’s what our swim teams do.  These high school boys are at the pool by 5:30 a.m. most days of the week and then return to the pool after school for hours more practice.  They swim more yards in a day than most of us could even run.  Lap after lap they push themselves and each other to work hard and it shows.  Can you imagine how much these boys eat?  They are amazing young men with lungs of steel.

Just a quick catch up.  Here are the results from the 3A West Conference swim meet held in Powell.  200-yard medley relay placed fourth.  In the 200-yard freestsyle, Aiden Runnion took seventh with Collin Smith placing 11th.  In the 200-yard IM, Connor Dietrich placed 11th.  In the 50-yard freestyle, Benjamin Wergin placed 10th.  In Diving, Raydin Scigliano placed second.  For the 100-yard butterfly, Brayden Dearden scored fifth, Seth Krell was sixth, and Grady Killian at ninth.  In the 100-yard freestyle, Benjamin Wergin placed fifth.  The 500-yard freestyle had Collin Smith place eighth.  Kemmerer placed second in the 200-yard freestyle relay.  We were stacked in the 100-yard breastroke with Aiden Runnion placing second, Brayden Dearden placing fifth, Seth Krell at eighth, and Grady Killian in 11th.  The final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay had our Kemmerer team placing sixth, Overall, as a team, they placed fourth at the meet. 

High school boys state swimming starts this afternoon in Laramie.  Most of the boys on the team have been able to qualify. To qualify, one must swim the race in a certain amount of time.  The swimmers can qualify in all events throughout the season; however, at the state swim meet they can only swim in two events plus several relays.  So, once qualified, the coaches have the opportunity to place the boys in the races they will do best in. 

We have five seniors.  Benjamin Wergin will be giving his all in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, and several relays.  Michael Clarke, will help out in the relays.  Grady Killian will represent the Rangers in the 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke, and several relays.  Collin Smith is one of our distance swimmers and will be competing in the 500 freestyle, plus a relay or two.  Easton Rydstrom will be helping the team earn points in the relays.  

There are two juniors.  Brayden Dearden will be giving his all in the 100 fly, 100 breaststroke, and several relays, while Noah Hankin is competing in the 500 free, along with a relay or two. 

There are also two sophomores.  Aiden Runnion will be competing in the 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, and a couple of relays.  Raydin Scigliano is our lone diver, but was able to land second place at Conference.   

Three of the five freshmen made the state team.  Seth Krell will be swimming the 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke, and several relays.  Connor Dietrich will give his all in the 200 individual medley and possibly a relay or two. Darren Smith is also in the 500 free with the possibility of being in the relays. Timothy Peck and Shaun Nelson have performed amazingly this season and we look forward to their success this next season.

Managers Liza Despain and Shawnna Dunford help coach Aimone and Gray keep it all together.  We wish them luck and extra lung capacity!  Who needs to breathe anyway?