Centennial – Slowly circling the pool led by a drumbeat Tuesday, the Arapahoe High School boys swimming and diving team had eyes on ending Regis’ epic run of dual-meet victories.
More than two hours after one competitive and spirited race after another, Regis’ undefeated streak hinged on the final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay. Holding a two-point advantage going into the relay, a victory would keep the Raiders’ streak alive while a loss would tie the score and end the meet with a bit of a thud.
As it now has done 85 times in a row and 214 of the past 216 dual meets dating back to 1990, Regis won. The last Raiders loss in a dual came against St. Xavier of Cincinnati in 1999, and the last loss to an in-state school was in 1990 to Cherry Creek.
“That was a rush,” Regis junior Charlie Patch said. “When I stepped up to the blocks (in the final relay), my adrenaline was going so fast. It was do or die time.”
The Raiders did it, but it was not easy.
Arapahoe, led by seniors Vinny Crispino, Eric Anderssen, Chris Wiggin and Nick Anderson, won two of the three relays and six of nine individual events. In the meet opener, the 200 medley relay, the Warriors team of Anderson, Anderssen, Wiggin and Rob Newell set a school and home pool record with a winning time of 1 minute, 38.21 seconds.
Crispino won the 100 and 200 freestyle races; Wiggin took the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke; and Anderssen sprinted to first in the 50 freestyle.
The Raiders, winners of 13 of the past 14 Class 5A state championships, were able to overcome those performances with depth, something no other team in the state or possibly the nation can compete against.
“We were neck-and-neck the whole way – Regis and Arapahoe, Arapahoe and Regis,” Arapahoe coach Mike Richmond said. “I think they got us with the fifth-place finishes.”
For his part, Regis coach Mike Doherty said he could not remember battling in a closer dual meet.
“Never in my history has it come down to the last touch out,” said Doherty, who took the head job in 1981.
In the last race, Regis’ early lead started to dwindle after the first 200 yards. When Regis’ Jay Kim and Arapahoe’s Crispino dove in to finish the final 100, the Raiders held a half-body length lead. The crowd roared, and Kim got to the finish less than a half-second ahead of Crispino.
“The last 50, I was so tired. My legs and arms were burning,” Kim said.
REGIS 97, ARAPAHOE 89
200-yard medley relay – Arapahoe (Newell, Anderson, Wiggin, Anderssen), 1 minutes, 38.21 seconds; Regis (Kim, Pavlakovich, Suchomel, Oleksiak), 1:40.78; 200 freestyle – Crispino, A, 1:46.32; Patch, R, 1:47.60; Logan, A, 1:47.96; Hetterich, R, 1:49.66; Reinhardt, R, 1:54.31; 200 individual medley – Kim, R, 1:55.72; Newell, A, 2:04.05; Yslas, R, 2:08.04; Francis, A, 2:10.36; Pavlakovich, R, 2:13.39; 50 freestyle – Anderssen, A, 22.13; Oleksiak, R, 22.50; Marolda, R, 22.94; Baugh, A, 23.22; Swanson, R, 23.51; Diving – Moore, R, 211.45; Wallace, A, 193.35; Beard, R, 188.55; Riedel, A, 178.30; Hughes, A, 129.45; 100 butterfly – Wiggin, A, 50.98; Kim, R, 51.46; Logan, A, 54.24; Hetterich, R, 55.20; Suchomel, R, 58.84; 100 freestyle – Crispino, A, 48.21; Anderssen, A, 48.62; Oleksiak, R, 49.12; Marolda, R, 50.63; Swanson, R, 52.39; 500 freestyle – Patch, R, 4:53.05; Newell, A, 4:56.22; Reinhardt, R, 5:04.45; Lassen, R, 5:07.13; Trefz, A, 5:36.49; 200 freestyle relay – Arapahoe (Anderssen, Anderson, Logan, Crispinio) 1:30.00; Regis (Candee, Patch, Swanson, Marolda) 1:34.96; 100 backstroke – Wiggin, A, 55.65; Mullins, R, 59.20; Leonard, R, 1:00.40; Suchomel, R, 1:00.81; Smith, A, 1:02.20; 100 breaststroke – Anderson, A, 1:01.88; Pavlakovich, R, 1:02.03; Yslas, R, 1:03.37; Francis, A, 1:03.99; Lassen, R, 1:09.18; 400 freestyle relay – Regis (Oleksiak, Reinhardt, Patch, Kim) 3:15.78; Arapahoe (Newell, Logan, Wiggin, Crispino) 3:16.48.
