Bonnie Brandon was the talk of Class 5A girls swimming a year ago. As a Cherry Creek freshman, she won four state titles, breaking a record in each event — the 50-yard freestyle, 100 backstroke, 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay.
Now there is major competition on the horizon. Her name is Missy Franklin, a 14-year-old freshman at Regis Jesuit High School who has multiple national records and a reputation to boot.
“That will be the individual that has everybody going, ‘Oh, boy,’ ” Rampart coach Pat Bursch said of Franklin.
Is Franklin good enough to help the Raiders push Cherry Creek off the top of the 5A team standings? She’s already receiving attention from coaches across the state.
“(She’s) going to get all the headlines,” Fairview coach Bob Smartt said. “She’s faster than the state record in seven of the eight individual events.”
Franklin was ahead of the world-record pace in the 200-meter individual medley at the halfway point of the FINA World Cup championships in Stockholm this month. She finished second, but the girl nicknamed “The Missile” showed what she’s made of.
“That’s how dominant she’s going to be,” Smartt said. “She’s going to suck all the oxygen out of the headlines once people see how fast she is.”
While Franklin, Brandon and their respective teams are the talk of 5A girls swimming this year as the season nears, defending Class 4A champion Rock Canyon — led by star juniors Allie Berger, Jessica Holley, Kara Schweitzer and Madison Vanderpoel — remains a state power in the pool as well.
Class 5A top 10
1. Cherry Creek
2. Regis Jesuit
3. Fairview
4. Ralston Valley
5. Boulder
6. Heritage
7. Rampart
8. Smoky Hill
9. Monarch
10. Chatfield
Class 5A swimmers to watch
Name School Yr.
Jaclyn Best Boulder Sr.
Bonnie Brandon Cherry Creek Soph.
Missy Franklin Regis Jesuit Fr.
Jenna Gregoire Rampart Sr.
Jordan Mattern Cherry Creek Jr.
Caroline Piehl Smoky Hill Jr.
Lauren Rigg Fairview Sr.
Lauren Stoeckle Regis Jesuit Soph.
Alexandra Todd Regis Jesuit Jr.
Raleigh Williams Ralston Valley Sr.
Class 4A top 10
1. Rock Canyon
2. Thompson Valley
3. Silver Creek
4. Lewis-Palmer
5. Mountain View
6. Broomfield
7. Cheyenne Mountain
8. Fossil Ridge
9. Niwot
10. Wheat Ridge
Class 4A swimmers to watch
Name School Yr.
Allie Berger Rock Canyon Jr.
Emily Campbell Fossil Ridge Soph.
Ashley Forsyth Cheyenne Mtn. Jr.
Kaitlyn Hack Wheat Ridge Sr.
Jessica Holley Rock Canyon Jr.
Katalena Laufasa-Duncan Broomfield Soph.
Mackenzie Norlin Windsor Sr.
Kara Schweitzer Rock Canyon Jr.
Emily Stucky Montrose Soph.
Madison Vanderpoel Rock Canyon Jr.
