FORT COLLINS — Sure, the Highlands Ranch boys swim team lost two of the marquee athletes that spearheaded last year’s state title run.
Yet the defending Class 5A state champions served notice Saturday that they may boast an even deeper and more talented squad this year.
In their first major competition without graduated stars Kyle Milberg and Kyle Noser — two swimmers who combined for three runner-up finishes and a state title in individual events last year — the Falcons simply decimated the field to win the annual Dick Rush Colorado Coaches Invitational.
Highlands Ranch outscored runner-up Regis Jesuit 352.50-293. Cherry Creek finished third with 210 points.
“This is definitely a big win,” Highlands Ranch coach Will Iaia said. “We wanted to come here and say, ‘Yeah, we won last year, but we’re still here.’ We lost some great swimmers, but our other boys have stepped it up. I would say we are maybe a little deeper. We lost Kyle Milberg, Kyle Noser . . . but all those guys that were five-six-seven last year are now two-three-four. I think we do have a little bit more depth this year.”
The Falcons took first in six of the 12 events and swept the three relay races. Seniors Andrew Hartbarger and Ian Woon set the pace for Highlands Ranch, with each swimmer winning an individual event while also contributing to two relay wins apiece. Hartbarger took first in the individual medley, Woon placed first in the 50 freestyle, and Highlands Ranch junior David Fraser captured gold in the butterfly.
Cherry Creek senior Jared Markham was the only multiple-event winner in the individual races, taking first in the 100 freestyle and the 100 backstroke.
“This is probably the most exciting meet I’ve been to,” Woon said. “Taking all three relays, we didn’t expect that at all. We knew we would have some tough competition from Regis and Creek, but I’m really proud of what we did today. We did lose some key guys from last year, but this meet will give us a lot of competition heading into state.”
