Senior Danny Keeling might have been swimming for a different team this year at the Class 5A boys state swimming championships, but he was just as successful as he was in 2003.
Keeling, who swam for Arvada West last year, broke his own 5A state record in the 200-yard individual medley May 8 at Edora Pool and Ice Center in Fort Collins. The senior, who swam for Standley Lake this season after A-West dropped its boys’ swimming program, recorded a time of 1 minute, 51.55 seconds in the final of the 200 IM.
The time shaved off .59 seconds off the state record that he set last year swimming as a Wildcat. Keeling also placed second in the 100 backstroke with a time of 52.25 seconds. The senior helped the Gators place fifth overall in the team standings.
The 5A Jeffco League champions, Bear Creek, had a strong showing at state finishing 12th in the team standings. Junior Ben Barnes advanced to the finals in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events. He placed third in the 50 freestyle with a time of 22.17 seconds and seventh in the 100 freestyle with a time of 48.75 seconds.
The Bears’ 200 freestyle relay squad finished fifth with a time of 1:30.33.
Pomona junior Matt Urich made it to the finals of the 100 butterfly and placed seventh with a time of 52.79 seconds. Sophomore Jerry Molsberry was another Panther to do well in Fort Collins. He placed 15th in the 1-meter diving competition with a scored of 365.15 points.
Just to the south on the same day, the 4A swimmers took to the water in their championship meet at Mountain View High School in Loveland. Ralston Valley outshined its Jeffco rivals posting 105 points to finish ninth in the team standings.
Junior Austin Brown was the big winner for the Mustangs, taking home two individual state crowns. Brown won the 200 and 500 freestyle events. The junior had enough time to almost towel off in the 500 final before the rest of the field hit the wall.
Brown crushed the field in the 500 freestyle, beating second place by more than 12 seconds. The 200 freestyle was a lot closer, but the Ralston Valley swimmer edged out Greeley West’s Eli Bell by less than a second.
Teammate Kevin Kennedy took third for Ralston Valley in the 100 freestyle. The senior’s time was 54.62 seconds. Kennedy also placed eighth in the 100 breaststroke.
Golden’s 200 freestyle relay team made it to the finals of the event and took seventh. The Demons placed 15th in the team standings.