Boys team takes fifth consecutive state title

For the fifth consecutive year, the Boulder City boys swim team are Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Swimming and Diving Division I-A state champions. The girls won their third championship in a row after the competition Saturday in Carson City.

“The boys win was a huge relief, and the guys were superhappy that they pulled it off, with a far smaller and less-experienced cast than is usual for BCHS boys,” head coach Sara Carroll said. “At the end of the season, the guys stepped up and showed some of the talent they had.”

Sam Sauerbrei placed first in the boys 200-yard individual medley, with a time of 1:52.75. He also placed first in the 100-yard breaststroke, swimming 57.98. Sauerbrei was a member of the 400-yard freestyle relay, which placed third with a time of 3:26.03, swimming with Braden Klouse, Nick Lara and Lars Palmer, and the 200-yard medley relay, which placed first, swimming 1:42.30, with Jason Lyon, Cade Braden and Lara.

“We knew going in that it would be tough win just because the lack of depth we had,” Sauerbrei said. “We only had seven swimmers total with only four making individual events.

“We managed to get the win because everyone stepped up and did what was needed to be done. It wasn’t a one-man job.”

Lyon placed first in the boys 200-yard freestyle, with a time of 1:48.32, and fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:04.14. He also was a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay that placed third with a time of 1:36.70. He swam with Klouse, Braden and Clayton Pendleton.

Klouse placed third in the 200-yard freestyle, swimming 1:52.55, and in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 51.42.

In the 100-yard butterfly, Lara placed second with a time of 54.07, and third in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 56.34.

“(The) girls win was expected and as a whole they swam well considering the long ride and the altitude,” Carroll said. “It was great to see them so happy and supportive of each other.”

Alex Hubel set a new Division I-A state record for the girls 200-yard freestyle, placing first with 1:51.87. The girls 400-yard freestyle relay team also set a new division record, placing first with a time of 3:36.56. Montana Lloyd, Mandy Gebhart and Abby Sauerbrei joined Hubel in that relay team.

Hubel also placed first in the 100-yard freestyle, swimming with a time of 51.17, and in the 200-yard freestyle relay with Sarah Estes, Jessica Purdy and Aubrey Klouse with a time of 1:43.10.

Lloyd placed second in the 200-yard individual medley, with a time of 2:08.58, and second in the 100-yard backstroke, swimming 57.55. She also swam in the 200-yard medley relay with Sauerbrei, Genhart and Purdy; they placed first with a time of 1:52.62.

In the 200-yard freestyle, Abby Sauerbrei placed fourth, swimming 2:14.77, and second in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:00.58.

Team captain Gebhart placed first in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:03.70 and fourth in the 100-yard backstroke, swimming 1:12.22.

“I was really excited with how my teammates and I did,” Gebhart said. “For the girls 400 free relay, we called our team the Big MAMA relay because it was Montana Lloyd, Abby Sauerbrei, me and Alex Hubel. We were really excited to swim that race and we were excited that Big MAMA was a winner! We had a good luck charm for that relay, too; Sarah Estes held our towels and cheered us on.”

Estes placed fifth in the 200-yard individual with a time of 2:19.56 and third in the 100-yard backstroke, with a time of 1:01.92.

In the 50-yard freestyle, Purdy placed second with a time of 25.72, and third with 1:01.00 in the 100-yard butterfly.

Klouse finished fourth in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 27.09, and fourth in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 59.26.

“We were all (excited and) yelled and almost ran to get our trophy when they called our team’s name,” Gebhart said.

“I would like to thank assistant coach Kim Tyler and the group of supportive parents that are so awesome year after year for our (high school) swim program,” Carroll said.

Contact Rochelle Richards at BCRsports@gmail.com.