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This is THE year.

Or maybe it should be written, "THIS is the year."

No, even better, "this IS the YEAR."

Any way that it's emphasized, this season has the makings to be the one that everybody refers to as a highlight for the Moffat County boys swim program.

The Bulldogs return everybody from a team that scored more points at the 2004 state meet, 34, than the last 10 teams combined.

The swimmers know all of this.

They are the ones making the lofty expectations.

"We should break all 14 school records," senior Chris Compton said. "We could have a state champion relay team."

As far as school records go; there are eight more to go considering six exist from last year's team.

As far as state champions go; the Bulldog swimmers have never had anybody qualify for the top eight of the championship final.

"This is just a great group of guys," coach Jim Vorhies said. "They have unlimited potential this year."

Returning is a group of five seniors that Vorhies has had his eyes on since they first started swimming in diapers.

His son, Zach, is the team's best breaststroker and also swims freestyle. The other four swimmers have been either his teammate or competitor in summer club swimming before high school.

Rangely's Andy Key, Meeker's Nick Ruckman and Steamboat Springs' Blake Worsley make up a team that would be more fittingly named the Northwest Colorado All-Stars than the Moffat County Bulldogs. Because Moffat is the only school with a boys swim team, anybody from a school in the area without a program can join.

Key and Worsley are primarily freestyle racers. Worsley has swum year around and missed several early-season practices to prepare for the western sectionals in Oregon. His times are already at the state-qualifying level. Key has been playing basketball with Rangely and is expected to start swimming soon.

Ruckman earned the highest finish at state for an individual in Bulldog history last year. He finished 10th in the 100-meter butterfly.

Chris Compton is the final member of MoCo's Fab 5. Compton specializes in the backstroke and could earn his fourth state qualification in that event this year.

Worsley joined the team last year, filling in for Kellan Moore, an original part of the Fab 5, who went out for track. This group has been making headlines since their freshman year. Vorhies beams when he talks about this group, but he's also excited this year about some additional depth.

"We've got hard workers at every level of swimming," he said.

Seniors Joe Hayes and Abram Bologa are new to the sport compared to the other seniors. Bologa swam last year and Hayes is out for the first time. Vorhies was excited about Hayes' progress in the first two weeks.

"He could barely do a 50 when he came in," he said. "Now he's up to a 200 easily."

Junior Robert McClellan and his sophomore brother, David, are longer distance freestyle specialists for the Bulldogs.

Junior Shane Dodge is another prospect Vorhies thinks he'll see something from this season.

"We're going to win more meets this year because of that depth," Vorhies said. "Last year we didn't have the B- and C-level swimmers that can step up at a meet like we do this year."

After one year without any divers, Moffat has that void filled this year. Coach Dave Fix has been working with a small group of rookie divers in the mornings.

The Bulldogs started their season Friday in Durango. Even with last year's state champions hailing from Montrose, it can be a challenge for Western Slope swimmers to find a chance to compete in a fast field. This year Moffat will have the chance to do that two weekends in a row. The Bulldogs swim at Cheyenne Mountain and Jeffco on back-to-back weekends.

A state setting is what the Northwest Colorado All-Stars hope to simulate all year.

"We should qualify some events right off the bat," Vorhies said. "It will still take us five or six weeks to get into shape though."

Compton is ready to give the record board a workout.

"It's a bit of a long shot but we could set the state record in the medley relay," he said. "That would even earn us all-American honors."

All-American honors. Not bad considering first-team, all-state has never been accomplished. Now THAT would be exciting.

Or is it "Now that would be EXCITING?"