craigdailypress.com

Photo by Ben Bulkeley

MCHS swimmer Adam Richardson breathes out after completing a lap during practice Thursday. Richardson and the rest of the boys swimming team spent Thursday's practice working on fundamentals in preparation for the regional meet today.

It was light work in the pool Thursday afternoon for the Moffat County High School boys swimming team as it prepared for its regional meet in Montrose.

Coming off back-to-back home meets May 1 and 2, the team will travel to Montrose today for the final meet before state.

Coach Patti Worsley said the team took Thursday to get ready

"Basically, we're going to be fine-tuning the little things," she said. "Working on relay exchanges, turns, streamlines and making sure strokes are the perfect stroke count for each race.

"It's the little things that make a big difference in the long run."

Worsley said the team's recent success has her feeling good about the meet.

"I do feel confident," Worsley said. "The boys qualified at the last meet in the 4-by-50 relay, and that really made a difference.

"They also have a really good shot at the 4-by-200."

Today, the preliminary rounds will start at 5 p.m.

The top 12 swimmers in each category will move on to the finals. There also will be consolation heats.

Teams are ranked by overall points, and Worsley said the MCHS team is at a disadvantage because it only has six swimmers.

Swimmer John Kirk will compete in the 200-meter free stroke and 100-meter breast stroke.

Charlie Griffiths, Brandon Corey and Chance Peterson will compete in the 50- and 100-meter free stroke.

Senior Cole Worsley will compete in the 50-meter free stroke and 100-meter fly. Worsley has qualified for state in the 100-meter fly.

Last weekend, Worsley broke a 24-year-old MCHS record in the 200-meter individual medley.

His time of 2:20.96 beat Tim Osborne's record of 2:23.03, which was set in 1985.

Adam Richardson will compete in the 100-meter free stroke and 100-meter breast stroke.

The relay team of Worsley, Kirk, Peterson and Griffiths will compete in the 4-by-200 and 4-by-400-meter free relays.

Worsley said she wanted her swimmers to do their best in their individual heats.

"It will be hard to win the whole meet because our team is so small," she said. "We're just trying to get them to swim the best they can - see if they can rise to the occasion against some tough teams.

"If we come back qualifying for any more finals in any events, I'll be excited,"

The state meet is May 15 and 16 in Loveland.

Ben Bulkeley can be reached at 875-1795 or bbulkeley@craigdailypress.com