Craig Daily Press

Photo by John Vandelinder

Moffat County swim coach Marin Campbell, far right, keeps her eye on the action at Friday’s 4A state championships in Fort Collins. Kelsey Pearson, far left, and Caitlin Conci join in.

Fort Collins — Seeded 28th entering the girls 200-yard medley relay at the 4A swimming state championships in Fort Collins, members of the Moffat County High School girls swim team didn’t have high expectations about finishing in the top 16.

Placing that high in Friday’s prelims would earn the relay team a shot in the finals today.

Swimming in the first heat of the first event on the first day of action at the Edora Pool Ice Center, the Bulldogs came close.

The team swam its fastest time of the season — and possibly the fastest ever by a MCHS girls squad — clocking a time of 2 minutes, 0.87 seconds, capturing first in its heat.

“They swam the fastest they have all year,” coach Marin Campbell said. “We stepped it up. It’s always fun winning a heat.”

Yet, it wasn’t quite fast enough.

After watching and waiting for the remaining heats to finish, Moffat County was tied for 16th place with Greeley West High School, forcing a two-team swim-off at the end of the day’s 4A events.

The watching and waiting had to go on.

Moffat County seniors Caitlin and Kelsey Conci helped the time go by for their teammates, qualifying for today’s finals in three of the four events they competed in.

Kelsey sliced through the pool in the 50 freestyle and the 100 backstroke.

She won both of her heats, set a season-best time and qualified for the championship bracket in each.

She entered the 100-back ranked No. 3, and left No. 2 going into finals.

Kelsey swam a 59.26, bettering her previous season-high reached at last week’s regional tournament by .44 seconds.

“Id rather be the in No. 2 spot,” Kelsey said. “I’m sitting right where I want to be. I’d rather be chasing someone, than have everybody chasing me.”

Everybody will be chasing her today, in the 50-free.

The No. 1-ranked swimmer in her “favorite event” retained her ranking going into finals.

She swam two lengths of the 25-yard pool at EPIC in 24.59 seconds, finishing in first despite “holding back,” she said.

“I wanted to save some (energy) for the finals,” Kelsey said. “I swam at about 90 percent. I know all these girls, and I’ve beat all these girls, and I know what I can do. (At finals Saturday) I’ll bring it.”

Her sister, Caitlin, swam a 2:20.11 in the 200 individual medley, again claiming a heat victory for the Bulldogs, but, like the relay team before her, she finished 18th overall, missing today’s cut by two places and 1.56 seconds.

“I think I lost a little bit on one of my turns,” Caitlin said. “All it takes is a couple of one hundredths of a second here and there, and you’ll be left out.”

She wasn’t left out of the 100-yard butterfly.

Seeded 13th, she placed ninth with a time of 101.76.

She qualified for the consolation championships held for those who place nine through 16, missing the championship bracket by .55 seconds.

“Ahhh, I was so close,” Caitlin said. “That’s twice. At least I get to swim (Saturday). Last year, I finished ninth, too. It’s good to be seeded that high now after starting at 13. I just have to hold on to that spot now.”

With the day’s events coming to a close, waiting for the 200-yard medley relay race was finally over.

In a tight two-team race, and with everybody in EPIC watching, MCHS fell less than a second short, settling as first alternate for today’s finals.

It was the last time swimming as a Bulldog for senior Clare Sorrentino.

“I’m pretty bummed. We missed it by that much,” Sorrentino said, holding two fingers about an inch apart. “I wanted to make it to (Saturday’s) final. But hey, we came in 28th and finished 17th. We gave it our all.”

Other members of the relay team were Katherine Dodd, and the Conci sisters.

Diver Genna Bradley will join the Conci sisters in today’s competition, because diving prelims and championships are held back-to-back in the same day.