Moffat County swimmers racing with vigor
Athletes nearing state qualifying times
Andy Bockelman
The Moffat County High School boys swim competed March 28 in a dual meet at El Pomar Natatorium of Colorado Mesa University with the District 51 combined team of Fruita Monument, Grand Junction, Palisade and Central High School athletes.
The D51 Griffins won on overall points, with 682.5 to Moffat County’s 233.5, but Bulldog swimmers had a number of highlights, including Jesse Kurz winning the 50-yard freestyle event, clocking in at 24.17 seconds.
Teammates Jacob Briggs and Daniel Rockwell placed fourth and seventh in the same race, with respective times of 28.58 and 35.09.
The 400 free relay team of Kurz, Briggs and Steamboat Springs swimmers Brenden Carta and Sean Portman were second at four minutes, 7.07 seconds, while the 200 free relay of Kurz, Briggs, Carta and Chris Kling was disqualified due to a false start, negating a time that coach Jeff Wert said would have qualified the foursome for state.
The 200 medley relay team — Kling, Kurz, Portman, Carta — was third with a 2:02 even.
Kling tied for the bronze in the 100 backstroke — 1:11.96 — and was fourth in the 200 free — 2:16.75.
Rockwell placed third in the 100 breaststroke, closely followed by Wes Atkin in fourth, the two boasting times of 1:30.68 and 1:34.97. Briggs also took third in the 100 freestyle at 1:06.19, with Atkin seventh at 1:25.50.
Portman was third in the 200 individual medley, 2:10.69, while Carta was fourth in the 100 butterfly, 1:10.29.
The team will next swim April 11 at the Grand Junction Invitational.
New school record, outdone expectations at state mark bright future for Moffat County track and field
With Saturday bringing with it a new team record, a competition that nearly didn’t happen, and a bet with some slippery stakes, never let it be said that Moffat County High School track and field athletes don’t make their season exciting right up until the very end.
