The water in the Moffat County High School pool will be still for only a short time during Christmas break. After all, the girls swim team doesn’t want to spend too much time on dry land.

Bulldog swimmers placed seventh during the Montrose Invitational, a two-day event that saw athletes continue to have peak performances.

Coaches Meghan Francone and Melany Neton said swimmers keep whittling down times across the board with each meet, and MCHS was strong enough in the preliminary round to move on to the finals in the majority of races.

Among those reaching new bests were Kelsey McDiffett in the 200-yard individual medley at 2:39.99 to place seventh.

Molly Neton and Alexa Neton each hit new lower times in the 200 freestyle at 2:26.40 and 2:32.76, respectively, placing 10^th and 13^th in the finals. Jaycee Holman also brought down her time in the event, 2:51.34, for fourth in the JV standings.

Katelynn Turner trimmed nearly a full second off her best time in the 100 free to go ninth at 1:07.90, while Ellina Jones also hit her best at 1:11.78 for fourth in JV.

Nearly every Moffat County swimmer had a new personal record after leaving Montrose, including Jones, Tayla Siminoe, Sammi Beaver and Carson Flint in the 50 free; Turner, Beaver, Alyssa Chavez and Allison Jacobson in the 100 backstroke; and Flint and Jade Holman in the 100 breaststroke.

The best Bulldog varsity placement came in the 200 free relay at fifth-place, though the group of McDiffett, Turner and the Neton sisters were a hair off their best time from the previous week in Grand Junction — 1:59.77 — hitting 1:59.90 in the Montrose finals.

Still, keeping their time under two minutes is the focus, Molly Neton said, noting they are within three seconds of state qualification.

The same four also took fifth in the 200 medley, their 2:18.84 a few seconds past their time in Junction, 2:13.58.

“We switched up a few things because we thought it would be better in a different order, but I think we’ll go back to how it was before,” Molly said.

MCHS swimmers will break briefly for the holiday, but the vacation won’t last long, as they’ll be hard at work right after the New Year, well before classes resume in preparation for a Jan. 13 meet in Summit.

The extended practice time is just what swimmers need, Molly said.

“It’ll be good to get back, get some meters under our belt and also relax, just worry about getting better and not competing,” she said.