Even as the number of competitors goes up, the times keep going down for the members of Moffat County High SchoolMoffat County High School swimming. swimming.Moffat County High School swimming.

Bulldog boys tied for 25th over the past weekend at the Jefferson County Invitational in Lakewood.

The Front Range event was the biggest meet yet for Moffat County as they faced teams with as many as 50 athletes in the water.

Though none of the Bulldogs moved past the preliminary rounds, the majority of their races were the best of the season.

Ranking highest at 25th in the 50-yard freestyle was Jacob Briggs, who clocked in at 24.17 seconds, less than one-fifth of a tick away from a state qualification.

Nathan Cooper followed in the short race, as did John Cutler, Cody Evaristo, Karson Cox and Marcus Delgado.

Briggs, Cooper, Cutler, Cox, Delgado, Steamboat Springs’ Brooks Birkinbine and Jeremy Looper also swam in the 100 free, while Looper also took on the 100 breaststroke and Birkinbine the 200 free.

Briggs, Evaristo, Cooper and Birkinbine also posted Moffat County’s best times of the year in both the 200 free relay and 200 medley relay, less than five seconds from state times in each.

After the larger scale of Jeffco, coach Meghan Francone is ready to get back to some smaller events, namely the D51 Invite hosted this weekend by the combined team of Palisade, Fruita Monument, Grand Junction and Central.

The Griffins will also travel to Craig May for a meet hosted by MCHS May 6, the first competitive home event at the high school level for any of the current team members.

“It’s important for our team to be able to represent at home, have our supporters,” Francone said. “We travel a lot, so it’s important to have a meet in our pool.”

She added that swimmers are still “building a base” as the season moves into its final weeks.

“They’re taking direction well, doing what they need to do,” she said.

Briggs said practices have involved more sprints and perfecting streamline form in the water.

“It’s a lot faster than the normal stroke, and we’ve been working a lot on that with flip turns, and it’s really improved times,” he said.

Devin McIntosh, who did was unable to compete at Jeffco, said he is looking forward to what’s coming.

“Great season, good teammates, I feel like we’re going to finish strong,” he said.

Swimmer(s) — Time Swimmer(s) — Time Swimmer(s) — Time

50-yard freestyle50-yard freestyle50-yard freestyle

Jacob Briggs — 24.17*

Nathan Cooper — 26.65*

John Cutler — 28.58*

Cody Evaristo — 29.86*

Karson Cox — 31.47*

Marcus Delgado — 32.04

100-yard breaststroke100-yard breaststroke100-yard breaststroke

Jeremy Looper — 1:41.44*

100-yard freestyle100-yard freestyle100-yard freestyle

Jacob Briggs — 55.20*

Brooks Birkinbine — 59.23

Nathan Cooper — 1:01.05*

John Cutler — 1:05.41*

Cody Evaristo — 1:08.09

Marcus Delgado — 1:12.13*

Jeremy Looper — 1:16.78*

Karson Cox — 1:17.49*

200-yard freestyle200-yard freestyle200-yard freestyle

Brooks Birkinbine — 2:05.55

200-yard freestyle relay200-yard freestyle relay200-yard freestyle relay

Jacob Briggs/Cody Evaristo/Nathan Cooper/Brooks Birkinbine — 1:47.02*

Karson Cox/Marcus Delgado/John Cutler/Jeremy Looper — 2:10.68*

200-yard medley relay200-yard medley relay200-yard medley relay

Cody Evaristo/Brooks Birkinbine/Jacob Briggs/Nathan Cooper — 2:01.05*

— * indicates a season-best time

Contact Andy Bockelman at 970-875-1793 or Contact Andy Bockelman at 970-875-1793 or abockelman@CraigDailyPress.com or follow him on Twitter @CDP_Sports.Contact Andy Bockelman at 970-875-1793 or abockelman@CraigDailyPress.com or follow him on Twitter @CDP_Sports.