For living in a desert, local Catholic school athletes have proved that they fare well in water.
Three campuses finished the state meet Nov. 2-3 with a host of swimming awards including several milestones. Schools also earned state and state runner up titles in golf, cross country and football as late as Nov. 23.
Brophy College Preparatory led the way in swimming when the boys captured its 25 straight state title — 35th overall. (Full roundup from Swimming World). The Broncos are particularly strong in freestyle with five Div. I first place finishes:
- 50 yards – senior Gabriel Espinosa
- 100 yards – Espinosa
- 200 yards – senior Lukas Williams
- 200-yard relay
- 400-yard relay
Junior Bradley Dorsey finished the 50-yard freestyle second behind Espinosa. Williams (500-yard freestyle) and TJ Decker (100-yard breaststroke) also finished second.
Xavier earned the Div. I state title on the girls side and a state championship in the 200-yard medley relay. The Gators earned second place in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Senior Kathleen Mulligan earned second place in 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke. Classmate Madeline Wells swam the same distance using a breaststroke for a second place finish.
Jake Lambros, a senior at Bourgade Catholic High School, finished first in Div. II’s 100-yard freestyle race. The feat was a personal best as was his time in the 200-yard freestyle according to The Arizona Republic.
Lambros also took first place in the 200-yard freestyle and was named Swimmer of the Year.
The Division II meet also sent awards back to Notre Dame Preparatory in Scottsdale. The Saints took the state titles in 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay.
Junior Joseph Starkweather finished first in the 50-yard freestyle and second in the 100-yard butterfly. In the girls’ competition, classmate Samantha Getzen finished first in the 100-yard butterfly and freestyle.
More medals
Athletes excelled in other fall sports too. The Sentinels at Seton Catholic Preparatory High School in Chandler was the only local Catholic high school to play in — and win – a state football title this year.
The No. 3 ranked team beat top-ranked Blue Ridge High 28-7 in the Division IV match up Nov. 23. Blue Ridge left its opponents scoreless in the semifinals.
It was a banner year for girls golf at Xavier. The Gators took home another state title and, earlier in the season, earned Sr. Lynn Winsor, BVM, her 400th career victory as coach — 178th without a loss. The team finished two strokes under par.
Hannah O’Sullivan took home the individual state title and was named The Arizona Republic’s High School Girls Golfer of the Year.
The Gators also hold the cross country Division I state title. The girls, including a freshman, racked up a 20-point lead over Mesa’s Mountain View. Senior Sarah Fakler played a role going all season without a loss and becoming The Arizona Republic’s High School Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.
The Gators are state runners up in volleyball — they lost a close set against No. 1 ranked Horizon — and badminton.
