A crowded pool didn’t keep the Durango High School swim team out of the finals at the Cheyenne Mountain Invitational on Saturday in Colorado Springs.
The Demons competed against 16 other teams across two days and put four individuals and two relay teams into the finals.
“I’m really proud of them. I think they did really well,” DHS head coach Kathryn Ross said of her team. “It was definitely a huge meet – the biggest one I think we’ve ever competed in except for the girls who’ve gone to state before.”
Elli Earl finished 12th in the 100-yard breaststroke finals and also competed in the 200-yard freestyle finals for DHS. Her sister, Joci Earl, swam in the 200-yard individual medley and 500-yard freestyle finals for the Demons.
Durango’s Mira Joyner took 16th in the 100-yard backstroke finals in 1 minute, 6.88 seconds. That time is .08 seconds off of making the state cut.
Bryn Joyner, her older sister, competed in the 100-yard freestyle finals.
Durango’s 200-yard medley team of Elli Earl, Bryn Joyner, Mira Joyner and Hailey Warren swam in the finals, and the Demons’ 400-yard freestyle relay of Catherine Dellinger, Elli Earl, Joci Earl and Lacey Hoselton also competed in the finals.
Elise Tidwell took sixth in diving, and Caroline Tidwell finished seventh from the springboard for DHS.
“I think it’s a great experience (swimming in the finals) just because it’s good experience to compete on the Friday and have to compete again on the Saturday and have to put themselves in that mind-set again to go for their best time,” Ross said. “It gives them a chance to get a feel for pushing themselves at that level of competition twice.”
Durango’s next meet after the holiday break is at Delta on Jan. 3rd.
“I think that’ll be a good meet for us to get back into the game after taking a break for the holidays,” Ross said.
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