PROVO — Seconds after the Taylorsville boys sealed their 12.5 point victory over Skyline by winning the final event of the day, the 400-meter freestyle relay, Taylorsville coaches Brad Sorenson and Matt Vicario stood in disbelief.
"We're in shock," said an overwhelmed Sorenson. "We've worked so long for this. It is hard to believe that it is finally here. We were match-to-match with Skyline all day, but our guys really can through."
"These guys really earned this. They have put in so much work," echoed Vicario.
Sorenson was named Boys' Coach of the Year and insisted that Vicario join him to receive the award.
Taylorsville was led by senior Jason Whitehead, who won both the 200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle, breaking his own state record in the 500 and finishing more than a pool length ahead of the next closest swimmer.
Whitehead was named Swimmer of the Meet but counts the team victory as his sweetest.
"I swam well, but I am so much prouder of my team than myself," Whitehead said.
Eric Jacobs added to the Taylorsville victory by winning the 100 butterfly in 52.89 seconds.
Skyline sophomore John Bekker swam to his second title of the weekend by dropping more than three seconds to move up from his third place rank in the 100-meter freestyle. Bekker pulled himself out of the pool to look at the scoreboard and see his time of 46.98 seconds, both a Junior National and All-American consideration time, and then fell back in the water to joyfully celebrate his victory.
The Brighton boys were led to their third-place finish by Trent Shino, who won the 100 breaststroke, and freshman Andrew Cole who won the 100 backstroke.
The Brighton girls could have left the meet hours before it was over and still have won another state title. They earned their 19th consecutive state title with 511 points to Hunter's 258 points.
Brighton Coach Russell Lauber was named Girls' Coach of the Year. Lauber won his first coaching award in 1975, and although he has lost track of how many times he has won since, Lauber admits that he keeps the first award on his desk to remind him of his humble beginnings.
The Bengals were led by senior Rachel Larsen, who won the 100 butterfly. Larsen has spent four years solidly at the top of swimming, but this was her first individual title. A noted hard-worker, last year Larsen was named Most Motivated Bengal Swimmer by her teammates.
After experiencing frustration with the sport, Larsen took some time off during the summer only to return stronger than ever.
"It was her tenacity that made the difference," Lauber said. "She never missed a beat. She also had a really happy-go-lucky attitude this year, and that helped."
Brighton freshman Erin O'Connor swam to victory in the 100 backstroke, and junior Brynn Evans won the 100 breaststroke after taking second last year.
Brighton sealed its victory by winning the 400 freestyle relay by more than seven seconds with a team of Kristina Davis, Elizabeth Duffin, Kiersten Braithwaite, and Brooke Chamberlain.
Skyline's Taylor Felton was named Female Swimmer of the Meet after breaking a state record in the 500 freestyle by more than three seconds. Felton also won Friday's 200 freestyle.