Prior to Saturday night, there wasn’t a single entry in the UHSAA boys swimming state record book for Skyridge High School which opened its doors in 2016. Not anymore.
Skyridge’s boys swimming team showed off its depth with a fantastic performance at BYU to secure its first swimming state championship in school history in a convincing win ahead of two-time champ American Fork, 283 to 231.
“They’ve come together, they put the team first. I’ve been smiling all day,” said Skyridge coach Matt Cox.
For the girls, Lone Peak absolutely dominated the rest of the 6A field, racking up 434.5 team points on its way to a third-straight state championship. American Fork was a distant second with 234 team points.
Lone Peak won six of eight individual events and two of three relays on a night when 18 swimmers placed in the top eight of their respective events.
Junior Haylee Tiffany (100 freestyle and 200 freestyle) won two events for Lone Peak, as did fellow sophomore Taylor Bennett (200 individual medley and 500 free). The two also helped the Knights set knew 6A state records in the 200 and 400 free relays.
Loen Peak’s Ava Clegg (100 breaststroke) and Grace Wilson (100 butterfly) also swam themselves to a top podium finish.
“Really what’s made this team pretty amazing is their versatility. We’ve been able to have a lot of moving pieces so we could them events that was best suited for them but could work for the team. That’s what’s been the most impressive thing is these girls are willing to do that,” said Lone Peak coach Celeste Tiffany.
That included coach Tiffany opting to enter her daughter Haylee into the 100 free instead of the 500 free. All Haylee Tiffany did was go out and win the 6A state title and post the second-fastest time in the entire state this year.
“I think this is the perfect day. I got to be with my team and I’m really happy about that,” said Haylee Tiffany. “I think we all care so much about each other and our swims and we’re like a family. These are all my best friends and I’ll do anything for them.”
In a family with parents who swam in college and older brothers who’ve gone on to swim in college, Haylee Tiffany admits that she’s struggled with trying to live up with the expectations associated with the Tiffany name in the swimming community in Utah.
She’s become more comfortable in dealing with those expectations and it showed at the state meet as she was named the 6A swimmer of the meet.
“This year has been remarkable for her. Because she’s always had it in her, she’s always been a really good swimmer, but this year there was a shift in her mindset that ‘I know who I am, I know my skillset and now I have to execute me, and it doesn’t matter what my name is.’ It’s really been an incredible shift,” said coach Tiffany.
Even though Lone Peak dominated the podium on Saturday, it wasn’t the only school setting 6A record. West’s 200 medley relay team tied its own state record in the meet’s first race with a time of 1:50.00.
Pleasant Grove sophomore Sophie Scoville also set a new record — breaking her own record from the preliminaries the day before — as she posted a time of 24.01 in the 50 freestyle.
Pleasant Grove’s Sophie Scoville celebrates her 50 freestyle win at the 6A state swimming state championships at BYU in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 18 2023.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
“I’ve been wanting to win since last year ‘cause I took third, so I’ve just had the fuel all year to get me to here,” said Scoville “It feels amazing, I’m super proud of all the work I’ve put in so far.”
Skyridge’s Dani Cannon was the lone other individual winner in the girls meet as she won the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.96.
Skyridge’s boys only had one individual winner as well, but it won two of three relays and placed 10 swimmers on the podium en route to the title.
“The effort that each one of them put in, not just on their own but in supporting and bringing the rest along. Anytime somebody had a race all year round they had three teammates there to encourage them and get back in practice,” said coach Cox.
Skyridge’s one individual winner was Nate Moir in the 100 breaststroke as he finished first ahead of teammate Wade Ogden. The two swimmers turned around shortly after and teamed up with Sam Mortensen and Mason Hemmert as Skyridge wrapped up the meet with a first-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay.
“I’m on top of the world man. I couldn’t be happier, it’s been an incredible meet this whole weekend has been just amazing,” said Moir.
The two marquee swimmer in 6A lived up to their reputation as American Fork’s Jes Day (200 individual medley and 500 free) and Davis’ Sam Carlson (50 and 100 free) both won two events. Carlson also anchored Davis’ winning 200 freestyle relay team.
Carlson finished the season with a perfect record in his individual races.
“It feels pretty good. There have been some hard times where it’s been really close, but it feels really good,” said Carlson, who was named the 6A swimmer of the meet.
Carlson said he was really hoping to post a time under 21 seconds in the 50 free, but finished exactly at 21.00. He joked that the extra .01 seconds he must’ve been saving for the 100 free as he surprised himself with a sub-47 second time of 46.99.
“I’m pretty hyped about all my races,” he said.
The other three individual winners on Saturday were American Fork’s Chandler Eyre (200 free), Corner Canyon’s Karson Spencer (100 fly) and Westlake’s Brandyn Blackwood (100 back).
West High women take the podium after winning a relay race at the 6A state swimming state championships at BYU in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 18 2023.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
6A girls state swim meet
At BYU
Final team scores
- Lone Peak, 434.5
- American Fork, 234
- West, 189
- Skyridge, 185
- Pleasant Grove, 148.5
- Weber, 127
- Davis, 123
- Mountain Ridge, 120
200 medley relay
- West (Caroline Cooper, Angela Roberts, Sadie Peach-Leung, Ofa Fa), 1:50.00
- Lone Peak, 1:50.30
- Skyridge, 1:51.92
- Pleasant Grove, 1:53.32
- American Fork, 1:53.47
- Mountain Ridge, 1:55.58
- Davis, 1:55.61
- Riverton, 1:58.06
200 freestyle
- Haylee Tiffany, Lone Peak, 1:53.74
- Emme Brewer, Lone Peak, 1:57.09
- Chloe Rasband, Layton, 1:59.63
- Sophie Topham, Lone Peak, 2:01.25
- Paige Kelsey, American Fork, 2:02.51
- Isabella Robinson, Lone Peak, 2:03.62
- Lily Afualo, Corner Canyon, 2:03.77
- Ruby Winget, Corner Canyon, 2:04.68
200 individual medley
- Taylor Bennett, Lone Peak, 2:08.16
- Grace Wilson, Lone Peak, 2:13.92
- Ava Clegg, Lone Peak, 2:14.59
- Caroline Cooper, West, 2:14.75
- Gennovah Hansen, Mountain Ridge, 2:15.11
- Eidann Anderson, American Fork, 2:15.53
- Teal Edholm, Farmington, 2:17.39
- Angela Roberts, West, 2:17.45
50 freestyle
- Sophie Scoville, Pleasant Grove, 24.01
- Dani Cannon, Skyridge, 24.26
- Ofa Fa, West, 24.30
- Addie Harding, American Fork, 24.76
- Chalisse Rich, Mountain Ridge, 25.10
- Layla Walker, Weber, 25.24
- Dylan Egbert, Lone Peak, 25.51
- Hayley Bachman, Copper Hills, 25.58
100 butterfly
- Grace Wilson, Lone Peak, 58.56
- Caroline Cooper, West, 59.00
- Lucy Haymond, Riverton, 1:00.26
- Chloe Rasband, Layton, 1:00.32
- Mehlissa Young, Kearns, 1:01.51
- Hallie Ehat, American Fork, 1:01.79
- Layla Walker, Weber, 1:02.97
- Faith Fox, Riverton, 1:03.58
100 freestyle
- Haylee Tiffany, Lone Peak, 52.01
- Ofa Fa, West, 53.64
- Sophie Scoville, Pleasant Grove, 54.03
- Teal Edholm, Farmington, 55.04
- Gennovah Hansen, Mountain Ridge, 55.41
- Kennedy Bennett, Lone Peak, 55.69
- Shelby Clegg, American Fork, 55.87
- Hayley Bachman, Copper Hills, 56.99
500 freestyle
- Taylor Bennett, Lone Peak, 5:12.55
- Emme Brewer, Lone Peak, 5:18.43
- Paige Kelsey, American Fork, 5:24.77
- Sophie Topham, Lone Peak, 5:31.36
- Lily Afualo, Corner Canyon, 5:31.82
- Waimea Barlow, Weber, 5:32.11
- Kara Moir, Skyridge, 5:33.04
- Allie Allen, Davis, 5:42.00
200 freestyle relay
- Lone Peak (Haylee Tiffany, Emme Brewer, Kennedy Bennett, Taylor Bennett), 1:38.51
- Pleasant Grove, 1:44.28
- Mountain Ridge, 1:44.42
- American Fork, 1:44.94
- Skyridge, 1:45.10
- Westlake, 1:46.72
- Davis, 1:47.04
- Farmington, 1:47.34
100 backstroke
- Dani Cannon, Skyridge, 57.96
- Lily Hyde, Pleasant Grove, 59.29
- Kaila Merrill, Davis, 59.45
- Addie Harding, American Fork, 59.61
- Kennedy Bennett, Lone Peak, 1:00.15
- Hallie Ehat, American Fork, 1:01.14
- Ruby Winget, Corner Canyon, 1:01.67
- Lucy Haymond, Riverton, 1:01.86
100 breaststroke
- Ava Clegg, Lone Peak, 1:07.64
- Anya Clark, Skyridge, 1:07.78
- Angela Roberts, West, 1:07.89
- Aideann Anderson, American Fork, 1:08.14
- Chalisse Rich, Mountain Ridge, 1:08.48
- Dylan Egbert, Lone Peak, 1:12.04
- Shelby Clegg, American Fork, 1:12.51
- Alisha Thomas, Lone Peak, 1:13.25
400 freestyle relay
- Lone Peak (Haylee Tiffany, Grace Wilson, Emme Brewer, Taylor Bennett), 3:33.29
- American Fork, 3:43.39
- West, 3:43.64
- Weber, 3:48.21
- Skyridge, 3:48.31
- Kearns, 3:49.30
- Corner Canyon, 3:50.00
- Davis, 3:53.25
American Fork’s Chandler Eyre celebrates his victory in the Men 200 Yard Freestyle at the 6A state swimming state championships at BYU in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 18 2023.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
6A boys state swim meet
At BYU
Final team scores
- Skyridge, 283
- American Fork, 231
- Corner Canyon, 163
- Herriman, 147
- Lone Peak, 135
- Bingham, 125
- Syracuse, 118
- Mountain Ridge, 108
200 medley relay
- Skyridge (Spencer Stowers, Nate Moir, Lincoln Burr, Mason Hemmert), 1:38.05
- Corner Canyon, 1:38.46
- Herriman, 1:38.05
- American Fork, 1:39.84
- Pleasant Grove, 1:40.77
- Riverton, 1:40.86
- Westlake, 1:40.94
- Hunter, 1:41.54
200 freestyle
- Chandler Eyre, American Fork, 1:44.26
- Davis Miller, American Fork, 1:46.12
- Bryan Bunker, Kearns, 1:46.68
- Corbin Lawes, Hunter, 1:47.04
- Lincoln Hymas, Bingham, 1:49.09
- Garrett Barker, Davis, 1:49.95
- Graden Tennant, Bingham, 1:50.82
- Cole Ehat, American Fork, 1:50.91
200 individual medley
- Jes Day, American Fork, 1:54.25
- Karson Spencer, Corner Canyon, 1:58.13
- Brandyn Blackwood, Westlake, 1:59.28
- Wade Ogden, Skyridge, 1:59.94
- Mason Draxler, Farmington, 2:01.90
- Koen Smith, Cyprus, 2:02.68
- Benjamin Eberly, Taylorsville, 2:03.08
- Connor Miller, Herriman, 2:05.14
50 freestyle
- Sam Carlson, Davis, 21.00
- Sam Williams, Roy, 21.52
- Sawyer Portillo, Syracuse, 21.69
- Samuel Weller, Mountain Ridge, 21.87
- Carson Andrews, Herriman, 21.94
- Mason Hemmert, Skyridge, 22.06
- Ben Thorne, Syracuse, 22.33
- Ryan McNeill, Corner Canyon, 22.38
100 butterfly
- Karson Spencer, Corner Canyon, 51.15
- Sawyer Portillo, Syracuse, 52.34
- Koen Smith, Cyprus, 53.67
- Matthew Crook, Herriman, 53.80
- Lincoln Burr, Skyridge, 54.03
- Nathaniel Harris, Pleasant Grove, 54.81
- Andrew Janzen, Riverton, 55.36
- Benjamin Parker, Fremont, 56.13
100 freestyle
- Sam Carlson, Davis, 46.99
- Sam Williams, Roy, 47.58
- Mason Hemmert, Skyridge, 48.12
- Samuel Weller, Mountain Ridge, 48.74
- Neil Bennett, Bingham, 49.23
- Carson Andrews, Herriman, 49.28
- Ben Thorne, Syracuse, 49.69
- Spencer Stowers, Skyridge, 49.81
500 freestyle
- Jes Day, American Fork, 4:43.30
- Nate Moir, Skyridge, 4:49.53
- Chandler Eyre, American Fork, 4:52.61
- Davy Hoyal, Lone Peak, 4:53.14
- Corbin Lawes, Hunter, 4:54.14
- Lincoln Hymas, Bingham, 4:54.31
- Bryan Bunker, Kearns, 4:54.43
- Jack Heney, Lone Peak, 5:03.90
200 freestyle relay
- Davis (Sam Landheim, Dylan Grant, Tyler Bennett, Sam Carlson), 1:29.59
- Herriman, 1:29.73
- Syracuse, 1:29.94
- American Fork, 1:30.26
- Skyridge, 1:31.28
- Mountain Ridge, 1:31.51
- Lone Peak, 1:32.33
- Corner Canyon, 1:32.80
100 backstroke
- Brandyn Blackwood, Westlake, 51.48
- Spencer Stowers, Skyridge, 51.89
- Davis Miller, American Fork, 51.95
- Ryan Milner, Pleasant Grove, 53.20
- Lincoln Burr, Skyridge, 53.84
- Huckleberry Burton, Mountain Ridge, 55.01
- Neil Bennett, Bingham, 55.76
- James Lillian, Corner Canyon, 57.57
100 breaststroke
- Nate Moir, Skyridge, 59.57
- Wade Ogden, Skyridge, 59.70
- Mason Draxler, Farmington, 1:00.24
- Konnor Spencer, Corner Canyon, 1:00.91
- Andrew Janzen, Riverton, 1:01.59
- Connor Miller, Herriman, 1:02.63
- Benjamin Eberly, Taylorsville, 1:03.14
- Adam Morgan, Roy, 1:03.24
400 freestyle relay
- Skyridge (Wade Ogden, Sam Mortensen, Nate Moir, Mason Hemmert), 3:15.98
- Bingham, 3:19.43
- American Fork, 3:21.50
- Lone Peak, 3:22.78
- Syracuse, 3:23.71
- Layton, 3:24.88
- Pleasant Grove, 3:26.37
6A mixed state swim meet
At BYU
50 freestyle
- Jordan Barlow, Corner Canyon, 34.02
- Ave Cooke, Hunter, 44.92
- Bryce Armendariz, Corner Canyon, 1:11.71
100 freestyle
- Jordan Barlow, Corner Canyon, 1:27.85
- Ave Cooke, Hunter, 1:52.25