The Las Vegas Sandpipers, one of the largest swim programs in the state, ran away with the team title at the state championships that concluded Monday at the Carson Aquatic Center.
The Sandpipers finished with 8,325.5, well ahead of Boulder City-Henderson's 6,162.5. The Reno Aquatic Club was third with 1,159 and the Douglas Dolfins were next with 1,107. Lakeridge was fifth with 1,107, Northern Nevada Aquatics was sixth with 612.5 and the host Carson Tigersharks were seventh with 591. The Sparks Piranhas (431.5), Tahoe Swim Club (282) and Team Rebel Aquatics (274) rounded out the top 10.
On Saturday, Tigershark swimmer Tim Grunert dropped three seconds in the 200 breastroke, finishing in 2:16.36. He also dropped more than two seconds off is 100 free time in the prelims. Dagen Kipling reached the 100 IM finals where he placed eighth and he placed sixth in the 100 breastroke. He also dropped two seconds in the 100 butterfly. Jakob Clark dropped six seconds off his previous best in the 100 breast.
Also on Saturday, Morgan Nelson dropped four seconds in the 100 breastroke, while Kaitlyn Nelson dropped four seconds in the 50 fly and 50 breastroke. Kaly Branco dropped one second off her 100 free time while Danielle Stanka did the same in the 200 butterfly. Charlee Bradley shaved two seconds off her 200 breastroke time, while Kelsey Bradley dropped a second off her 100 IM time and her 100 free time. Tristan Wolsum knocked two seconds off her 50 backstroke time, and Erin Chang (200 breastroke) and Christian Riley (50 back) notched PRs.
The Tigersharks also turned in some good performances on Monday, closing out the event on a high note.
Grunert swam a best time on the 100 backstroke during the prelims, cracking the minute mark for the first time and then dropped one more second in the bonus finals. Another CHS swimmer, Abby Pittman, dropped four seconds off her 500 free time in the semifinals.
Kipling dropped a second in the 200 IM and two seconds in the 50 free in the prelims. In the finals, Dagen dropped another six seconds on the 200IM and one more second in the 50 free.
In the 500 free prelims, Eli Everest dropped eight seconds off her previous best, and then dropped three more seconds off that time in the bonus finals.
Jakob Clark dropped two seconds on the 200 IM, three seconds on the 100 fly and got a best time on the 50 free.
Morgan Nelson dropped a whopping 16 seconds off her previous best in the 200 IM, while Bret Kolb dropped eight seconds in the 200 IM and recorded a PR in the 50 free. Haylee Johnson dropped six seconds off her previous best in the 100 IM, while Spencer Lang dropped three seconds in the 100 back and Kaitlyn Nelson did likewise in the 200 IM. Woslum shaved two seconds in the 50 free and Chang recorded a PR in the 50 free.
