Izzy Fay defends title, Niwot takes 9th at girls swim and dive state championships

Led by star diver Izzy Fay, Niwot High School placed ninth at the Class 4A Girls Swimming and Diving State Championships.

Fay, a senior, closed her storied high school career by earning her second straight diving state title. Competing at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton, she racked up an impressive final score of 529.50 on Saturday, Feb. 8.

"Izzy getting first at state is always great," said Niwot Head Coach Ella Thramann. "I know that was a pretty close one with the Windsor girl (Reagan Annable), so I'm glad that she stuck to her gut knowing that she could do it and pulled it off."

Behind Fay, fellow Niwot divers Genevieve Saunders, Thalia Milam, and Sienna Wood took ninth, 10th, and 12th, respectively in the diving competition.

In the swimming finals, held later that same evening at the VMAC, the Cougars enjoyed a few other top-10 finishes. Freshman Kyrie Moorman was arguably Niwot's most impressive individual swimmer, taking eighth in both the 200-yard freestyle (1:57.47) and 500 free (5:20.40).

"She's really unreal," Thramann said of Moorman. "She just goes out there and swims. It looks effortless. It's awesome to see her being able to place in the top 10, especially as a freshman. We're really excited to see what she's going to do with these upcoming years. With all of her work and effort and dedication that she puts into swim, it's definitely paying off for how young she is."

Moorman also competed in two relay races with Ava Altenborg, Devi Burnett, and Milam, who swims as well as dives. The quartet finished eighth in the 200 free relay (1:43.65) and 11th in the 400 free relay (3:45.25).

Altenborg, a senior, placed 17th in the 100 free (56.85). She's set to graduate this year along with fellow state competitors Fay and Burnett.

Cheyenne Mountain High School, located in Colorado Springs, earned the team state title with 350 points. Niwot scored 150 points to place ninth, ahead of local cross-town rivals Silver Creek High School (11th) and Longmont High School (30th).

Looking ahead to next year, the Cougars return a strong core including current juniors Milam, Phoebe Donovan, and Emmy Hostelley, sophomores Saunders, Mira Stroker and Devin Justice, and freshmen Moorman, Wood, and Kyla Cohen.

"I'm expecting great things for next year," Thramann said. "I'm really excited about what's going to happen and where the season is going to lead us."