Skyline coach confident team will rule 5A again

Skyline, with its depth and quality, is the favorite to repeat as 5A swim champions this weekend at BYU.

"I don't want to sound arrogant, but there isn't really a doubt about whether we'll win," Skyline coach Rod Horton said. "The real question is, how much will we win by?"

Should the boys team win, it would be its fourth consecutive title. The girls, meanwhile, will be looking for their third championship in a row.

Because of that success, Horton knows he might not be the most liked coach in 5A. Sill, the numbers more than bear out his claims for this year's team.

On the boys side, the Eagles' Brooks Felton will vie for outstanding individual swimmer honors. Felton will attempt to break records in the 200-yard freestyle and the 500 free.

"He has lofty goals," Horton said. "But I've never seen anyone train harder than he has."

Felton, a senior, has signed to swim with UC-Santa Barbara next year.

George Evans and Kevin Oberg both will look for wins in the 50 and 100 free.

The girls team is led by Adrienne Coburn. Coburn will probably break her own record in the 200 intermedley. Her other individual swim will be the 100 breaststroke, where she will attempt to break one of the state's hardest records, held by Brighton's Molly Lauber at 1:04.78 (1995).

Coburn has committed to swim at Utah.

KC Albiston and Ana Crandall will race in the 500 free and 200 free, respectively.

Horton said one of the keys to his team's success has been assistant Matt Vicario.

"Matt has been working with these kids all year long," Horton said.

After the Eagles, things get trickier. The Kearns boys team, led by Stan Wirtz and Albert Kang, should be in the running, as should Hunter, Cottonwood and Brighton.

On the girls side, Brighton will try to fend off Kearns.

Kearns has freshman Natalie Edge (100 and 200 free) and junior Jennifer Fredsall (50 free and 100 butterfly). Brighton counters with Ana Agy (100 butterfly and 100 backstroke ) and Michelle Lee (50 and 100 free).

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