Bengals hoping to regain swimming's top spot

Entering the 5A state swimming meet Friday and Saturday at BYU, the Brighton Bengals have a chip on their shoulder after ending a two-decade run of state championships to Skyline last year.

"Brighton will be looking to avenge last year's upset, and the end of their 21-year win streak," said Skyline head coach Rod Horton. "In the boys meet, Hunter has a very strong team and stands a good chance of pushing our boys to the limit."

Both the Skyline boys and girls are ranked first.

"Skyline looks to be the strongest in both the girls and the boys," Brighton head coach Todd Etherington said. "We hope to give them a run for their money in the girls competition. Their depth is just incredible when you look at each event and the way the entries are."

Fittingly, the Brighton girls are ranked second in the state behind the Eagles, followed by Kearns, Hunter and Bingham. The Hunter boys are ranked second with Kearns third, Brighton fourth and Cottonwood fifth.

The Skyline girls boast three or four swimmers among the top 10 times in each event. Some of the best Eagle women are K.C. Albiston, a freshman who Horton said should win the 200 and 500 freestyle races; junior Adrienne Coburn, who should excel in the 200 IM and 100 breast stroke; and Anna Crandall, a freshman sprinter who should be at or near the top in the 50 and 100 freestyle events.

Horton said Coburn could break the state record in the 100 breast stroke and Albiston could do the same in the 500 freestyle.

Albiston claims the top times in the state in the 200 freestyle, 1 minute 59.84 seconds, and the 500 freestyle, 5:12.94, a full six seconds ahead of her closest competitor.

Coburn is tops in the 100 breast stroke with a time of 1:07.43 and second in the 200 IM, only .05 seconds behind Brighton's Ana Agy's 2:10.37.

Agy, a freshman, headlines the Bengals. She owns the top times in the state in the 100 back stroke, 100 butterfly and 200 IM. She is seeded first in the 100 butterfly and 200 IM.

Etherington said Elizabeth Duffin could be a contender in the 200 and 100 freestyle, Michelle Lee would do well in the 50 and 100 freestyle, and Kiersten Braithwaite would make waves in the 500 freestyle and 100 breast stroke. Braithwaite ranks second in both the 500 freestyle and 100 breast stroke. Along with Erin O'Connor, these girls make up Brighton's No. 1 ranked 200 medley and 400 free relay teams that also go into state meet seeded first.