Palo Verde boys swimming coach Brent Gonzalez is in unfamiliar territory as his team prepares to open the 2025 season.
The Panthers have won 10 consecutive state titles and 13 of the last 15, but Gonzalez admits he’s a little nervous this time around. His squad lost several members of last year’s 5A championship team to graduation.
Despite the challenge, he is cautiously optimistic about the season ahead.
“We lost four key seniors,” Gonzalez said. “We can still win, but it’s going to come down to how we jell as a team. We’re going to have to work harder than we’ve had to work in the past several years.”
North Carolina State commit Max Carlsen will lead the charge. The four-time individual state champion is a veteran freestyle specialist and participated in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. He holds the state record in the 500 free at 4 minutes, 18.87 seconds.
Teammates Owen Robertson (backstroke, relays), Joshua Evans (breaststroke, sprints) and Aiden Longworth (backstroke, freestyle) also have a history of success with the team.
Gonzalez expects more swimmers to emerge this year.
“You never know who’s going to step up,” he said. “They always surprise me.”
Coronado appears to be the Panthers’ top threat. Faith Lutheran and Bishop Gorman are also expected to be in the hunt.
Sierra Vista, Basic and Doral Academy seem to be the 4A favorites, while Boulder City and Truckee are likely to battle for the 3A crown. Most teams begin competition in the coming week.
Girls swimming
Coronado girls coach David Stump, like Gonzalez, is also worried about replacing last year’s senior class.
The Cougars have won three straight 5A titles, but a fourth will not come easily.
“I was a little worried because we graduated a bunch of seniors,” Stump said. “But we’ve got a really solid group of freshmen and a few others coming in. This year’s state meet could be the closest it’s been in years.”
Coronado’s past success complicates Stump’s concerns.
“We’ve got a target on our backs,” he said. “But that comes with the territory. Everyone is gunning for us, and we just have to avoid putting pressure on ourselves.”
The Cougars’ biggest challenge could come from northern teams, as Douglas, Reed and Reno High look strong. But Stump said Faith Lutheran and Palo Verde will also be contenders.
Leading Coronado this season will be Addie Holmes (individual medley, breaststroke), Sophia Pinter (freestyle, backstroke), Ana Schulz (backstroke, freestyle), Grace Carrington (freestyle, breaststroke) and Alice Ciobanu (freestyle).
The Cougars do have some experience with overcoming adversity, which could come in handy this season. They fell behind at last year’s state meet before rallying for the win.
Doral Academy and Tech dominated 4A action last season and are likely to be the teams to beat again. Truckee dominated 3A, but Coral Academy, Boulder City and Virgin Valley cannot be counted out.
Contact Jeff Wollard at [email protected].
