Splash zone: Lone Peak girls swimming wins fourth straight 6A title
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- Lone Peak senior Hailey Tiffany celebrates after winning the 100-yard freestyle during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Lone Peak swimmers pose for photos after winning the state team title at the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Lone Peak swimmers pose for photos after winning the state team title at the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Lone Peak junior Taylor Bennett (left) celebrates senior Emme Brewer’s win in the 500-yard freestyle during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Skyridge senior Danielle Cannon competes in the 100-yard backstroke during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Pleasant Grove junior Sophie Scoville (center) poses for photos after winning the 50-yard freestyle during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Swimmers start the 200-yard medley relay during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Skyridge senior Anya Clark competes in the 200-yard medley relay during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Skyridge sophomore Ava Ellington competes in the 200-yard medley relay during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- The Skyridge team of Danielle Cannon, Anya Clark, Ava Ellington and Ella Comire pose for photos after winning the 200-yard medley relay during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Lone Peak senior Haylee Tiffany competes in the 200-yard freestyle during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Three Lone Peak swimmers dive into the pool at the start of the 200-yard individual medley during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Lone Peak senior Ava Clegg (bottom) and junior Taylor Bennett compete in the 200-yard individual medley during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Lone Peak senior Ava Clegg (bottom) and junior Taylor Bennett compete in the 200-yard individual medley during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Lone Peak senior Ava Clegg (left) congratulates junior Taylor Bennett after the 200-yard individual medley during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Skyridge senior Danielle Cannon competes in the 100-yard butterfly during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Skyridge senior Danielle Cannon (center) poses for a photo after winning the 100-yard butterfly during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Lone Peak senior Hailey Tiffany celebrates after winning the 100-yard freestyle during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Lone Peak senior Emme Brewer competes in the 500-yard freestyle during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Lone Peak swimmers compete in the 200-yard freestyle relay during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- The Lone Peak team of Haylee Tiffany, Taylor Bennett, Kennedy Bennett and Emme Brewer pose for photos after winning the 200-yard freestyle relay during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Swimmers enter the pool for the 100-yard backstroke during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Skyridge senior Danielle Cannon poses for photos after winning the 100-yard backstroke during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Skyridge senior Anya Clark competes in the 100-yard breaststroke during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Skyridge senior Anya Clark poses for photos after winning the 100-yard breaststroke during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- The Lone Peak team of Haylee Tiffany, Taylor Bennett, Grace Wilson and Emme Brewer pose for photos after winning the 400-yard freestyle relay during the 6A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Wasatch sophomore Ana Diedrichs reacts to seeing she won the 100-yard freestyle during the 5A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Wasatch sophomore Ana Diedrichs (center) poses for photos after winning the 100-yard freestyle during the 5A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Wasatch sophomore Ana Diedrichs competes in the 100-yard freestyle during the 5A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Wasatch junior Avery Haynes prepares for a race during the 5A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
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- Wasatch freshman Paige Hicken (left) congratulates sophomore Grace Cannon after Cannon finished third in the 100-yard breaststroke during the 5A girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
Lone Peak senior swimmer Haylee Tiffany said she doesn’t feel like she’s a competitive person.
The rest of Class 6A might find that hard to comprehend after the 6A state girls swimming meet at the Richards Building in Provo that took place on Friday and Saturday.
Tiffany was part of two Knight relay teams that set state high school records (they set a third relay state record earlier in February) while also personally setting 6A records in the 50-yard freestyle preliminaries and in the 200-yard and 100-yard freestyle in the finals.
Not surprisingly, she also won the award for being the Female Swimmer of the Meet.
“I honestly don’t think the meet could’ve gone better,” Tiffany said. “I was pretty happy with all I accomplished. Coming into it, I was worried about records — but when I got here I just wanted to have fun. I did what I wanted.”
She explained that what motivates her isn’t winning races or getting great times; it’s her love of swimming.
“I just always tell myself that I love this sport and no matter what, even if I’m not dropping time, I just love the feel of the water and getting to be in it,” Tiffany said. “I think I’ve always had it because I’ve been swimming like my whole life.”
Knight head coach Celeste Tiffany — Haylee Tiffany’s mother — said that her daughter has found a balance that enables her to succeed in the pool.
“Swimming is something she’s always loved,” Celeste Tiffany said. “She’s not competitive by nature but the biggest turnaround for her was learning to be aggressive and focusing on her skill set. Once she did, it was impressive to see her take off.”
While Haylee Tiffany was referring to her own perspective, it is an attitude that the entire Lone Peak squad appeared to share.
The Knights love to swim and they are extremely good at it (as evidenced by winning four straight titles and their 480 points in 2024, 200 more than the second-place team from Skyridge), but they also love doing it together.
“I think our team really came together in the end,” Knight senior Emme Brewer said. “Everybody cheered for each other and our team just became so strong.”
The Knight team mentality was certainly highlighted by the phenomenal 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle relay performances where the Knights set state record times (1:36.06 in the 200, 3:30.93 in the 400).
“It’s honestly so amazing to swim with these girls,” said Brewer, who participated in both relays. “I trust those girls with all my heart. I trust them with my life. It’s been a wild journey and I love them. I would do anything for them. I just think our bond that we’ve made well will never be broken.”
Tiffany said those are what she enjoyed most.
“I think the best moments are the relays and standing behind the blocks,” Tiffany said. “I love when it gets quiet and then just standing on the block getting ready to swim. That’s my favorite part.”
Lone Peak won two of the three relay finals (Skyridge won the 200-yard medley relay) but also had numerous individual successes.
Celeste Tiffany said watching the swimmers go out and do their best gets emotional.
“We knew we had some special things we could do,” Celeste Tiffany said. “We try to do what is best for them as individuals and for the team. Seeing them do so well was really impressive.”
Sometimes coming in first meant besting another Lone Peak swimmer as the Knights often had multiple athletes in the finals.
Brewer, for example, came in with the second-fastest preliminary time in the 500-yard freestyle behind Lone Peak junior Taylor Bennett. In the race, however, it was Brewer who surged in front.
“I was really excited,” Brewer said. “I’ve struggled with self-confidence over the past couple of years but I just told myself I could do it. I love Taylor to death. She’s one of my best friends and I wanted us to both have a great race. I’m really excited with how it turned out. I’m glad that I won, but I’m also so proud of my team.”
Bennett may not have won the 500-yard freestyle but she did get the victory in the 200-yard individual medley.
“Across the board, the seniors who came in as freshman took the reins and powered all the way through,” Celeste Tiffany said. “I could talk about so many of them because they all did so well.”
Haylee Tiffany said the Knights expected nothing less.
“We all did really awesome,” Haylee Tiffany said. “It sounds kind of weird to say but we all knew we knew we were going to do great. We knew we were going to do awesome so all of us just wanted to have fun for all the seniors.”
In addition to Lone Peak’s victories, Pleasant Grove junior Sophie Scoville won the 50-yard freestyle, while Skyridge senior Danielle Cannon won both the 100-yard butterfly and the 100-yard backstroke. Her Falcon teammate, senior Anya Clark, came in first in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Region 3 continued to demonstrate its dominance in the team competition with Lehi finishing third and American Fork coming in fourth behind Lone Peak and Skyridge.
Wasatch girls finish third in Class 5A swimming
The Wasps faced the challenge of competing against swimming leviathans Olympus and Skyline in the 5A state girls swimming finals at the Richards Building in Provo on Saturday, but Wasatch still did well.
Led by Wasatch sophomore Ana Diedrichs win in the 100-yard freestyle, the Wasps finished third as a team.
Diedrichs managed to just edge out Olympus senior Taylar Hooton to win the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 52.30 seconds.
Wasatch sophomore Reece Andrews came in second in the 50-yard freestyle and third in the 100-yard butterfly.
Wasatch had some good relay performances as well but one of the teams was disqualified.
Timpview finished sixth and Springville finished seventh in the team competition.
Thunderbird junior Kate Reichner ended up third in the 200-yard individual medley to lead the way for Timpview, while Spanish Fork junior Coco Riding was second in the 500-yard freestyle.
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