PUEBLO – The explanations vary, but just about everyone associated with area girls’ swimming agrees that the pool at Pueblo County has been one of the better sites for some of Colorado Springs’ top swimmers.

Seventeen teams met again Friday and Saturday for the annual Hornet Invite and a chance to turn in some of their best times of the year.

“Some of the girls say the pool is shorter and stuff like that, but it also is pretty deep,” Rampart’s Kyrene Clarke said. “But I think it might be a little bit of a mental thing. It’s all really about how I feel that day.”

Clarke, despite painful back spasms, won both the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 breaststroke to help propel the Rams to a runner-up finish. Clarke also took part in Rampart’s wins in the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay.

Led by senior Stevie Davidson’s win in the 500 free, Cheyenne Mountain won with 252 points to Rampart’s 214.

“The Metro League is just very strong this year, and we knew this meet would give us a chance to see how well we would fit in,” Indians coach Kate Doane said. “We are really strong in freestyle, and our girls turned in great times.”

Rampart senior Jenna Gregoire set a pool record of 52.52 seconds in winning the 100 free. Gregoire also won the 50 free and swam in both of Rampart’s winning relays.

Rampart coach Pat Burch was pleased with his team’s performance but cited another reason for the top times at Pueblo County.

“We come down here because it’s a great meet and because it’s about 900 feet lower in altitude than our pool,” he said. “I am not sure if us telling the girls that is what makes the difference, though.”

Lewis-Palmer finished third after Kathryn Kimball and Chandler Marshall took first and second in diving.

Brogan Barr finished third in the 200 free and second in the 500 free to lift St. Mary’s to a sixth-place finish.

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