THORNTON — Depth was perhaps the biggest asset a team could have at the Class 4A state boys swim and championships.

Neither first-place Cheyenne Mountain nor runner-up Silver Creek produced many top-three finishes, but both head coaches agreed that they received results from a wide range of culprits throughout Saturday’s 12 events at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center.

The Red-Tailed Hawks scored 349 points to surpass Silver Creek, which had 316, for the second consecutive season.

“We saw lifetime bests from a lot of swimmers,” first-year Cheyenne Mountain head coach Dominick Smith said. “For swimmers that are swimming club year round-round, sometimes you don’t get those lifetime best at state — you get really close. To have everyone consistently across the board getting those lifetime bests, it really shows how much work they put in over that 12-week season but also how they were able to challenge themselves in practice, push each other, race each other.”

Ethan Carr was the first Cheyenne Mountain swimmer to reach the top of the podium after he swam a 20.92-second 50-yard freestyle. The senior later returned after he, sophomore Conner Trinidad, junior Cardin Nguyen and senior Neven Kereshi took first in the 200 freestyle relay.

“Ethan has been a great team leader throughout the season,” Smith said. “He had great impacts throughout the season in the pool and out of the pool.”

Smith and Carr were also quick to mention senior Isaac Eilmes, who took third in the 500 free, as someone who came up big. Eilmes, though, remains far from unique in that regard.

“Honestly, it’s hard to put a pinpoint on exactly who stepped up,” Carr said. “I’m proud of how every single one of them did. I want to say I’m surprised about how we did, but I knew that the boys had it in them, so they gave 110%.”

Discovery Canyon scored 308.50 points to take third, Mullen finished fourth with 257.50 and Windsor followed at 245.

Evergreen sophomore Carson Harrington took first in the 1-meter dive held earlier in the day with 580.85 points.

A pair of state meet records also fell courtesy of two juniors. In the 500 freestyle, Discovery Canyon’s Gavin Sheyda set a 4A best of 4:29.84, and in the 100 breastroke, Windsor’s Jake Eccleston broke both his previous 4A mark and the overall Colorado state meet time with a 54.08-second effort.

Eccleston praised his Wizards teammates for keeping him on a positive trajectory throughout the season.

“In the pool, they push me as hard as they can,” Eccleston said. “Outside the pool, they gave me encouragement as much as they can. It was good mentally and physically.”

**

4A boys swimming individual champions

200 medley relay: Discovery Canyon, 1:32.00

200 freestyle: Adam Pannell (Discovery Canyon), 1:40.17

200 individual medley: Jake Eccleston (Windsor), 1:47.28

50 freestyle: Ethan Carr (Cheyenne Mountain), 20.92

Diving: Carson Harrington (Evergreen), 580.85

100 butterfly: Adam Pannell (Discovery Canyon), 48.83

100 freestyle: Joaquin Contrearas-Fallico (Wheat Ridge), 45.93

500 freestyle: Gavin Sheyda (Discovery Canyon), 4:29.84

200 freestyle relay: Cheyenne Mountain

100 backstroke: Joaquin Contrearas-Fallico (Wheat Ridge), 48.99

100 breaststroke: Jake Eccleston (Windsor), 54.08

400 freestyle relay: Discovery Canyon, 3:07.16Evergreen,