Betts, Grove shine at state swim meet

FORT COLLINS — Jessica Betts finished off her high school diving career with a 16th-place finish at the Class 4A state swimming and diving meet at Edora Pool and Ice Center in Fort Collins on Saturday.

The senior Glenwood Springs diver performed well enough to get out of the morning prelim round and into the finals where she finished 16th.

“It was great to see Jessica get into the finals,” said Glenwood head coach Michelle Brune.

Although it was the end of Betts’ time with the Demons, it won’t be the end of her diving days as she will be walking on with the diving program at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley next year.

Sierra Grove, Glenwood Springs’ only swimmer still alive in finals action today, finished seventh in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events. Grove, a junior who attends Coal Ridge High School, had a 25:31-second mark in the 50 and a 54:92-second mark in the 100.

Grove has gone to state all three years in her career, with her best finish coming last year at state when she took sixth in the 50 free. Next year, she’ll have her last shot at medals.

“That’s what she said to me after the meet — ‘It’s next year.’ And I said exactly,” Brune said. “But she did swim really well this year.”