The Tigers claimed their 30th consecutive 3A boys state swimming and diving championship Saturday in Cheyenne, finishing with 325 team points, well ahead of Buffalo’s 241 and Lyman’s 194.
It was not the kind of meet built on overwhelming individual dominance. It was built on depth, trust, and a group of boys who, as head coach Shawna Morgan put it, “had a hill to climb, and they did it.”
“They climbed a mountain, for sure,” Morgan said. “And then they stood up to the challenge like champions.”
Brooks Even emerges from the water during the breastroke leg of the IM relay at state Saturday. h/t Carl Cote Lander paused for the National Anthem on the pool deck at state. h/t Carl Cote Greg Anderson gives a hype-up talk to his swimmers before the first event Saturday in Cheyenne. h/t Carl Cote Lander cheers on Trevor Hill during his bid in the 200-IM Saturday at state. h/t Carl Cote Brooks Even gets off the block in the 50-free Saturday in Cheyenne. h/t Carl Cote
Lander had fewer individual event winners than in recent championship years. Senior Carter Plaisted delivered one of them, winning the 100 backstroke in 54.61. Freshman Gavin Jorgensen delivered another, taking the 200 freestyle in 1:49.37, becoming the first Lander freshman to win an individual state event since Jonny Kulow in 2019.
But this title was about more than two first-place finishes.
Brody Blunck, Brooks Even, and Carter Plaisted follow Carson Blackburn through the tunnel for the first event of the meet. h/t Carl Cote Swimmers huddle at the end of the pool to cheer on their team. h/t Carl Cote Toby Plaisted got hugs after his third place finish in the 200-free. h/t Carl Cote Gavin Jorgensen and Toby Plaisted finished 1st and 3rd for Lander in the 200-free Saturday. Jorgensen’s win is the first individual state event win for a freshman since Jonny Kulow in 2019. h/t Carl Cote Grady Phillips gets off the block quickly in the 100-fly. h/t Carl Cote
“I think what was different about this team is that we really had to rely on each other more than we’ve ever had to,” Morgan said. “In years past, we’ve always had these extremely dominant people, and we didn’t have that this year. So we had to come together and push each other and create our own victories.”
Lander’s relays were again central to the championship formula. The Tigers placed second in the 200 medley relay in 1:39.47, third in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:31.34, and third in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:20.28, stacking points in every session.
The path to No. 30 was not smooth. The team battled illness throughout the winter.
Carson Blackburn swims in the 100-fly finals Saturday at state. h/t Carl Cote Senior Micah Morgan cheers and shows the lap sign to Toby Plaisted during the 500-free.h/t Carl Cote Cherry and Cody Paisted, center, cheer for Lander during the 500-free finals. h/t Carl Cote Seniors Brody Blunck, Carter Plaisted, Micah Morgan, Trevor Hill, Jacob Rudd, and Jacob Gatlin are recognized during the final meet of their high school swimming careers in Cheyenne. h/t Carl Cote
“These guys were sick constantly,” Morgan said. “It’s been a bad year for flu and other viruses. We were missing kids. But they fought through it, and the last month, everybody was getting better. They looked like they had an edge on.”
There was also the weight of history. Lander entered the season having won 29 straight state titles. The pressure of 30 was real.
Lander diver Josh Lozier takes a monent to slick his hair back before his first dive at State Saturday. h/t Carl Cote Josh Lozier flips through the air in front of a silent crowd and a group of judges during finals. The sophomore finished 4th for the Tigers, bringing valuable points to the team’s total. h/t Carl Cote
“I think the stress of winning this 30th state championship brought them together even more,” Morgan said. “We talked a lot about fear and how to overcome fear. You can’t control what anyone else is doing. Let’s concentrate on what we can control and what we can do in the water.”
Part of that confidence came from the system. Lander is one of the few programs that does not taper before conference. The Tigers train through that meet and do not wear tech suits or racing caps, even as other teams do.
Brooks Even gets encouragement from his teammates on the pool deck during his swim in the 100-breasttroke. h/t Carl Cote Brooks Even pushes his pace in the first split of the 100-breastroke finals. Even finished second for the Tigers. h/t Carl Cote Toby Plaisted gave encouragement to Micah Morgan before the senior’s final event at state. h/t Carl Cote The Tigers cheer on Dierk Harms in the 100-breaststroke finals. h/t Carl Cote
“We don’t taper before conference, and we don’t wear the tech suits, the caps, any of that stuff at conference,” Morgan said with a smile. “We trust the system.”
That meant conference week was the heaviest part of the season’s training block. By the time state arrived, the Tigers were rested and, for the first time all year, suited up.
Carter Plaisted gets a big hug from his dad, Cody, after winning the 100-backstroke at state for Lander. h/t Carl Cote Shawna Morgan approaches Carter Plaisted for congratulations right after his 100-backstroke win at state. h/t Carl Cote A teary-eyed Shawna Morgan awards Carter Plaisted with the first place medal in the 100-backstroke Saturday at State. “We knew those guys had it in them,” said Morgan. “We just didn’t know when it might show… luckily it was in the finals.” h/t Carl Cote Carter Plaisted smiles as he stands atop of the podium at state for Lander Saturday. h/t Carl Cote
Once tapered and in tech suits, the physical gains were obvious. The mental edge may have been even bigger.
“It’s 50 percent physical, 50 percent mental, minimum,” assistant coach Tim Hester said. “But once it gets to taper, it’s 100 percent mental. Physically, you’re there. Now you’ve got to work up here,” he said, pointing at his head.
Tim, described by Morgan as “the man, the myth, the legend,” has been part of all 30 championships, dating back to the early 1990s when he thought he’d ‘help out for four years’ while his daughter swam for Lander. His engineering background shapes his focus on stroke efficiency and shaving hundredths of a second wherever possible.
Jacob Gatlin and Carter Plaisted lead their team to the podium as they’re presented with Lander’s state title trophy. h/t Carl Cote Lander Swim and Dive holds up threes and zeros to celebrate their 30th consecutive state championship. h/t Carl Cote Shawna Morgan leads the way into the pool during Lander’s celebration. h/t Carl Cote Jacob Gatlin and Micah Morgan carry coach Greg Anderson into the pool for their celebration of their state title. h/t Carl Cote Carter Plaisted joins the fun during Lander’s celebration as Queen’s “We are the Champions” plays over the loudspeakers. h/t Carl Cote Lander splashes in the warmup pool to celebrate their 30th state title in a row. h/t Carl Cote
The Tigers also leaned into sports psychology, talking about mindset and what they call the “lizard brain,” the fight or flight response that shows up behind the blocks.
“You can’t actually be fearless,” Morgan said. “That part of the brain isn’t going away. You have to learn to deal with it. You have to learn to dance with the lizard,” Hester added.
By Saturday afternoon, there was little doubt. Lander built enough of a cushion that the final session became about enjoying the moment.
Brody Blunck aims for the middle of the t-rex floatie from the high-dive in Bruce Gresley Aquatic Center. Each swimmer and diver lines up at the high dive after the Main Street parade when they arrive back home. More style points for creativity here. h/t Carl Cote Keeping tradition, swimmers suggest more flips as Brooks Even prepares to jump from the high-dive in Lander. h/t Carl Cote The Lander Swim and Dive parade makes its way down Main Street Saturday night as the boys made their way home. h/t Carl Cote
“We knew where we stood,” Morgan said. “There was no way anyone could catch us. We just wanted to see them swim better times, swim where they wanted to swim, to be happy and really enjoy themselves. This is the last time this team is going to be together and create memories with each other.”
The team finished the night off with a fire truck-escorted parade down Main Street and partaking in the tradition of each swimmer and diver jumping off the high dive at Bruce Gresley Aquatic Center. The Tigers’ streak is the longest active streak of state championships by a boys team in any sport at a public school in the country.
