Rampart's Jenna Gregoire and Smoky Hill's Caroline Piehl were the young darlings at the Class 5A state swim meet last season, when they captured individual state crowns.

Gregoire took the title in the 100 freestyle as a sophomore, while

Piehl nabbed the 200 individual medley title as a freshman.

A year later, they both are a little older and a little faster. There is no denying, though, that they also are feeling a little more pressure as defending title holders.

But they both swam the fastest qualifying time in their respective events in preliminaries Friday at Edora Pool Ice Center. The finals are set for 2 p.m. today.

"Before league last week, I was seriously so nervous. I was visualizing my race, and my stomach was turning," said Gregoire, who recorded the fastest qualifying times in the 50 and 100 freestyles and will swim in the finals of the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.

"The competition is so great this year, and I do feel some added pressure, because the expectations are a little higher. But part of it is that I want to defend my state title. It would be absolutely amazing to do that. It would be such an honor."

Piehl also knows what it's like to want to repeat. After winning last year, she had the third-fastest time in the 200 IM this season. She took nearly three seconds off her best time this season to earn the top spot for the finals.

"I was pretty confident, because I have been swimming well this season," said Piehl, who also will be in the finals of the 100 freestyle, after finishing fourth. "But I do feel like I know a little bit more what to expect this year. And I know that I definitely have a target on my back because I won it last year. Especially being a freshman last year, I know people are gunning for me. But it kind of fuels me."

Other returning champions also fared well, including the 50 freestyle co-champions from last year, Shelley Perkins of Chatfield and Tricia Nelson of Fort Collins. They recorded the fastest spots in the event behind Gregoire.

Also, Cherry Creek senior Loren Brandon is out to defend her crown in the 500 freestyle and earned the top qualifying spot by six seconds (4 minutes, 55.91 seconds.) And Fairview junior Lauren Rigg (100 butterfly) and Cherry Creek junior Christine Wixted (100 breaststroke) also came one step closer to defending titles in their respective events.

RESULTS, SPORTS 11