This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Like everyone on the current Taylorsville swim team, senior Aferdit Sadrija has never qualified for the state swim meet.
The school failed to qualify anyone for the state meet last season, and so far this year the team has won only two meets. That history doesn't matter to Sadrija, who is seeking a trip to BYU for the state meet in February.
"None of us have ever been so state, so I set that as a personal goal this season," said Sadrija. "This team has shown so much potential and improvement this year, we are all doing well."
With a little over a month left in the regular swimming season, Sadrija is well on her way to qualifying for the state meet. Sadrija is currently on the Utah top 50 list, a weekly ranking of the 50 fastest times in Class 5A.
Even more impressive: Sadrija is on the list in three separate events, the 500 meter freestyle, the 200 meter freestyle and the 100 meter backstroke.
"I had never been in the top 50, and it took a lot of hard work to get there," said Sadrija. "It's really exciting to see that work pay off."
Joining Sadrija on the top 50 list is teammate Benjamin Baldridge. Baldridge is also on the list for three events — the 50 meter freestyle, the 100 meter freestyle and the 100 meter backstroke. In addition to his personal success, Baldridge is hoping to help his younger teammates be the best they can be.
"I really want to see the younger swimmers jump up to their potential," said Baldrige, who is in his third year of swimming for the Warriors. "I try to get everyone in my lane swimming at their best, the next couple of years for Taylorsville could be really good if the younger swimmers hold on."
Despite the success of her top two swimmers, Taylorsville coach Mary Ward knows that her team won't win many meets. Not having the team size that other Class 5A swim teams boast has caused the Warriors to redefine what it means to win.
"We have had the conversation that because of our numbers there is no way we can win state as a team," said Ward. "We are less concerned about state and more concerned about the long-term lessons. Before each meet, we talk about what winning means, sometimes it means beating the clock, sometimes it means just finishing the race, but if the team knows they can do hard things, we have won." —
Prep sports
Big number • 70. Number of points scored by the Hillcrest girls basketball team against Highland. The 70 points are the most scored by a Hillcrest girls team in more than a decade.
Big player • Sidney Freeman, Taylorsville boys basketball. Freeman scored 16 points, including two three point shots against Cyprus, to give the Warriors their first win of the year. Freeman followed that up with 15 points against Judge Memorial.
Big game • Murray at West Jordan boys basketball, 7 p.m. Friday. Murray will put its three-game winning streak on the line when the Spartans travel to face one of the top teams in Class 5A.