Growing up, Rachel Buzarde didn’t have many options to choose from when it came to playing sports. The Evanston High School freshman was diagnosed with asthma at a young age, which meant activities that involved running were not an option. 

Buzarde participated in gymnastics for a while, but started growing at a rapid rate. Eventually, the growing pains were too much for her joints and muscles to handle, so she had to give something else a try.

That’s when Buzarde discovered swimming. Ironically, it was a sport that didn’t affect her asthma and was an activity she could do pain free.  

“I was a terrible swimmer (in the beginning),” Buzarde said during an interview on Wednesday. 

But she enjoyed the sport and joined the Red Devil Aquatic Team when she was eight. Buzarde eventually started to improve in the pool, and has continued to do so.

“I’d say I started to improve when I was in sixth grade, because we started doing harder workouts, and we started working on racing.”

Today, Buzarde is the No. 1 swimmer for the Lady Red Devils. She has already earned state-qualifying times in the 100, 200 and 500-yard freestyle, along with the 100-yard backstroke. 

Her goal is to qualify in the 100-yard butterfly by the end of the season.

“It’s really impressive, especially in Evanston,” head swim coach Kate Schmidt said. “We don’t have a lot of freshmen qualify. The 4A state-qualifying times are really fast. They’re geared more towards the bigger schools that have bigger programs.

“But she’s qualified in those four events, and that’s pretty awesome.”

Buzarde, also a talented animator, stands at approximately 5-foot-10. That could be one of the keys to her success in the water.

“The girl can kick,” Schmidt said. “She doesn’t look like she is kicking very hard, but it gets her where she needs to go.”

Buzarde isn’t the only Evanston swimmer to qualify for state this year. 

McKinzey Camphouse made the state-qualifying mark in the 100-yard butterfly on Sept. 1 when Evanston hosted Jackson for the second meet of the year. 

Camphouse qualified for state in multiple events as a freshman and sophomore, and the junior plans to do the same this season. She has her eyes set on the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard individual medley. 

“I have no doubt she’ll qualify for state in at least one or two more events in the next couple of weeks,” Schmidt said. “She has natural ability, and now she takes in everything (the coaches say) and works really hard. She has an awesome attitude this year, which I think is going to help her.”

Camphouse has also started eyeing the school record board for the 100-yard butterfly. MJ Loveland set the record of 1:87 in 1984. Camphouse is seven seconds off that time.

“I want to keep cutting time on my fly, so by the end of this year or the beginning of next year I get the (school) record,” Camphouse said. 

Jade Caves, Marie Davis and Charli Fadden are all close to making the state cut. Schmidt also hopes Rachel Buzarde’s twin sister, Heather, will qualify. Heather Buzarde has been battling a shoulder injury and hasn’t been able to swim for more than a week, but hopes to start practicing again today. 

“She’s getting close,” Schmidt said. “We just need to get her healthy and back in the water. I think she has a really good chance of qualifying, too. She is a good, all-around swimmer. She can do all of the strokes pretty well.”

The Lady Red Devils’ next opportunity to earn the state marks is Saturday in a dual with Lyman. Evanston was originally scheduled to host the meet at Davis Middle School, but due to a broken pump, the meet will now take place at Lyman. 

The timetable for the pool at Davis being in service again is not yet known. 

Evanston is scheduled to host the conference meet Oct. 20 and 21.

“Our fingers are crossed that we can get the pool opened and running by then, so we can host,” Schmidt said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen at this point. We’re hoping to have more answers by the beginning or middle of next week.”

Right now, the Lady Red Devils’ main concern is to continue to improve on times. 

“We saw it on Tuesday at Rock Springs,” Schmidt said. “Girls are cutting time every time they swim, especially in the events that they really like. I’ve seen them cut two, three, even five seconds off time, which is great.”

FROM TUESDAY’S MEET AT ROCK SPRINGS

ROCK SPRINGS – Rachel Buzarde took first in two events while earning two state-qualifying times in the process to help lead the Evanston High School swim team to a second-place finish in a quad meet with Rock Springs, Lyman and Rawlins on Tuesday.

Rock Springs won the meet with 321 points, while Evanston was second with 305, Lyman was third with 288 and Rawlins was fourth with 192.

Buzarde has now qualified for state in four events. Earlier in the season she earned that feat in the 500-yard freestyle, and last week, she qualified in the 100-yard freestyle.

Now, she has two more events to add to the list.

At Rock Springs, Buzarde took first in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:12.15. She followed that performance with another win in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:08.53.

The Lady Red Devils had four more first-place performances on the day.

Evanston’s 400-yard freestyle relay team of Marie Davis, Buzarde, Jade Caves and McKinzey Camphouse took home top honors in 4:12.97.

The Lady Red Devils’ 200-yard freestyle relay team of Ozzy Ross, Charli Faddden, Caves and Camphouse also took first in 1:59.00

Camphouse, already a state qualifier in the 100-yard butterfly, won that event in 1:07.67. Caves was the other individual winner for Evanston after placing first in the 50-yard freestyle in 28.81.

Nikayla Williams was Lyman’s lone individual winner with a first-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 1:03.06.

TEAM SCORES

Rock Springs – 321

Evanston – 305

Lyman – 288

Rawlins – 192

LOCAL RESULTS

200-yard medley relay

Lyman A – Brooklyn Busskohl, Samantha Weston, Nikayla Garner, Harper Hewitt – 2:14.92. 3. Evanston A – Rachael Buzarde, Ozzy Ross, Marie Davis, Charlie Fadden -- 2:17.10. 4. Lyman B – Emma Beck, Brynlee Busskohl, Kaitlyn Anson, Paytan Porter – 2:19.88. 5. Evanston B – Hannah Fackrell, Sydney Lyman, Annellie Beachell, Kori Potter – 2:36.00; Lyman C – Leona Williams, Amoree Nelson, Caitlin Stephens, Sara Crook – 2:53.18.

200-yard freestyle

Rachel Buzarde, Evanston – 2:12.15; 2. Marie Davis, Evanston – 2:16.27; 4. HarperHewitt, Lyman – 2:26.72; 6. Kira Walk, Lyman – 2:31.58; 9. Brooke Phillips, Evanston – 2:47.66,

200-yard IM

Samantha Weston, Lyman – 2:37.17; 4. McKinzey Camphouse, Evanston – 2:38.82; 5. Nikayla Garner, Lyman – 2:52.10; 6. Kaitlyn Anson, Lyman – 2:59.44; 7. Ozzy Ross, Evanston – 3:00.94; 9. Sydney Lyman, Evanston – 3:06.44; 11. Rebeca White, Evanston – 3:12.63.

50-yard freestyle 

Jade Caves, Evanston – 28.81; 2. Brynlee Busskohl, Lyman – 28.86; 4. Charli Fadden, Evanston – 29.71; 6. Brooklyn Busskohl, Lyman – 30.60. 8. Paytan Porter, Lyman – 31.37; 9. Hannah Fackrell, Evanston – 31.61; 10. Zoie Olguin, Lyman – 32.81; 11. Kori Potter, Evanston – 33.15; 13. Caitlin Stephen, Lyman – 34.17; 16. Sara Crook, Lyman – 37.43; 22. Leona Williams, Lyman – 52.24.

100-yard butterfly

McKinzey Camphouse, Evanston – 1:07.67; 4. Brooklyn Busskohld, Lyman – 1:14.26; 6. Kathryn Williams, Evanston – 1:27.35; 7. Annellie Beachell, Evanston – 1:30.48.

100-yard freestyle

Nikayla Garner, Lyman – 1:03.06; 2. Emma Beck, Lyman – 1:04.89; 3. Charli Fadden, Evanston – 1:04.98; 4. Jade Caves, Evanston – 1:05.50; 6. Paytan Porter, Lyman – 1:09.52; 8. Ozzy Ross, Evanston – 1:11.60; 9. Kaitlyn Anson, Lyman – 1:11.72; 12. Amoree Nelson, Lyman – 1:14.19; 13. Zoie Olguin, Lyman – 1:14.67.

500-yard freestyle

Brynlee Busskohl, Lyman – 6:40; 3. Harper Hewitt, Lyman – 6:48.82; 4. Annellie Beachell, Evanston – 7:01.10; 6. Caitlyn Stephens, Lyman – 7:57.52; 8. Sydney Lyman, Evanston – 8:07.85.

200-yard freestyle relay

Evanston A – Ozzy Ross, Charli Fadden, Jade Caves, McKinzey Camphouse – 1:59.00. 3. Lyman A – Nikayla Garner, Paytan Porter, Amoree Nelson, Kaitlyn Anson – 2:03.50; 5. Evanston B – Brooke Phillips, Rebeca White, Kathryn, Kori Porter – 2:15.93.

100-yard backstroke

Rachel Buzarde, Evanston – 1:08.53; 4. Samantha Weston, Lyman – 1:15.50; Emma Beck, Lyman – 1:16.00; 7. Rebeca White, Evanston – 1:22.03; 8. Kira Walk, Lyman – 1:22.91; 9. Hannah Fackrell, Evanston – 1:23.97; 12. Leona Williams, Lyman – 1:58.30.

100-yard breaststroke 

Amoree Nelson, Lyman – 1:36.05; 5. Kori Potter, Evanston – 1:37.50; 6. Brooke Phillips, Evanston – 1:40.53; 7. Sara Crook, Lyman – 1:43.06; 8. Kathryn Williams, Evanston – 1:43.71.

400-yard freestyle

Evanston A – Marie Davis, Rachael Buzarde, Jade Caves, McKinzey Camphouse – 4:12.97; 3. Lyman A – Brynlee Busskohl, Haper Hewitt, Samantha Weston – 4:21.36; 5. Lyman B – Emma Beck, Caitlin Stephens, Zoie Olguin, Kira Walk – 4:49.95; 6. Evanston – Kathryn Williams, Annellie Beachell, Rebeca White, Hannah Fackrell – 5:00.38.