The Fountain Hills High School swim team has sent at least one swimmer to the state championships each year since forming in 2018. Keian Evans became the first Falcon to win a medal at state last year, placing second in the 100 meter butterfly (52.65), and he’s recruited three family members to help him in his senior season.

Junior Avery Evans and freshman Kaiya Evans are swimming for the Falcons for the first time this year. They helped the Falcons win the season opening swim meet against Paradise Honors and Basis Phoenix Thursday, Aug. 31, and the three brothers accounted for four first place finishes in individual events.

Keian won the 100m butterfly (54.85), Avery won the 200m freestyle (2:07.77) and 100m freestyle (56.34), and Kaiya won the 50m freestyle (24.91).

The brothers all committed to helping Keian, even though that meant going to 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. practices all throughout the fall. The brothers were hesitant at first, but they have a tight bond, and Keian eventually convinced them to join.

“[Keian] had to put in a lot of effort to drag me into this, I did not want to do this at all,” Avery said. “I know Kaiya wanted to beat some of his records, but I didn’t want to wake up early and come out here. Luckily, I’m out here. Keian got me out here and its good.”

Keian is the third oldest of seven siblings, and the oldest brother, Ira, is also joining the team as an assistant coach. Ira Evans swam and played water polo for San Deigo Mesa Community College, and he also works as a water safety instructor.

Ira did not attend Fountain Hills schools, but Amaya Evans, the second oldest sibling, spent her final senior semester at Fountain Hills High School. The Evans moved to town in late 2021, and Amaya earned a beach volleyball scholarship to South Mountain Community College after her first-ever season of the sport.

“There’s a long history in our family of collegiate athletics,” Ira said. “My mom had an opportunity to play. All my dad’s side is really big into the athletics in college. It wasn’t forced on us or told we have to participate in college athletics, [but] we kind of all took inspiration from our elders and saw we could do that, too.”

Their father, Deitrich Evans, was drafted into the MLB in 1992. Keian said he’s keeping his options open for next year and wants to focus more on this season instead of what comes next. He said he felt a different kind of energy and is able to get into a better zone ahead of competitions with his brothers around him, and they all want to make this a great year.

“I want to catch a couple more of the school records that I don’t have,” Keian said. “I don’t have any of the freestyle events….I’m also wanting to bring them along for the relay records, just because I feel like we really can crush the times that we got already with the school.”

Senior Brendan Davies is the only returning member from the Falcons’ 200m medley relay team that finished sixth in the state championship last year besides Keian. Fellow seniors Elizabeth Franzone and Julia Owers also bring leadership to a team with seven new swimmers this year, and sophomore Natalie Owers is the only other returning swimmer who went to state last year.

Besides the Evans family, the Falcons added junior Shania Rivera and freshmen James Fessenden, Katherine Kolesnikov, Jack Stumpf and Ellie Vickers. The Falcons have 15 swimmers this year and five are freshmen.

The Falcons had their second meet against Cicero Prep, Notre Dame Prep and Saguaro after press time Thursday, Sept. 7, and they will recuperate before an upcoming gauntlet of a weekend.

The Falcons will face Marcos De Niza and Cortez Thursday, Sept. 21, compete in the 10th annual Knight Spooktacular Friday, Sept. 22, and then race in the Green and Gold Invitational Saturday, Sept. 23.