LAHS SPORTS News:
After a five-week pause in competitions, the Los Alamos High School Hilltoppers Swim and Dive Team started the new year with a strong showing at Santa Fe’s Griffin Invitational Jan. 25, 26 and 27.
The boys team edged out Albuquerque Academy to take first place and the girls came in second behind the Academy girls in the 21-team field.
In one of the biggest highlights of the weekend, Anna Wetteland’s performance in the 500-yard Freestyle beat a 19-year-old Los Alamos High School record and dominated the field, finishing 22 seconds faster than her closest rival.
“This was an outstanding meet,” Assistant Coach Pat Brug said. “We took 40 swimmers and every one of them got a best time. This shows how hard the entire team worked since our last meet … during winter break we had many swimmers come to practice twice a day.”
Brug noted how the team showed up strong during this meet, from individual performances to relays.
Contributing for the girls along with her 500 Freestyle record, Wetteland also took first place in the 200 Freestyle. Sophia Pieck added first place finishes in both the 50 and 100 Freestyle. Leading the boys team, Duncan Henderson took first place in the 100 Backstroke.
In the relays, the girls 400 Freestyle relay team took first place (Pieck, Lena Ronning, Grace Nowell and Wetteland) as did the boys 400 Freestyle relay (Haden Sutton, Nikolai Nelson, Zane Pederson and Henderson).
As important as these first-place finishes are, getting State Qualifying times is equally important for the team.
At this meet swimmers made new state cuts in 15 events:
- William Borovina: 100 Freestyle
- Duncan Henderson: 200 Individual Medley (IM) and 100 Backstroke
- Allie Holland: 100 Butterfly
- Emily McLaughlin: 100 Butterfly
- Nikolai Nelson: 200 and 500 Freestyle
- Zane Pedersen: 50 and 500 Freestyle
- Catherine Price: 200 and 100 Freestyle
- Lena Running: 50 Freestyle
- Takeshi Shiina: 200 Freestyle and 100 Butterfly
- Hayden Sutton: 100 Backstroke
“It takes lots of hard work and dedication to get here,” Coach Brug said. “It’s no accident,” he added, “because this team has an amazing work ethic and has created a fun atmosphere for swimmers and coaches alike.”
Head Coach Chris Wetteland agreed, noting “we had the loudest team on deck, with every swimmer cheered on by a massive chorus of Toppers.”
A highlight for him came during the 100 Freestyle preliminary heats where even though most of his swimmers didn’t have fast enough times to make the finals, Hilltoppers Deb Brug, Elizabeth Rosette, Anna Kersteins, Jade Peterson, Shilo Bartram, Nora Johnson and Emma Reid collectively dropped nearly 25 seconds to overpower many of the swimmers in their respective heats. Brug’s time earned her a spot in finals Saturday.
Team points came from Freshman swimmers as well: Thomas Daligault made finals in both the 100 Butterfly and 100 Breaststroke. Grace Evans dropped nearly 10 seconds in her 100 Breaststroke to make finals, joined by Alma Hurlocker (200 IM) and Grace Nowell (200 Freestyle). Eighth graders who made finals were Sophia Pakin (100 Breaststroke) and Samantha Clayton (50 Freestyle).
“Another highlight for me is how Captain Takeshi Shina collected multiple best times, including an inspiring 50.4 split in the 400 Freestyle relay,” Coach Wetteland said.
Divers Ian Corey, Asher Koh and Leland Parker placed fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, with Siena Rolfe contributing as well.
Next up for the team will be the Tom Casey Memorial at Albuquerque Academy Feb. 2, followed by the District competition in Farmington Feb. 9 and 10.
