The Toppers’ 400 free style relay performed superbly to solidify the 3rd place team trophy for the Hilltoppers at the 2021 State High School Championships. Pictured are, from left. Sophia Pieck, Sylvia Holesinger, Bailey Yost, Emily McLaughlin (standing). Photo by Ada Tripp
Senior captains, from left, Katherine Elton, Bailey Yost, and Anna Clark (diving) monitor the team standings at the 2021 State High School Championships. Photo by Ada Tripp
BY STU CORLISS
Hilltoppers Swimming Coach
The Los Alamos High School girls swimming and diving team finished strong in the final event to place 3rd in a field of 25 teams at the New Mexico state high school championships at Albuquerque Academy on May 13. It was the Toppers’ best team placing since 2015 when the team also finished 3rd.
The divers – Annie Beus, Anna Clark, and Addison Richie – got the Hilltoppers off to a good start, placing 3 divers among the top 8. The divers are coached by Carl Cady and Glenn Banks.
Senior co-captain Katherine Elton and 8th grader Sophia Pieck each finished among the top 8 in the 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle respectively.
Academy jumped out to an early lead and ran away with the team title with 392 points, followed by Eldorado with 250.
Los Alamos fought it out down to the wire for third with Las Cruces, finally edging the Bulldawgs by 2 points, 166-164.
In the meet’s final race, the 400 freestyle relay team of Emily McLaughlin, Bailey Yost, Sylvia Holesinger and Sophia Pieck posted the Toppers’ quickest time of the season by over eight seconds (3:51.12.)
McLaughlin, a second-generation Topper swimmer, broke a minute for the first time with her leadoff leg. Then in turn senior Bailey Yost, junior Sylvia Holesinger and rookie Sophia Pieck each recorded their personal best relay splits. The relay team’s performance was quick enough to eke out the third-place team position over Las Cruces in the final standings.
2021 NMAA State Swimming/Diving Championships
May 13, 2021 Albuquerque Academy Albuquerque, NM (top 3 plus Los Alamos finishers)
Girls 200 medley relay: Academy 1:50.24, Eldorado 1:50.52, Carlsbad 1:54.77; also: 8) Los Alamos 1:58.02 (Sylvia Holesinger, Katherine Elton, Kamaya Ronning, Vannah Kimball)
200 free: Reese Hinnerichs HOPE 1:54.05, Allison Bernier ACAD 1:56.79, Shyann Kissinger CLOV 1:58.00
200 individual medley: Emma Gehlert ELDO 2:05.54, Aili Talcott FARM 2:13.13, MacKenzie Jarrell ACAD 2:13.63; also: 9) Katherine Elton LAHS 2:22.12
50: Sarah Gormley LCHS 24.49, Sophia Gossum SFPR 24.96, Emma Greenwood ARTE 24.97; also: 7) Sophia Pieck LAHS 25.83, 14) Sylvia Holesinger LAHS 26.47, 15) Vannah Kimball LAHS 26.93, 16) Bailey Yost LAHS 27.02
1m dive: Nadine Coulie ALBQ 476.95, Sophia Norenberg ACAD 373.45, Courtney Trotter CLEV 352.80; also: 5) Annie Beus LAHS 322.60, 6) Anna Clark LAHS 313.60, 8) Addison Richey LAHS 288.60
100 fly: Grace Pino SAND 59.17, Sophia Corder ARTE 59.99, Sowang Kundeling ACAD 1:00.00
100 free: Sarah Gormley LCHS 52.65, Emma Greenwood ARTE 54.19, Makaela Perea ELDO 54.52; also: 15) Bailey Yost LAHS 58.61
500: Allison Bernier ACAD 5:08.39, Shyann Kissinger CLOV 5:08.70, Annabella Marthaler LACV 5:17.79; also: 9) Sophia Pieck LAHS 5:34.02
200 free relay: Academy 1:41.35, HOPE 1:41.85, Clovis 1:44.52; also: 4) Los Alamos 1:45.41 (Katherine Elton, Bailey Yost, Vannah Kimball, Sophia Pieck)
100 back: Mikaela Perea ELDO 58.01, Reese Hinnerichs HOPE 58.33, Isabella Corder CARL 58.69; also: 15) Sylvia Holesinger LAHS 1:04.31
100 breast: Emma Gehlert ELDO 1:05.31, Grace Pino SAND 1:06.09, Aili Talcott FARM 1:07.26; also: 8T) Katherine Elton LAHS 1:12.00
400 free relay: El Dorado 3:38.72, Academy 3:42.65, Las Cruces 3:43.95; also: 6) Los Alamos 3:51.12 (Emily McLaughlin 59.57, Bailey Yost 57.64, Sylvia Holesinger 57.53, Sophia Pieck 56.38)
Girls Team Scores: Albuquerque Academy 392, Eldorado 250, Los Alamos 166, Las Cruces 164, Clovis 156, Albuquerque 137, La Cueva 129, Carlsbad 119, Hope Christian 116, Cibola 108, Farmington 87, Artesia 85, Santa Fe and Sandia 58, Cleveland 51, Santa Fe Prep 44, St Pius X 39, Sandia Prep 26, Rio Rancho 20, Taos 16, Volcano Vista 15, St Michael’s 13, Rio Grande 8, Hobbs 6, Atrisco Heritage 5