Senior Kelly Wetteland exults at the Cleveland Invitational after winning the 100 fly in Los Alamos school record time of 58.06. Courtesy photo
Ninth-grader Lena Ronning qualified for state in the 500 in her first-ever entry in the event for the Toppers. Courtesy photo
Freshman Sophia Pieck won the 100 backstroke and picked up a second state meet time. Courtesy photo
BY STU CORLISS
Swim Coach
Los Alamos HIgh School
The Los Alamos Hilltoppers swimmers and divers continued their recent successes at Rio Rancho Aquatic Center Saturday as they swept both ends of the Cleveland Invitational. The boys team scores were Los Alamos 561, Cleveland 356, Eldorado 275, Volcano Vista 246.5, Rio Rancho 230, Cibola 157.5, Manzano 72, and Atrisco Heritage 52. The girls team scores were Los Alamos 612, Rio Rancho 446, Cleveland 316, Eldorado 266, Cibola 138, Manzano 89, Volcano Vista 84, and Rio Grande 51.
At the 2021 state meet, Eldorado finished 2nd to Los Alamos boys, while the runner-up Eldorado girls beat the 3rd place Toppers. But the Golden Eagles were no match for the Hilltoppers Saturday. The most exciting performance was senior Kelly Wetteland’s 100 butterfly (58.06), which broke the Los Alamos High School record. The old record of 59.27 was set by Sarah Lott in 2014. Arizona-signee Orion Henderson doubled in the 200 free and 100 fly, moving to the top of the NMAA season rankings in those events. His 200 win came at the expense of high school state champ Jamin Harlan of Cibola, who recently signed a letter of intent with West Virginia. Henderson also edged out Harlan head-to-head leading off Los Alamos’ 200 free relay. Kelly Wetteland took the fly and 500, also propelling her to the top of the NMAA leader board. Wetteland will compete for Navy next year. Ninth-grader Lena Ronning surprised with a state meet qualification in the 500 free (5:44.04) in her first-ever Topper entry in the event. Anna Wetteland celebrated her 15th birthday by winning the 200 IM (2:14.52) and 100 free (55.02) for the Toppers. Frosh Sophia Pieck added a state meet qualifying standard in winning the 100 back (1:05.01). Senior sprinter Matias Rougier scored first the 50 free (22.33) and the 100 breaststroke (1:04.99).
Currently, the Hilltoppers lead the state high school rankings in 13 of the 22 swimming events, including all 3 boys relays. Relays score double points in swimming competitions. The boys team success on Saturday came without ninth-grade standout Duncan Henderson who went onto the injured reserve list indefinitely with mononucleosis. Attending the meet was a large contingent of former Topper swimmers from the classes of 2018-2021. Across the board the Toppers notched improvements that will help the teams going into the competitive Lubbock Invitational meet January 7-8, 2022.
Cleveland Invitational
December 18 Rio Rancho, NM SQT = State meet Qualifying Time for LAHS
Girls200 medley relay: Los Alamos 1:56.18 (SQT) (Holesinger, K Wetteland, K Ronning, A Wetteland), Eldorado 1:59.87, Cleveland 2:06.89; also: 5) Los Alamos 2:08.19 (Pieck, L Ronning, Holland, A Tripp)200 free: Emily McLaughlin LAHS 2:10.12, Jamie Harvey ELDO 2:11.04, Liliana Chavez 2:12.27; also: 4) Savannah Kimball LAHS 2:14.24, 6) Ada Tripp LAHS 2:26.14, 14) Ella Javernick LAHS 2:49.65
200 individual medley: Anna Wetteland LAHS 2:14.52 (SQT), Maizy Gallasso MANZ 2:30.05, Gracie Espinosa CLEV 2:32.02; also: 7) Hannah Bishop LAHS 2:49.17, 8) Sadie Evans LAHS 2:52.1750: Ava Schlosser CLEV 26.46, Savannah Kimball LAHS 27.09, Kamaya Ronning LAHS 27.29; also: 7) Sylvia Holesinger LAHS 27.85, 11) Allie Holland LAHS 29.65, 13) Allison Amrani LAHS 30.17, 19) Annabelle Rosette LAHS 31.70, 26) Ella Javernick LAHS 33.31, 33) Sofia Enriquez LAHS 35.36, 37) Azure Honnell LAHS 36.11
1m dive: 5) Olivia Schmidt LAHS 136.60, 6) Marian Stradling LAHS 119.70100 fly: Kelly Wetteland LAHS 58.06 (SQT) (Hilltoppers school record, old 59.27 S Lott 2014), Alyna Martinez CIBL 1:04.78, Lena Ronning LAHS 1:07.73; also: 4) Sophia Pieck LAHS 1:08.30, 5) Hannah Bishop LAHS 1:21.71
100 free: Anna Wetteland LAHS 55.02 (SQT), Aubrey Rice RIOR 59.03, Cora Quintana ELDO 59.08; also: 4) Sylvia Holesinger LAHS 1:00.98, 10) Ada Tripp LAHS 1:04.69, 12) Allie Holland LAHS 1:07.06, 15) Bella Montoya LAHS 1:08.62, 18) Allison Amrani LAHS 1:09.41, 20) Libby Nolen LAHS 1:09.71, 23) Annabelle Rosette LAHS 1:11.01, 26) Kylie Burns LAHS 1:13.69, 28) Sophie Bathrick-Price LAHS 1:15.08, 29) Sofia Enriquez LAHS 1:16.37, 32) Azure Honnell LAHS 1:23.34500: Kelly Wetteland LAHS 5:15.88 (SQT), Makaela Perea ELDO 5:37.57, Lena Ronning LAHS 5:44.04 (SQT)
200 free relay: Los Alamos 1:46.60 (SQT) (A Wetteland 25.22 – SQT, McLaughlin, Holesinger, Kimball), Eldorado 1:48.16, Cleveland 1:51.65; also: 6) Los Alamos 2:03.38 (Amrani, Evans, Holland, Montoya)
100 back: Sophia Pieck LAHS 1:05.01 (SQT), Victoria Valdez RIO 1:07.30, Yamileth Marquez RIOR 1:09.74; also: 4) Kamaya Ronning LAHS 1:11.54, 15) Kiley Burns LAHS 1:30.50100 breast: Makayla Morrow VOLC 1:16.96, Emily McLaughlin LAHS 1:17.57, Alyna Martinez CIBL 1:18.03; also: 6) Sophie Bathrick-Price LAHS 1:24.48, 7) Libby Nolen LAHS 1:28.03, 9) Sadie Evans LAHS 1:29.20
400 free relay: Los Alamos 3:50.69 (SQT) (K Wetteland 54.47 – SQT, K Ronning, Pieck, McLaughlin), Eldorado 3:51.07, RIOR 4:09.38; also: 4) Los Alamos 4:18.81 (Kimball, Amrani, A Tripp, L Ronning)
Girls Team Scores: Los Alamos 612, Rio Rancho 446, Cleveland 316, Eldorado 266, Cibola 138, Manzano 89, Volcano Vista 84, Rio Grande 51
Boys 200 medley relay: Los Alamos 1:43.62 (SQT) (Lo, Rougier, Corliss, Kerstiens), VOLC 1:55.19, Los Alamos 1:56.08 (Gao, Shiina, Nelson, Borovina)200 free: Orion Henderson LAHS 1:43.16 (SQT), Jamin Harlan CIBL 1:44.02, Gage Sheldahl LAHS 1:53.92; also: 10) William Price LAHS 2:13.82, 13) Seth Javernick LAHS 2:22.31
200 individual medley: Andy Corliss LAHS 2:08.86 (SQT), Carson Rice RIOR 2:19.74, Jacob Ahyo RIOR 2:20.44; also: 5) Isaac Gao LAHS 2:27.6850: Matias Rougier LAHS 22.33 (SQT), Ming Lo 23.13, Philip McLaughlin CLEV 23.66; also: 16) Seth Javernick LAHS 27.17, 27) Jin Kim LAHS 28.56, 29) Gavin Shrader LAHS 28.74, 41) William Berninger LAHS 31.06, 47) Jace Kerstiens LAHS 33.92, 51) James Adams LAHS 39.161m dive: Kyle Hatler LAHS 257.35, Brayden Stidham LAHS 220.40
100 fly: Orion Henderson LAHS 51.01 (SQT), Wayne Williams LAHS 59.75, Anthony Sirignano CLEV 1:00.34; also: 5) Nikolai Nelson LAHS 1:01.31, 7) Takeshi Shiina LAHS 1:05.41
100 free: Jamin Harlan CIBL 47.74, Andy Corliss LAHS 50.41 (SQT), Noah Lee CLEV 52.89; also: 12) William Price LAHS 1:00.08, 13) Daniel Borovina LAHS 1:00.57, 20) Jin Kim LAHS 1:05.12, 24) Gavin Shrader LAHS 1:06.44, 26) Liam Stradling LAHS 1:08.59, 30) Jace Kerstiens LAHS 1:13.52, 36) Tyghe Tripp LAHS 1:21.66, 39) James Adams LAHS 1:30.97
500: Dylan Curry ELDO 5:26.63, Caleb Kerstiens LAHS 5:44.79, Takeshi Shiina LAHS 5:55.84
200 free relay: Los Alamos 1:30.53 (SQT) (O Henderson 21.73 (SQT), Corliss, Lo, Williams), Cleveland 1:35.29, Cibola 1:35.99; also: 7) Los Alamos 1:45.89 (Gao, Kim, Borovina, Kerstiens)
100 back: Ming Lo LAHS 56.04 (SQT), Jonathan Martinez VOLC 1:01.14, Nikolai Nelson LAHS 1:04.39; also: 5) Isaac Gao LAHS 1:07.40
100 breast: Matias Rougier LAHS 1:04.99 (SQT), Wayne Williams LAHS 1:06.47, Noah Bonano ELDO 1:11.51; also: 10) William Berninger LAHS 1:20.35, 16) Tyghe Tripp LAHS 1:39.99
400 free relay: Los Alamos 3:23.06 (SQT) (Kerstiens, Henderson, Williams, Rougier), Cleveland 3:37.66, Cibola 3:39.23; also: 6) Los Alamos 4:04.95 (Nelson, Borovina, Shiina, Stradling)Boys
Team Scores: Los Alamos 561, Cleveland 356, Eldorado 275, Volcano Vista 246.5, Rio Rancho 230, Cibola 157.5, Manzano 72, Atrisco Heritage 52