Girls District 2a Swim Champions are, front row, from left, Cindy Fu, Ashley McLaughlin, Lyla Lo, Grace Nowell, Deborah Brug, Emilie Daligault, Aleena Rim and Samantha Clayton. Back row: Madalyn Baily, Teagan Brown, Zooey Browne, Grace Evans, Catherine Price, Emma Reide, Sonya Pakin, Anna Kerstiens and Malin Eidenbenz. Courtesy photo

BY SANDY HURLOCKER
Hilltopper Swim & Dive Team

The Hilltopper Swim/Dive team completed the regular season at the District Championships in Farmington, February 6-7.

The girls successfully defended their District 2a title, scoring 404 points, outpacing Farmington at second (249 points) and Piedra Vista (148 points). With only eight boys, the Toppers had their best result of the season taking second, earning 228 points, behind first place Farmington (371.5 points), and ahead of third place Santa Fe High (218 points).

“This was our best meet of the season,” Coach Brug said. “The hard work and an amazing staff of coaches, it really paid off.”

As the case has been all year, the girls had strong relay performances, with first place finishes in all three of their relays:

 200 Medley Relay: Deb Brug, Grace Evans, Sonya Pakin, Samantha Clayton.
 200 Freestyle Relay: Emma Reide, Anna Kerstiens, Catherine Price, Grace Nowell and
 400 Freestyle Relay: Catherine Price, Samantha Clayton, Deb Brug, Emma Reide

The girls team also took home six of the eight possible individual District swim titles:

 Samantha Clayton: 50 Freestyle and 100 Freestyle
 Grace Evans: 100 Breaststroke
 Grace Nowell: 200 Freestyle and 500 Freestyle*
 Sonya Pakin: 100 Backstroke

Grace Nowell set a new district record in the 500 Freestyle with a 5:22.28. Grace currently has the fastest girls 500 free in NM girl’s high school swimming.

Along with these championship efforts came many swims that contributed to the girl’s win.

 200 Freestyle: Madalyn Baily (4), Grace Evans (5), Ashley McLaughlin (8), Malin Eidenbenz (9)
 200 IM: Sonya Pakin (2), Alma Hurlocker (3), Catherine Price (6), Emilie Daligault (8)
 50 Freestyle: Anna Kerstiens (3), Lyla Lo (6), Emma Reide (7), Deb Brug (10)
 100 Butterfly: Catherine Price (4), Zooey Browne (5)
 100 Freestyle: Emma Reide (2), Lyla Lo (4), Aleena Rim (15)
 500 Freestyle: Madalyn Baily (2), Malin Eidenbenz (4)
 100 Backstroke: Deb Brug (4), Ashley McLaughlin (6)
 100 Breaststroke: Anna Kerstiens (2), Alma Hurlocker (3), Emilie Daligault (6), Cindy Fu (12)
 Girls Diving: Teagan Brown (8)

The boys strong overall placing was due to strong relay performances, with first place finishes in two of their relays and sixth place in the 400 Freestyle relay.

 200 Medley Relay: Ammon Lee, Thomas Daligault, Sam Nowell, Austin Theye (1)
 200 Freestyle Relay: Sam Nowell, Thomas Daligault, Austin Theye, Ammon Lee (1)
 400 Free Relay: Peter Maginot, Liam Corey, Joshua McLaughlin, William Champenois (6)

For the boys, a strong set of excellent performances kept them in the running:

 200 Freestyle: Peter Maginot (3), Santiago Tucker (8)
 50 Freestyle: Sam Nowell (4), Ammon Lee (6)
 100 Butterfly: Thomas Daligault (2), Sam Nowell (3), Liam Corey (9)
 100 Freestyle: Ammon Lee (4), Peter Maginot (7), Austin Theye (10)
 100 Backstroke: Santiago Tucker (8), Liam Corey (9), Joshua McLaughlin (14)
 100 Breaststroke: Thomas Daligault (2), Austin Theye (10)
 Boys Diving: Steven Yeamans (2)

“The boys second place finish was a pleasant surprise,” said Coach Brug. “Our boys also surprised some of our opposing district coaches, who congratulated the Toppers on a job well done.”

“In the 200 Medley and 200 Free relays our boys upset higher seeded Farmington and Santa Fe,” Coach Brug noted. “Since relays count as double team points, all three relay finishes contributed heavily to the overall team score.”

Coach Brug also pointed out that half of our boys’ team was eighth graders: Liam Corey, Joshua McLaughlin, James Petty and Santiago Tucker.

“They really came through at districts,” Coach Brug said. “They all had major improvements in their events and the points they added to the overall team score elevated the Toppers from third to second. I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

Coach Brug noted that nearly everyone had a best swim or personal best with major time drops and break out swims. The breakout swimmers were Malin Eidenbenz with a 16-second drop in her 500 Freestyle and Santiago Tucker with a 16-second drop in the 200 Freestyle and a 5- second drop in his 100 Backstroke.

“All the District swimmers should be proud of their accomplishments,” Coach Brug said. The last competition of the season comes at the State Championships. The Toppers will send 21 state qualifiers to participate February 20-21 at the NMAA Championship hosted by Albuquerque Academy.

Girls District 2a Swim Champions

Front Row Left to Right: Cindy Fu, Ashley McLaughlin, Lyla Lo, Grace Nowell, Deborah Brug,

Emilie Daligault, Aleena Rim, Samantha Clayton

Back Row Left to Right: Madalyn Baily, Teagan Brown, Zooey Browne, Grace Evans, Catherine

Price, Emma Reide, Sonya Pakin, Anna Kerstiens, Malin Eidenbenz