Thanks to Kerri-Ann Petty for submitting this report on New Mexico High School Swimming.
The New Mexico High School Championship season began in Albuquerque this past Saturday with the 2014 Boys Metro Championships where all but two meet records were shattered. In what tends to be the spotlight of what is to come in February, the La Cueva Bears walked away with the trophy, squashing the six year streak of Eldorado High School, while fending off the power of Cibola High School.
With only two individual event titles from Senior Stephen Klein, the Bears proved championships can be won with depth by scoring multiple relays and placing valuable 4th through 6th places and gaining points through the middle and bottom sixteen. Klein won both the 200 Individual Medley (1:56.18) and the 100 Backstroke (53.52). While placing all three of their “A” relays third in the meet, the only other top three performances from the Bears came from Luke Freimanis in the 200 Free and Robert Ray in the 1 Meter Diving, proving that teamwork does indeed make the dream work.
The highlight of the meet came from Eldorado Sophomore Hank Gullick who posted a blistering 20.94 in the 50 Free to crush the field. His entry time coming into the meet was a full second slower at 21.91 while last February he was 22.42 and during long course season posted a 25.42. Gullick also contributed to two winning Eagles relays in the 200 and 400 Freestyle (1:27.20 and 3:18.14 respectively) where he was joined by brother Gus Gullick, Brad Kenning, and Jackson Powers. Eldorado finished the competition second behind La Cueva.
The Cibola Cougars won as many individual titles as all the other teams combined. However, a costly disqualification on the 400 Free Relay, along with a few others, kept them from vying for the title. Winning a total of four individual events, they were led by Junior Magnus Holler. Holler is currently ranked in multiple events in the Top 20 of the country for 16-year-old boys. He won the 200 Free in 1:43.00 and the 100 Free 45.06. His 100 time is nearly three tenths faster than he swam shaved in December at the Chesapeake Elite Meet and gives hope for New Mexico’s first swimmer 16&under to clear the 45 second mark in New Mexico.
Holler was joined by two teammates in other victories. Brother Dorian Holler won the 100 Butterfly (51.26) and Edgar Melchor won the 100 Breast in 57.75. Both of these gentleman cleared lifetime bests in these events for their victories. The duo of Holler brothers and Melchor combined with Tameryn Huffman to win the 200 Medley Relay in 1:37.07.
Other individual champions in the meet were Junior Luis Conejo of Rio Rancho in the 500 Free at 4:47.78. Swimming at 5500 feet in altitude, Conejo’s 500 Free would be a pinch faster than his personal best when adjusted.
The 1 Meter diving competition was won by Isaac Morris from Valley High School.
The girls’ competition will be held on Saturday, January 25th at West Mesa High School.
