S.F. Prep 8th-grader could test top swimmers
Sophia Gossum headlines Northern New Mexico’s best for the State Swimming and Diving Championships that begin at 3 p.m. Friday.
Gossum, an eighth-grader at Santa Fe Prep, is the third seed in the 50 yard freestyle and fourth in the 100 freestyle for the preliminaries at the Albuquerque Academy Natatorium. Gossum posted her best times at the District 1 Championships on Feb. 2 in Los Alamos, winning both events. Her time of 24.96 seconds trailed Albuquerque La Cueva’s Natalie Jones, the top seed, by .73 of a second and Susan Harding of Las Cruces by .59.
In the 100, she is more than 2 seconds slower than top seed Sara Vianco of Albuquerque Academy. Gossum also will be a part of the Blue Griffins’ 200 freestyle relay team, which is seeded ninth at 1:46.93. Right in front of them are the Lady Hilltoppers of Los Alamos, which beat the Blue Griffins at the district meet with a time of 1:46.54.
Meanwhile, Los Alamos’ Sara Hiina earned the third seed in the 100 butterfly, as her time of 59.70 placed her behind Chrysten Pacheco of La Cueva (59.14) and Fiona Trotz-Chavez of Albuquerque Sandia (57.48). Teammate Jillian Bennett is a contender in the 100 breaststroke, as her season-best of 1:08.80 seeded her fifth in the event.
Los Alamos’ 400 freestyle relay heads into Friday with the eighth seed, and its 200 medley relay has the seventh seed.
The Lady Hilltoppers’ Emme Mooday is the fourth seed in the 1-meter diving, thanks to her 278.65-point performance in at the Albuquerque Academy Invitational on Jan. 12.
As for the boys side, Santa Fe High’s Luke Shankin looks to be in line for a podium finish if his qualifying time of 1:50.56 in the 200 freestyle holds true to form. Shankin is also 10th in the 100 butterfly with a 54.83 he recorded at the district meet, while Riley Kinlaw is seeded ninth.
Kinlaw is also the 10th seed in in the 100 breaststroke.
Los Alamos brothers Andy and Maximilian Corliss are ninth and 13th in the 100 breaststroke, with Andy Corliss seeded ninth at 1:03.70. The Hilltoppers also have their 200 medley relay squad seeded ninth.