Make no mistake, the Hilltop High School swim team is making a return to its former glory past in the Mesa League. The Lancers improved to 5-1 on the season following their double dual meet victory against Chula Vista April 8 at the Parkway pool. Hilltop – victorious in the boys meet by a 122-50 score and in the girls meet by a 125-59 score – remained unbeaten in Mesa League competition heading into Thursday’s scheduled dual meet against Otay Ranch at the Loma Verde pool.
This year’s Hilltop team possesses both the numbers and emerging young talent to place it among the best in the Metro Conference, though topping incumbent South Bay superpower Eastlake might have to wait.
Hilltop swept Bonita Vista on all levels to start the league season on March 24 -a feat not accomplished in a while. The Lancers won the boys varsity meet 114-65, the girls varsity meet 118-61, the boys junior varsity meet 63-14 and the girls JV meet 43-31.
Hilltop was back in the water against former South Bay League rival Mar Vista on April 7, winning the boys dual 125-66 while dropping a close 96-90 decision on the girls side.
The lone loss for the Lancers boys team thus far has been against Monte Vista in non-league competition.
“We have 143 members on this year’s squad and are looking forward to a great season,” Lancer coach John Salts said. “We feel we are starting to reach that consistency level we have been working on over the past few years. We’re growing a lot of talent from within, starting with new freshmen. Our dive team is strong and keeping with tradition on the winning side. Our girls swim team has shown the most success early on with a strong core of experienced swimmers. We have our largest crop of talented newcomers that we have seen in the past decade. We are having a lot of fun, and when it is all over and done with, that is what counts.”
Top performers for Hilltop boys team include Oscar Vizcarra (200 individual medley, 100 butterfly), Rodrigo Perez (200 freestyle), Alex Kennedy (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle), Roman Gonzalez (500 freestyle and 100 backstroke) and Carlos Uribe (200 IM, 100 butterfly).
Gonzalez and Kennedy, donning roles as the team’s senior ironmen, competed in all events, including diving, in the Lancers’ dual meet against Chula Vista. “It’s a tradition here at Hilltop – a rite of passage your senior year,” Salts said.
Top performers on the Lancer girls squad include Elizabeth Aguilar (200 freestyle), Eria Perez de la Torre (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle), Diana Carreon (50 freestyle, 100 breaststroke), Crystal Quezada (500 freestyle, 100 butterfly), Sydney Francisco (200 IM, 100 backstroke) and Chelsea Tomlinson (200 IM, 100 breaststroke).
2010 Swimming Scoreboard
Boys Top Marks
Otay Ranch 134, Mar Vista 49
50 freestyle: Mike Kowalski (Otay Ranch) 21.90.
100 butterfly: Mike Kowalkski (Otay Ranch) 56.37
Girls Top Marks
Otay Ranch 111, Mar Vista 75
200 freestyle: Sarah Medina (Otay Ranch) 2:03.64.
100 freestyle: Sarah Medina (Otay Ranch) 56.30.
500 freestyle: Mariela Rodriguez (Otay Ranch) 5:39.47.
