(Lander, WY) – Lander swimming shared the following details of their recent meet with Cheyenne South and the Bruce Gresly Memorial Invite. One month out from the class 3A state championship meet, the LVHS swim and dive team is grinding.
Athletes are several weeks along in morning-and-evening training sessions. Practice intensity rachets up daily. Physical fatigue moves beyond sore to numb, and mental exhaustion is the expectation rather than the exception. It’s certainly not that point in the season when state records are set.
Conventional wisdom doesn’t apply to a program that has won 24 straight titles, however.
At Saturday’s Bruce Gresly Memorial Invite in Lander, Tigers Dylan Huelskamp, Brennen Blackburn, Nolan McFadden and Jonny Kulow — a sophomore and three juniors — took aim at the state record in the 200 freestyle relay.
The quartet didn’t break it. They crushed it.
Head coach Shawna Morgan believes the state record is a fitting tribute to the namesake of the meet and the aquatic center where it is contested. “The Memorial Invite is a way for us to show respect to Lander swimming legend Bruce Gresly,” Morgan says of the longtime LVHS coach, “and for the last five years the meet has not disappointed!”
Two years ago, the Tigers stacked a relay to take a shot at the 400 freestyle relay state record, and Ryan Brinda, Caleb Huelskamp, Nick Kulow and Jonny Kulow set a new mark.
“This year we thought we would try in the 200 freestyle relay,” Morgan explains. “We again accomplished the task, posting some really impressive times.” Huelskamp went 22.86 for his 50 split, Blackburn 21.42, McFadden 21.71 and Kulow a blistering 19.76.
“Their time of 1:25.75 didn’t just shatter the state record. It’s also an All-American consideration time,” Morgan says.
The relay victory was one among many strong swims for the hosts, including a state-qualifying effort by junior Sonny Robinson in the 200 freestyle. “We are up to 20 of 24 athletes qualified with the remaining four being very, very close!” says Morgan. “We have never had an entire team qualify before. That’s the coaches’ goal for the team, and we are going to do everything we can to help them get there.”
It wasn’t only the action in the water that made Saturday’s Bruce Gresly Memorial Invite memorable. Tiger seniors Benaiah Dolence and Colton Wietzki were honored, as well.
“Benaiah and Colton have both been integral parts of the swim team for four years, qualifying for state each season and scoring points for the Tigers at each of those state meets,” Morgan says of the senior pair.
Lander will wrap up the regular season this week. After, only conference and the state meet in Laramie remain.
“We are getting close to the end of the season,” says Morgan. “We need to stay healthy and keep up our constant vigilance of mask-wearing, washing our hands, etc., so that we can have the best state meet ever!
“I am so proud of these boys and everything they have accomplished so far this season,” Morgan adds. “Thanks to all the people that came to the pool to cheer us on Saturday. We can’t do what we do without you!”
Cheyenne South @ Lander – Jan. 22, 2021
TEAM SCORES: 1. Lander 69, 2. Cheyenne South 56
200 Yard Medley Relay: 1. Lander A (Erick Harms, Reed McFadden, Brayden Brown, Beniah Dolence) 1:49.25; 2. Lander B (Noah Larson, Ross Anderson, Ramsey Eckhardt, Scott Logan) 1:59.73; 3. Lander C (Hezekiah Dolence, Logan Wietzki, Caleb Else, Aiden Whelan) 2:09.71
200 Yard Free: 1. Jonny Kulow 1:49.85; 2. Sonny Robinson 2:13.13; 4. Elijah Applegate 2:13.99; 5. Caleb Else 2:19.23; 6. Ramsey Eckhardt 2:20.22
200 Yard IM: 2. Dylan Huelskamp 2:08.73; 3. Brayden Brown 2:16.22; 4. Colton Weitzki 2:20.61; 5. Ross Anderson 2:21.74; 6. Scott Logan 2:24.79
50 Yard Free: 1. Brennen Blackburn 23.17; 2. Beniah Dolence 24.13; 4. Benny Kulow 24.57; 5. Reed McFadden 25.36; 7. Hezekiah Dolence 26.98; 8.Aiden Whelan 27.47
1 Meter Diving: 1. Noah Larson 348.10; 2. Logan Wietzki 286.00; 3. Luke Morneau 203.80; 4. Brayden Hickerson 199.45
100 Yard Butterfly: 1. Brennen Blackburn 54.82; 2. Brayden Brown 1:02.41; 3. Ross Anderson 1:13.19; 6. Elijah Applegate 1:13.55
100 Yard Free: 1. Nolan McFadden 50.32; 2. Benny Kulow 52.89; 3. Beniah Dolence 54.98; 4. Justin Whelan 55.72; 6. Caleb Else 1:01.42
500 Yard Free: 1. Reed McFadden 5:46.02; 2. Erick Harms 6:22.68; 3. Ramsey Eckhardt 6:27.73; 4. Sonny Robinson 6:37.31
200 Yard Free Relay: 1. Lander A (Dylan Huelskamp, Brennen Blackburn, Nolan McFadden, Jonny Kulow) 1:28.88; 2. Lander B (Benny Kulow, Beniah Dolence, Scott Logan, Colton Wietzki) 1:38.80; 4. Lander C (Sonny Robinson, Hezekiah Dolence, Justin Whelan, Elijah Applegate) 1:50.57;
100 Yard Back: 1. Jonny Kulow 55.69; 3. Dylan Huelskamp 1:02.04; 4. Scott Logan 1:04.95; 6. Noah Larson 1:07.16; 7.Aiden Whelan 1:12.69; 8. Justin Whelan 1:14.28
100 Yard Breast: 2. Nolan McFadden 1:11.25; 3. Erick Harms 1:13.21; 4. Colton Wietzki 1:16.89; 5. Hezekiah Dolence 1:20.18; 7. Logan Wietzki 1:37.94
400 Yard Free Relay: 1. Lander A (Brennen Blackburn, Nolan McFadden, Dylan Huelskamp, Jonny Kulow) 3:29.85; 3. Lander B (Brayden Brown, Colton Wietzki, Erick Harms, Benny Kulow) 3:41.72; 4. Lander D (Justin Whelan, Noah Larson, Reed McFadden, Caleb Else) 4:05.34; Lander C (Sonny Robinson, Elijah Applegate, Ross Anderson, Ramsey Eckhardt) 4:15.03
Bruce Gresly Memorial Invite – Jan. 23, 2021
TEAM SCORES: 1. Lander 395, Buffalo 285, Rawlins 223, Cheyenne South 194
200 Yard Medley Relay: 2. Lander A (Erick Harms, Reed McFadden, Brayden Brown, Benaiah Dolence) 1:47.98; 6. Lander B (Noah Larson, Ross Anderson, Ramsey Eckhardt, Scott Logan) 1:59.15; 7. Lander C (Hezekiah Dolence, Logan Wietzki, Caleb Else, Aiden Whelan) 2:09.87
200 Yard Free: 3. Dylan Huelskamp 1:51.93; 5. Colton Wietzki 1:57.10; 8. Reed McFadden 2:07.56; 10. Sonny Robinson 2:12.3712. Elijah Applegate 2:14.39; 14. Hezekiah Dolence 2:18.17
200 Yard IM: 1. Jonny Kulow 1:59.39; 3. Brennen Blackburn 2:08.68; 4. Benny Kulow 2:10.18; 7. Benaiah Dolence 2:24.44; 10. Ramsey Eckhardt 2:33.26
50 Yard Free: 1. Nolan McFadden 22.72; 2. Erick Harms 24.98; 3. Justin Whelan 25.09; 4. Brayden Brown 25.12; 5. Scott Logan 25.27; 9. Aiden Whelan 28.43
1 Meter Diving: 2. Noah Larson 308.20; 3. Logan Wietzki 280.45; 5. Brayden Hickerson 209.75; Luke Morneau 196.15
100 Yard Butterfly: 1. Dylan Huelskamp 56.40; 6. Reed McFadden 1:02.12; 9. Caleb Else 1:03.88; 11. Justin Whelan 1:16.71; 12. Hezekiah Dolence 1:18.16
100 Yard Free: 2. Nolan McFadden 50.29; 3. Colton Wietzki 53.65; 4. Erick Harms 55.62; 6. Sonny Robinson 1:02.23
500 Yard Free: 3. Brayden Brown 5:09.95; 4. Ross Anderson 5:41.61; 5. Scott Logan 5:58.58; 7. Elijah Applegate 6:17.20
200 Yard Free Relay: 1. Lander A (Dylan Huelskamp, Brennen Blackburn, Nolan McFadden, Jonny Kulow) 1:25.75; 3. Lander B (Benny Kulow, Benaiah Dolence, Scott Logan, Colton Wietzki) 1:38.70; 6. Lander C (Sonny Robinson, Hezekiah Dolence, Justin Whelan, Elijah Applegate) 1:52.26
100 Yard Back: 1. Brennen Blackburn 1:00.65; 2. Benny Kulow 1:03.55; 4. Benaiah Dolence 1:07.62; 6. Ramsey Eckhardt 1:09.10; 7. Aiden Whelan 1:09.61
100 Yard Breast: 1. Jonny Kulow 1:02.02; 3. Ross Anderson 1:12.24; 10. Noah Larson 1:20.99; 12. Caleb Else (1:24.00); 15. Logan Wietzki 1:37.14
400 Yard Free Relay: 1. Lander A (Brennen Blackburn, Nolan McFadden, Dylan Huelskamp, Jonny Kulow) 3:26.48; 3. Lander B (Brayden Brown, Colton Wietzki, Erick Harms, Benny Kulow) 3:43.90; 6. Lander D (Justin Whelan, Noah Larson, Reed McFadden, Caleb Else) 4:02.05; 8. Lander C (Sonny Robinson, Elijah Applegate, Ross Anderson, Ramsey Eckhardt) 4:10.04