May 12, 2026

Written by Liesha Masi and Dylan Parry

The postseason journey reached its peak this past week at the CIF Championships held at Mt. SAC, where a select group of athletes represented Martin Luther King High School with a level of performance that was nothing short of elite. Against a backdrop of stadium seating and giant scoreboards, the Wolves proved that they belong among the top programs in the section, turning nerves into speed and season-long goals into reality.

The girls’ side delivered a powerhouse performance, finishing a remarkable 10th overall in the section with only four athletes competing. Addisyn Sharpe reached a career milestone by qualifying for CIF prelims as an individual for the first time in both the 50 and 100 freestyles. Alyssa Bian continued her historic season, finishing third in the 100 fly and fourth in the 200 free, achieving State Automatic times and resetting her own school record in the fly with an All-American consideration time of 54.99. Sophomore Chloe Clendenen was equally impressive, recording personal bests and making the finals in both the 200 and 100 free. Together with Alyssa Christensen, these four girls battled in the finals of the 200 and 400 free relays, narrowly missing a state berth by a single spot in a courageous team effort.

The boys’ team showed incredible depth and grit throughout the meet. The medley relay team of Vincent Orozco, Jamen Iverson, Caleb VanDerLinden, and Jack Roland set the tone early with valiant split times. Jack Roland also excelled in the 500 free, dropping five seconds from his league time to win his heat with a 5:15. Logan Brown qualified in both the 200 and 500 free, maintaining his season bests to make the finals in the 500. Troy Newlin showed his veteran poise, finishing his 50 free before moving on to final in the 100 breaststroke, where he moved up six places in the final standings. Meanwhile, freshman Victor Perez proved he is a rising star, making finals in both the 200 and 500 free and recording personal bests that highlight a very bright future.

One of the most meaningful moments of the entire championship was the performance of our Unified Sports athletes. Gabe Urteaga and Omar Awad joined forces with Jayden Tima and Vincent Arias to represent the Wolves with immense honor and class. The crowd was on its feet as they were cheered to victory in both their 2×50 and 4×25 relays, proving that the spirit of competition and inclusion is the true heart of the MLK program.

While the times were fast, the pride felt on the deck was even greater. The coaching staff noted that the support of teammates like Paige MacDonald, Journey Reish, and Gregor Hudson, who traveled to the meet to cheer and time, was vital to the team’s success. As the season concludes, with Alyssa Bian moving on to the State Championships in Fresno, the Wolves can look back at this CIF run as a testament to their hard work. They faced the fastest pools and the toughest competition, and they rose to the occasion every single time.