Despite being a freshman, Granite Hills’ Ella Morgan broke four league records, five school records, including two dating from 1989, and was the San Diego Section champion in the girls 500-yard freestyle event at this year’s CIF finals. She finished runner-up in the 200 freestyle by 0.31 seconds, finishing just 0.08 seconds off the all-time section record.
Morgan ended her first scholastic season at the California state championship meet where she placed third in the 200 freestyle in 1:49.93 while being outtouched by two upperclassmen. She finished higher than Torrey Pines junior Aya Ferguson at the state meet after being out-touched by Ferguson at the section meet. Morgan earned notice as the fastest freshman at the state meet in the 200 distance and finished among the four freshmen to qualify in the 500 distance (4:55.16 in the prelims) to place 15th in the state.
All these accomplishments added up to highlight Morgan as the 2025 Grossmont Hills League Swimmer of the Year and Granite Hills MVP. Morgan notched High School All-American automatic times in both the 200 and 500 freestyle events after recording an undefeated season in dual meets. She won the section title in the 500 freestyle in 4:53.65 while finishing second in the 200 freestyle in 1:48.13.
Ferguson touched first in the 200 freestyle in 1:47.82 to eclipse the standing CIF record of 1:48.05. Ranked No. 1 in her freshman class academically at Granite Hills High School, Morgan played a “huge part,” according to Eagles coach Cathy Elgas, in the Lady Eagles’ undefeated season as league champions and fifth-place finish at the Division I section finals. Colleges are already tracking her. And she’s not alone as Granite Hills junior teammate Austin Felio also qualified for the state meet in the 50 freestyle (22.02, 35th overall) and 500 freestyle (4:35.14, 30th overall). He has already committed to Colorado Mesa University to join older brother Braden there.
Ella Morgan is the younger sister of Granite Hills alumna Chloe Morgan, who went on to play two years of women’s water polo at Cal Baptist University. Ella Morgan is also a member of the Manta Rays Aquatic club swim team and will be competing in the Junior Nationals championship event July 30-31 in Irvine. The Junior Winter Nationals are scheduled in December in Texas.
Grossmont freshman Aramis Willett won the Division I section title in the boys 100 butterfly (48.32) to also advance to the state meet. He finished his own meteoric season by placing in a tie for sixth place in the state Aheat with a time of 48.91.
Six Granite Hills swimmers earned selection to the Grossmont Hills League all-league boys swim and dive first team, headlined by Swimmer of the Year Sean Keane and Diver of the Year Chance Hall. Joining the pair are Jonah Leistiko, Felio, Dallin Jenkins and Robert Locke IV. Other first team selections included Helix Charter’s Jacob Margarito, Evan Tucker and Gunnar Balma, Grossmont’s Willett and Steele Canyon’s Felix Medina.
Granite Hills also placed six swimmers on the Grossmont Hills League all-league girls swim and dive first team. Joining Morgan on the elite squad are Linnea Puterbaugh, Griffyn Jessee, Mallory Kremer, Landyn Adamson and Heidi Barghols.
Santana’s Colton Weed and El Capitan’s Ben Brookshire earned honors as the Grossmont Valley League’s male swimmer of the year and diver of the year, respectively, while El Capitan’s Sahara Simpson and Ryley Brittingham earned recognition as the Grossmont Valley League’s female swimmer of the year and diver of the year, respectively.
