Division I-bound Natalie Killion already taking down records in first season with Lockport

Sep. 15—Natalie Killion knew how the race would end before she stepped onto the starting block. So did Lockport coach Laura Baker.

The senior has long since established herself in the swimming world as one of the best freestylers in the state, but until she dove into the pool for the Lions' first meet of the season against Niagara Falls on Sept. 9, she had never competed in a high school meet.

Even during her club season, Killion doesn't swim for a Lockport- or Niagara County-based team. After being referred by LHS boys standout Aidan Morgan, she's competed for Clarence and STAR swimming in Buffalo. For three years she resisted swimming for the Lions, feeling club was a better option.

It was hard to argue with her thinking, as Killion received offers from Cincinnati, Kentucky, Minnesota and West Virginia, while leaning heavily towards committing to her top choice, the University of Pittsburgh. She also qualified for the U.S. Open following last season, swimming the 200-meter freestyle in 2 minutes, 3.69 seconds.

But heading into her senior high school season, Killion relented. She felt something might be missing, or that she could regret not being part of the team in the future. and Killion proved she is a game-changer for Lockport in her first meet, breaking two school records and three pool records.

"I would be at club practices, but (my friends) weren't there because they were at high school practices," Killion said. "I would go to their high school meets and I just felt I was missing out on the high school experience of swimming. You get to represent your school and that's not something you get in club, so I did feel I was missing out a bit."

Baker and her charges have long tried to coax Killion into swimming for the school. But the polite maybes turned into maybe next years. Baker and many of the other swimmer knew her capabilities, and Killion lived up to them in her first meet.

First, Killion swam the 200-yard freestyle, blazing to a time of 1:52.47, breaking Katie Pollock's 2017 school record by more than 4 seconds and the 2011 pool record of Kenmore West's Lindsey Sagasta by 3 seconds.

Next came the 500 freestyle, which Killion swam in 4:59.51 — 63 seconds faster than anyone else in the race — breaking Elizabeth Connolly's 2013 school record by nearly 16 seconds. The time also broke former Kenmore West and Alabama standout Marissa Dressel's pool record by almost 2 seconds.

Swimming the first leg of the 400 freestyle relay, Killion broke the Lockport pool record in the 100 freestyle with a split of 52.49, edging Pollock's record by .32 seconds.

Killion wasn't surprised by her times, not through arrogance or confidence, but because she has recorded faster swims in her club career. Her fastest time in the 200 freestyle hovers around 1:50, while her best time in the 500 is around 4:58.

"She's a once-in-a-career type of athlete," Baker said. "I didn't think I would have gotten anyone faster than Katie. You see her and it's like, 'Wow, she's fast.' Then I heard of Natalie and it's just like, 'Oh wow.'"

Eventually Killion would like to chase down Dressel's Section VI 200 freestyle record of 1:48.47, which when set in 2008 was also the state record. Killion acknowledges dropping four seconds is a lofty goal, but swim training is designed for slower times in the start of the year so the final meets of the season produce the best times.

Breaking 1:50 in the event would also put Killion in the hunt for a state championship, where White Plains' Alexa Reyna (1:48.70) and Ardsley-Dobbs Ferry's Lucy Walker (1:49.05) return after taking the top two spots last season.

Her first time of the season in the 500 also would have placed fourth in the state last year, while her 100 split would have been the second-fastest time in Section VI last season and the third-fastest in Western New York.

"She's probably going to win every event she's in," Baker said. "We're close to qualifying for states in a relay with her. We're close to a school record, which probably may not have happened if she wasn't a part of the relays. It's just a cool thing and a good experience for the other girls to be part of. ... But we have other girls who are good and putting in just as much time."

Killion's individual performances and relay legs should lift Lockport into contention for Niagara Frontier League and Section VI championships this season, but she is also starting fit in with the other girls out of the pool.

One of the reasons Killion always opted to not to swim for Lockport was because most of her best friends were teammates on her club teams. But now she is starting to develop closer relationships with Lockport teammates.

"I still have a great group here, but they're not my closest friends," Killion said. "I feel like this team is slowly becoming my best friends, which is nice. I get the best of both worlds either way."

Lockport travels to Niagara Wheatfield at 5:30 p.m. today.

Nick Sabato can be reached via email at nick.sabato@gnnewspaper.com or on Twitter @NickSabatoGNN.