Cranbrook Pulls Far Ahead for Repeat, GR Christian's Sytsma Adds to Title Total
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 9, 2024
HOLLAND – The Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood boys swimming & diving team cleared a major hurdle last year in winning the Lower Peninsula Division 3 Finals by a narrow margin.
This year, the role of favorite suited the Cranes just fine as they rolled to a repeat Saturday at Holland Aquatic Center.
Cranbrook put forth an impressive all-around effort and finished with 380 points to overwhelm the rest of the field.
East Grand Rapids (243) edged Holland Christian (211) for second place, while Adrian (151) finished fourth.
“I think last year, when we got over that hump and we won the meet, we saw what we had coming back,” Cranbrook coach Paul Ellis said. “I feel like the boys were a lot more relaxed all season. We didn't have that ‘we’re chasing it’ mindset, and it was about widening the gap and the boys did a phenomenal job.
Cranbrook won two individual events with seniors Andrew Delzer (100-yard breaststroke) and Colin Zexter (100 backstroke) and collected relay titles in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle.
“We had great leaders on our team,” Ellis said. “We had a couple seniors come in that haven't swam for us before, and they really helped bring us all together. They are all team players, they care about their teammates and they bust their butt and set a good example that helped everyone make a huge step forward in terms of training and in bringing that team atmosphere together.
“It helped in how they swam. We had so many lifetime bests this weekend and throughout the season, and it was really fun. It was an enjoyable season.”
Delzer and Zexter joined Joseph Wiater and Will Farner on the 200 medley and AJ and Will Farner on the 400 relay.
“All of our seniors stepped up and were scoring points, and we had a blast,” Delzer said. “There definitely was a target on our back, but we weren't going to let anyone hunt us down. It was a privilege to be in that position, and we had a great time doing it.”
This was Zexter’s first year on the Cranbrook team after swimming club previously.
“This one was amazing, and it's my first one,” Zexter said. “I did high school just to have fun, and the whole team this season was like family. We were so close, and to have the perfect season and be undefeated is the best feeling.”
Grand Rapids Christian’s Ben Sytsma was named Swimmer of Meet by the Michigan Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association after a dominating performance to cap off an illustrious career.
Sytsma added two more individual titles to his career total by winning the 50 and 100 freestyle events. He also helped the Eagles to a victory in the 200 freestyle relay and a runner-up effort in the 400.
His time of 43.87 in the first 100-yard leg of the 400 relay was an LP Division 3 Finals record. He finished his high school career with four individual championships and having been part of three relay winners.
“I really just wanted to go out with a bang,” Sytsma said. “The boys and I worked really hard, and I was really proud of how they did.
“We really wanted to win those relays. We came up short in the 400, but beat our school record so I think we are all very satisfied with how it ended up.”
Sytsma recorded a time of 19.98 in the 50 and became only the second swimmer in meet history to break 20 seconds.
“That was Cam Peel (in 2019), and I always looked up to him as an idol and followed his career,” Sytsma said. “I wanted to be like him in that 50, break 20, and I wasn't the first to do it, but I was the second one so I’m happy with that.
“There were definitely goals I had coming into this meet, state records I was looking at. I came up short in the 50 and that 100 record in the final relay was really emotional for me. I was happy with myself.”
East Grand Rapids placed runner-up for the second straight year.
“Second place in this year’s meet is all you could hope for,” Pioneers coach Milton Briggs said. “Cranbrook is definitely far and away better than all of us, so for us to come in and take second among this talent, you have to feel good about that. We knew it was going to be close between us and Holland Christian.”
East Grand Rapids was led by senior Carter Kegle, who won the 500 for the third consecutive year and claimed top honors in the 200 freestyle.
Otsego sophomore Liam Smith won two individual titles. He repeated in the 100 butterfly (48.02) and also swam to victory in the 200 IM (1:48.64).
Chelsea senior Mitch Brown defended his diving title. He recorded a score of 503.05 to finish ahead of runner-up Carson Reynolds of DeWitt.
PHOTOS (Top) Cranbrook Kingswood celebrates its victory Saturday at Holland Aquatic Center. (Middle) Grand Rapids Christian's Ben Sytsma looks to the scoreboard and celebrates. (Below) Otsego's Liam Smith, bottom, pulls away for the win in the butterfly. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
High 5s - 2/21/12
February 21, 2012
Every Tuesday, Second Half honors 2-4 athletes and a team for its accomplishments during the current season.
Have a suggestion for a future High 5? Please offer suggestions by e-mail to [email protected]. Candidates often will have accomplished great things on the field of play -- but also will be recognized for other less obvious contributions to their teams, schools or the mission of high school athletics as a whole.
Dillon Mayer
Sault Ste. Marie senior
Swimming and Diving
Mayer won his second straight Upper Peninsula Finals diving championship Saturday in his home pool with a score of 226.55. He finished no worse than fourth at the Finals during his high school career, and set a school record this season with a six-dive score of 236.00. He also runs track and has a black belt in Kuk sool wan, a form of Korean martial arts.
"I have strived for the past four years to break the team diving record. This year I was finally able to break the team record, and then continued to break it through the season for a total of five times before the end of the season. Being the U.P. diving champion for the second year in a row was pretty awesome too!"
Up next: Mayer will attend either Michigan State University or Lake Superior State University, and hopes to dive if he attends MSU. He plans to major in fire science and paramedic studies. "I would like to work as a flight paramedic for a level one trauma center."
I learned the most about diving from: MSU diving coach Eric Best and Sault Ste. Marie coaches Ray Groeke and Kelli Vander Baan.
I look up to: "... the university divers I learned from at the MSU diving camp each year. They are amazing divers with a lot of knowledge to share."
I like most about diving: "From a competitive standpoint, I like the feeling of nailing a dive. From a recreational standpoint, I enjoy the thrill of trying new things."
I'm motivated by: "The new records on the record board, my family and my teammates."
Leah Hartman
Ovid-Elsie senior
Bowling
Hartman bowled the first and one of only three 300 games in the state this season, on Jan. 4, according to listings maintained by the Michigan High School Interscholastic Bowling Coaches Association. Her high series of 524 is third-best in the state this winter, and she's carrying a 201 game average this season. She qualified for last season's MHSAA Division 3 Final and made the all-state third team. She also played volleyball and softball at the start of high school, but has focused on bowling the last two years.
"My first 300 game was the most memorable because other coaches announced my game at other tournaments, and my name was on a neon sign at 300 Bowl in Alma. It gave me a feeling of accomplishment"
Up next: Hartman is considering Alma College because of its strong art program and bowling team. She plans to spend her first year of college deciding between a major in fine arts and accounting. She could also compete on the Michigan Junior Masters or Junior Gold circuits. Among her goals: bowl an 800 series and sell her art.
I learned the most about bowling from: “Mike Braun. He is the instructor at Lansing Community College. He teaches bowling and he has been helping me achieve better bowling techniques. But before him, it was my mom Sherri Hartman and dad Don Hartman."
I look up to: "My mom, because she is the one person who is strong enough to take on life. And my dad, who has helped me with my bowling since the beginning. Then I look up to Pete Weber and Norm Duke, who are, in my opinion, the best PBA bowlers to ever set a foot on the lanes."
I love bowling because: "I have a lot of stress built into my life, and it is hard for me to stay focused. But when I bowl, it is the one time I feel like a genius. I want to continue bowling becuase I feel like there is nothing better than the feeling of your first 300 game, and all the fans who are cheering for you to win.
I'm driven by: "... when I walk into a bowling alley and I run into my fans who are cheering me on every step of the way, and the applause whenever I hear my name announced. It makes me feel proud of myself when others cheer when they hear my name."
Adam Coon
Fowlerville junior
Wrestling
Coon is seeking his third MHSAA individual championship. He won both his District and Regional and enters next weekend's Finals with a 46-0 record this season and 153-3 record over his three-year high school career. He won his first two MHSAA championships at 215 pounds and moved to 285 this winter. He also is a three-year starter on the Gladiators' football team, playing linebacker and on the offensive line, and placed sixth in shot put in Division 2 at last spring's track and field Finals.
Up next: Coon is just a junior, but would like to wrestle or play football at the next level and study aerospace engineering, with his sights set on the space program. "I'd love to go to space. It's always been a dream."\
I learned the most about wrestling from: "My dad, Dan Coon. He is the (Fowlerville) coach, and he continues to push me and teaches me the most."
I look up to: "Dan Coon. He teaches me a lot about life and wrestling, and he's just a great guy to look up to."
I love most about wrestling: "The aggressiveness, the contact and necessary skill. The strategy behind it. The technical skill. It tests you mental wit and brute strength."
I get ready for my match by: "I warm up five matches previous. With one match left, I slap myself, then take off my sweats and go to town."
Most shining moment: "My most memorable win was in summer wrestling, in Hungary (at the Cadet World Championships) . I won the Finals match there. after being down 4-0, and came back and ended up body locking him and winning the match."
Detroit Martin Luther King boys basketball
The Crusaders avenged earlier losses to both Detroit Crockett and then Detroit Pershing to win the Detroit Public School League championship, downing the Doughboys in the final 76-69.
The PSL championship was King's first since 1999. The Crusaders are 15-4 heading into next week's Operation Friendship game against the Detroit Catholic High School League A-B champion, which will be decided Saturday. Click to see all of Detroit King's scores this season.