Marquette Boys Run Title Streak to 4
February 18, 2017
By Ryan Stieg
Special for Second Half
MARQUETTE – Dynasties come to an end eventually, no matter what the sport.
But Marquette’s reign continued for another year Saturday at the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Boys Swimming & Diving Finals.
The Redmen dominated the competition again in winning its fourth championship in a row. They ended up with 312 points, well ahead of second-place Houghton’s 239. Sault Ste. Marie finished third at the meet with 203, Gladstone took fourth with 167 and Ishpeming/Negaunee ended up fifth with 123.
Even though it has become a routine for the Redmen to finish on top at the U.P. Finals, Marquette head coach Nathan McFarren said that each championship continues to be meaningful to both him and his team.
“It still feels pretty awesome,” he said. “What we’ve been able to accomplish is incredible. I’m just happy to be along for the ride.”
“I give a lot of credit to this team. They realized that they needed to have respect for themselves and their coaches and have fun at the same time. You can’t be in sports without having fun and trusting each other. After that, the success just fell into place. We’ve won titles before, but this one was extra special. It was just an incredible day.”
The most impressive part of Marquette’s victory was that it won only two events – both were relays. The Redmen won the 200-yard medley relay and set a U.P. Finals record in the 200 freestyle relay with the team of Andrew Kilpela, Ryan Glover, Jed Weber and Matthew Nykanen.
“To top off that day with that record relay was just great,” McFarren said. “This pool has never seen that before and that’s pretty cool.”
Houghton gave Marquette a good fight, but the Redmen pulled away in the later events. The Gremlins won two events, as Peter Jaszczak took first in the 100 butterfly and Sal Sharp finished on top in the 1-meter diving event Friday.
“Our boys really stepped up big for us,” Houghton head coach Erik Johnson said. “I was hoping going in to have a chance at second, and our divers set the bar high. Literally, everyone contributed today and Peter set a school record in the butterfly. They all did very well.”
Sault Ste. Marie won three of the events, the biggest being Andrew Innerebner’s U.P. Finals record in the 200 freestyle. The Blue Devils also received first places from Leevi Olson in the 50 free and 100 breaststroke and also won the 400 free relay.
Sault Ste. Marie head coach Steve Habusta was pleased with how his team performed despite its youth and inexperience.
“We’re a young team and we’re still learning the process, but today went well,” he said. “Finishing third is great, and we are where we want to be. This is also where I expected us to be, and we’re going to continue to get better.
“I think Andrew is the U.P. swimmer of the year, and to set a record like that is pretty phenomenal. Leevi also had a great day by winning two events with both different strokes and different lengths. That isn’t easy to do.”
Gladstone’s Matthew LeClaire picked up both of the Braves’ victories. He won the 200 individual medley and set a U.P. Finals record in the 100 backstroke. Kingsford’s Caleb Plumley was the final individual champion as he won the 500 free.
PHOTOS: (Top) A Marquette swimmer launches during a relay at Saturday's Upper Peninsula Finals. (Middle) A competitor powers through his swim at Marquette High School. (Click to see more from Jarvinen Photos.)
6 Hundredths Seal West Ottawa Title Win
By
Greg Chrapek
Special for Second Half
March 9, 2019
HOLLAND – In a matter of minutes, Holland West Ottawa senior Khadin Soto’s disappointment of placing second in the breaststroke was replaced by the euphoria of clinching his school’s first MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 swimming & diving championship.
Swimming the anchor leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay, Soto touched the wall a mere six hundredths of a second before Detroit Catholic Central’s anchorman, giving West Ottawa the race win and the overall team title – its first in any division in nearly 50 years.
Soto and his relay teammates Jamahl Hogan, Sam Smith and Derek Maas turned in a time of 3:05.84, edging the Catholic Central team of Matthew Kozma, Bennett Loniewski, Mario McDonald and Conor Brownell. The win proved to be the difference maker as the meet came down to the final race with West Ottawa totaling 248 points to edge Detroit Catholic Central’s 240.
“I knew the meet was within a few points, and I knew we had to win that race,” said Soto. “I knew I had to beat the guy next to me and I knew he was really fast. Since I didn’t win the 100 breaststroke like I thought I would, I just kept telling myself that I can’t get caught up in everything else. I just need to do what my teammates need me to do. Just swim like we have been all year. For the last lap I was telling myself I can’t be the one that loses it for everyone.”
That determination paid off as Soto’s finishing kick was enough to give the Panthers the win and wash away Soto’s disappointment.
“I was just super excited,” Soto said. “Before I looked up at the board, I kind of had this feeling that we won. Then just seeing it, I was overwhelmed with emotions. It was like the perfect ending.”
Soto had little time to prepare for his crucial swim as he placed second in the breaststroke, which took place before the 400-yard relay.
“Khadin was coming out of the breaststroke, so he was coming right off of a swim,” said West Ottawa coach Steve Bowyer. “We were hoping to give him a little bit of a lead. He didn’t have much of a lead, but he battled back there at the end.”
West Ottawa had finished second in 2018, as it just missed its first Finals title since winning three straight in Class B-C-D from 1969-71. Detroit Catholic Central was swimming for its first Finals championship in this sport and came on strong down the stretch.
“Detroit Catholic Central had an unbelievable meet,” Bowyer said. “They fought really hard today. We had about 14 points on them after prelims. They came back and fought hard today and brought it right down to the last relay. They don’t get any closer than six hundredths of a second. We feel very fortunate to be on the winning end of that relay.”
Soto is part of a memorable senior class that fueled the Panthers’ drive to the title. Derek Maas is the headliner of West Ottawa’s senior class. Along with swimming a leg of the 400 relay and the winning 200 medley relay, Maas also captured a pair of individual titles. Heading to the University of Alabama next season, Maas won the 200 IM and the butterfly. Having talented teammates to train with has been a key to his success.
“It all starts at our practices,” Maas said. “I always have my teammates with me. It’s way easier to train hard with guys around you that are pushing you. It’s awesome to go out like this as a senior, especially with how the season has gone with the team. Winning the state team title was the ultimate goal.”
Maas teamed up with Soto, junior Gavin Temple and his younger brother, freshman Kevin Maas, to win the 200 medley relay. A versatile swimmer whose main event at the college level will be the 200 breaststroke, Maas won the Division 2 title in the 100 backstroke last year.
“Being a versatile swimmer has helped me,” Maas said. “I have three of the four strokes down pretty good.”
Maas was not the lone dual winner at the Finals as Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central senior Henry Schutte capped his high school career by winning both the 50 and 100 freestyles.
Schutte, who is headed to the University of Virginia to continue his career, won the 50 in 20.46 and captured the 100 in 44.82 seconds.
Schutte closed out his prep career as a six-time Finals champion. Schutte won the 50 and 100 freestyles as both a sophomore and junior. He credited his fellow competitors from around the state for helping him achieve success during his high school career.
“It’s been a blast,” Schutte said. “The past three or four years it’s been awesome to be a part of such a great group of athletes. My competitors have everything to do with that. We push ourselves to be the best, and it’s such a great atmosphere. I love it.”
Howell junior Hunter Gubeno also finished the day as a dual winner, winning the 200 freestyle in 1:39.63 and capturing the 500 freestyle in 4:31.39.
Ann Arbor Skyline senior diver William Henry Schirmer closed out his career as a three-time champion. Schirmer won this time by almost 100 points as he totaled 514.55.
Schirmer, who will dive at Northwestern University, said he felt little pressure in going for the three-peat this season.
“I came in wanting to have a lot of fun with it,” Schirmer said. “It’s my senior year, and I just relaxed and focused on doing what I know I can do. I wanted to stay consistent and have fun with it. It’s my last time being at the state meet, and it’s a great feeling being here with my teammates.”
A pair of seniors closed out their careers by capturing individual state titles. Birmingham Brother Rice senior Liam McDonnell won the 100-backstroke in a time of 50.19. Northville senior Travis Nitkiewicz won the 100-breaststroke in a time of 55.27.
In the 200-freestyle relay, the Harrison-Farmington team of Tristan Strasberger, Trevor Jones, Jared Visser and Brody Jamieson took first place in a time of 1:25.24.
PHOTOS: (Top) Holland West Ottawa’s Derek Maas was part of four championships Saturday, two individually and as part of two relays. (Middle) Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central’s Henry Schutte launches from the blocks on the way to winning the 50-yard freestyle. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)