Performance of the Week: East Grand Rapids' Charley Bayer
March 17, 2022
Charley Bayer ♦ East Grand Rapids
Diving ♦ Senior
Bayer capped his high school diving career at Saturday’s Lower Peninsula Division 3 Finals with an extraordinary performance that may not be surpassed for some time. Bayer posted a score of 590.85, repeating as LPD3 champion and also breaking the all-Finals record of 584.75 set in 1981 by Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Bruce Kimball, who went on to earn All-America honors at University of Michigan and a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Bayer had scored 490.75 to win the diving competition by just less than 18 points at the 2021 LPD3 Finals, and he had dived a personal-best 555 during the Division 3 Invitational this regular season. He won this past weekend by 134.80 points, as East Grand Rapids also repeated as team champion. Bayer will continue his academic and diving careers at South Carolina, drawn also by his interest in the university’s business school.
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2021-22 Honorees
March 9: Ja'Marcus Smith, Detroit Mumford wrestling - Report
March 2: David Schaberg, Holt bowling - Report
Feb. 24: Adelaide McRoberts, Kingsford swimming - Report
Feb. 17: Christopher Kavanaugh, Petoskey hockey - Report
Feb. 10: Ira Jenkins, Whitehall wrestling - Report
Feb. 3: Emma Stewart, Salem gymnastics - Report
Jan. 28: Tyler Ray, Pinckney swimming - Report
Jan. 21: Elle Craven, Traverse City Central skiing - Report
Jan. 14: Nevaeh Williams, Mount Clemens basketball - Report
Dec. 2: Lucas Dunn, Chelsea football - Report
Nov. 25: Riley Nugent, Plainwell swimming - Report
Nov. 18: Harper Murray, Ann Arbor Skyline volleyball - Report
Nov. 11: Abby VanderKooi, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian cross country - Report
Nov. 4: Arianne Olson, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Oct. 28: Jack Guggemos, Okemos soccer - Report
Oct. 21: Sachiv Kumar, Northville tennis - Report
Oct. 14: Kate Brody, Grand Blanc golf - Report
Oct. 7: Lilly Nelson, Negaunee tennis - Report
Sept. 30: Stella Chapman, Ann Arbor Pioneer swimming - Report
Sept. 23: Riley Hough, Hartland cross country - Report
Sept. 16: Josie Bloom, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep volleyball - Report
PHOTO (Top) East Grand Rapids' Charley Bayer dives during last weekend's LPD3 Finals at Calvin College. (Action photo by Steve Willison; head shot by Shannon Pontius.)
Highlight Reel: LP Swim & Diving Finals
March 14, 2015
By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director
This season’s Lower Peninsula Swimming and Diving Finals were completed at three sites Saturday.
Below are a highlight from each MHSAA Final, with links for watching the meets in full.
CLOSE FINISH IN THE 100 FLY – The closest finish of the Division 1 L.P. Boys Swimming & Diving Finals was in the 100-yard butterfly, where Lake Orion’s Devon Nowicki out-touched Gust Kouvaris of Birmingham Brother Rice to win in 48.92 seconds. Watch the entire LP Division 1 meet and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
MORK MAKES HIS MARK – Midland Dow's Nehemiah Mork claimed the 50-yard freestyle at the MHSAA Division 2 L.P. Boys Swimming & Diving Finals, edging Nick Ross of Birmingham Seaholm with a winning time of 20.8 seconds. Watch the entire LP Division 2 meet and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
TIGHTEST FINISH OF THE DAY – The 50-yard freestyle was the tightest race of the Division 3 L.P. Boys Swimming & Diving Finals, as Joey Mangner of Chelsea turned in 21.27 seconds to nip Nathan Hein of East Grand Rapids. Watch the entire LP Division 3 meet and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
PHOTO: Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Joey Puglessi swims to the LPD3 championship in the backstroke. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)