Preview: 3 Champs Look for 3rd Straight
March 10, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Birmingham Brother Rice, Birmingham Seaholm and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood all are seeking their third straight Lower Peninsula boys swimming and diving championships this weekend.
But only two are favored to add another title – and both favorites are facing arguably the toughest competition of their current reigns.
Michigan also will say good-bye to an accomplished group of seniors that have won a combined 16 individual championships – 13 in swimming and three in diving – as they make their final MHSAA Finals appearances.
See below for team favorites and top individuals to watch at all three meets. Preliminaries are Friday, with championship races and diving Saturday. All three Finals also will be streamed live and can be watched with subscription on MHSAA.TV.
Click for lineups and seed times for all three meets.
LP Division 1 at Holland Aquatics
Team contenders: Birmingham Brother Rice is competing for its third straight LP Division 1 championship and fourth straight top-two finish after winning last year’s Final by 111 points. The Warriors have 18 swimmers seeded to score, with all three relays enter seeded second. But Ann Arbor Skyline should provide a formidable challenge after finishing runner-up in Division 2 a year ago. The Eagles have 12 swimmers seeded to score including three tops seeds, plus a diver that finished third at his Regional.
Spencer Carl, Holland West Ottawa junior – Posted top-five finishes last season in the butterfly and 200-yard freestyle and is seeded first this time in the butterfly (50.53) and second in the free (1:39.95).
Cameron Craig, Monroe senior – Held the LP Division 1 Finals backstroke record for a season after setting it as a sophomore while also winning the butterfly that winter; Craig is seeded first both in the individual medley (1:47.17) and backstroke (47.84), with that backstroke time 55 hundredths of a second faster than the current all-Finals record set in 2002 and the IM time 11 hundredths of a second faster than the all-Finals record set a year ago.
Micah DeJonge, Zeeland senior – Holds the top seed in the 500 freestyle (4:30.90) and third seed in the 200 (1:40.68) after taking fourth in both races a year ago.
Drew Grady, Birmingham Brother Rice senior – Finished second in the breaststroke and 10th in the 50 last season and might have the best chance of all his teammates to add an individual title with the seventh seed in the 100 (46.86) but the second, only hundredth of a second behind, in the breaststroke (57.98).
Jonathan Lee, Detroit Catholic Central sophomore – Should make a big jump after taking 13th in the breaststroke and qualifying in the IM as a freshman last season. Lee is seeded second in the IM (1:53.83) and first in the breaststroke (57.97) this weekend.
Trayton Saladin, Bridgman senior – The reigning champion in the 500 also finished ninth in the 200 free last season; he is seeded ninth in the 200 (1:44.16) and third in the 500 (4:40.70).
Gabriel Trevino, Zeeland junior – Finished sixth in the 100 freestyle and seventh in the IM in 2015, but enters this meet seeded first in the 50 (20.97) and fifth in the 100 (46.59).
Ryan Vander Meulen, Ann Arbor Skyline senior – Last season’s 200 freestyle champion in LP Division 2 will swim his final high school meet as the top seeds in LP Division 1 in the 200 (1:38.83) and 100 (45.92). He was second in the 100 in LP Division 2 last year.
Jake Herremans, Rockford senior – Posted the highest LP Division 1 Regional score by nearly 15 points after winning LP Division 1 Finals championships as both a sophomore and junior. His 528.45 score in 2015 is the meet record.
LP Division 2 at Saginaw Valley State University
Team contenders: Birmingham Seaholm has won the last two LP Division 2 titles but is ranked only fourth; top-ranked Dexter is the favorite to take the championship back after last winning in 2012 and finishing second in 2014. The Dreadnaughts have 14 top-16 seeds, including three top seeds, plus two divers after finishing third a year ago. Warren DeLaSalle, ranked second, has 19 top-16 seeds including two top seeds, and a diver. And don’t forget about fourth-ranked Seaholm, which has 12 seeded to score including two top seeds, plus the reigning diving champion and another who finished fourth at their Regional.
Scott Carstens, Battle Creek Lakeview senior – Finished fifth in the 50 and ninth in the backstroke last season and will look to finish his career with his first individual title; Carstens is seeded first in the 50 (20.97) and fifth in the backstroke (53.20).
P.J. Desmet, Warren DeLaSalle senior – Finished second in the backstroke and sixth in the butterfly last season and also is looking to go out with a first championship; he’s seeded first in the butterfly (51.58) and second in the backstroke (52.22) and also swims on the top-seeded 200 medley relay (1:35.38).
Graham Miotke, Rochester Adams sophomore – Should make a big jump after finishing 10th in the 500 and 14th in the 200 freestyle as a freshman. Miotke is seeded first in the 500 (4:36.96) by nearly nine seconds and fourth in the 200 (1:43.53).
Jacob Montague, Grosse Pointe South senior – The Blue Devils’ standout won Division 2 championships in the breaststroke and IM last season, setting meet records in both. He’s top-seeded in the breaststroke (56.96) and IM (1:49.40), by more than five seconds in the latter.
Nehemiah Mork, Midland Dow senior – The Dow speedster also won two races last season, the 50 and 100 freestyles. He’s seeded only third in the 50 (21.09) but only 12 hundredths of a second off the top, and first in the 100 (45.90) by more than a second.
Robbie Zofchak, Dexter senior – Part of the Dreadnaughts’ title hopes rest on Zofchak, last season’s champion in the backstroke (setting the meet record) who also finished second to Montague in the IM. He’s seeded first in the backstroke (50.44) and 200 freestyle (1:42.07) and swims on the top-seeded 400 freestyle relay (3:10.29).
Sebastian Fay, Birmingham Seaholm senior – He won last season’s championship by 9.9 points and is the favorite to repeat after posting the top Regional score in Division 2 by 39 points.
LP Division 3 at Eastern Michigan University
Team contenders: The last two LP Division 3 Finals have ended the same way – Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood first and Chelsea second, by 130.5 points last season but by only 25 and a few tenths in 2014. The top-ranked Cranes have 18 top-16 seeds including three top seeds this time. East Grand Rapids, the champion in 2013 and third-place finisher last season, is ranked No. 2 and also has 18 seeded to score with three top seeds, plus brings a Regional diving champion in junior Grant Williams. Chelsea is expected to remain in the hunt, ranked No. 3 and with 14 seeded to score including two top seeds, plus two divers.
Rudy Aguilar, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep junior – Posted four top-eight places in Division 1 over his freshman and sophomore seasons at Brother Rice, including runner-up finishes in the 200 and 500 freestyles last year. He’s seeded second in the backstroke (52.52) and seventh in the 100 freestyle (48.33) this weekend.
Christian Bart, East Grand Rapids sophomore – Finished second in the breaststroke and IM as a freshman and is seeded second in the breaststroke (58.07) and first in the IM (1:53.44) this time.
Skyler Cook-Weeks, Holland Christian sophomore – After finishing second in the 500 and sixth in the 200 freestyles as a freshman, Cook-Weeks is seeded first in both with a time of 1:43.17 in the 200 and 4:37.77 in the 500.
Giorgio DelGrosso, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood senior – The reigning champion in the breaststroke also finished third in the IM last season; he’s seeded first in the breaststroke (57.94) and second to Bart in the IM (1:57.46).
Andy MacGregor, East Grand Rapids senior – He won the 100 and 200 freestyles last season and also has been part of two championship relays over the last two Finals. He’s seeded second to Skyler-Weeks in the 200 (1:44.06) and also second in the 100 (46.95) by two hundredths of a second.
Joey Mangner, Chelsea junior – He’s seeded just ahead of MacGregor in the 100 (46.93) after finishing second to him in 2015, and also seeded first in the 50 (21.02) after winning that race last season.
Alec Nyboer, Hamilton senior – Set the LP Division 3 meet record in winning the butterfly last season and also took third in the backstroke; he’s seeded first in the butterfly (50.40) and third in the backstroke (53.15).
Joey Puglessi, Grand Rapids Catholic Central senior – The reigning champion in the backstroke set the meet record last season and is seeded first this weekend (52.37). He’s also seeded sixth in the 200 (1:46.99) after placing 13th a year ago.
Andrew Trunsky, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood senior – Trunsky was first in the 500 and third in the 200 freestyles as a junior and is part of a strong field in both again, seeded second in the 500 (4:42.65) and fourth in the 200 (1:45.25).
East Grand Rapids 200 freestyle relay – Half the names are new after last season’s meet record-setting victory in 1:26.06. But Bart and MacGregor will join junior Cade Vruggink and senior Mitchell McMahon in an attempt at going faster. They enter with a top seed time of 1:26.91.
Preview: Powerful Teams, Potential Record Setters Ready to Set Pace
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 10, 2022
An anticipation of dominance accompanies this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Boys Swimming & Diving Finals.
In Division 1, Ann Arbor Pioneer is loaded with high seeds as it attempts to repeat as champion. A closer team race is expected in Division 2, but Ann Arbor Skyline enters with similar high-seed credentials. And East Grand Rapids is the favorite again in Division 3 as its seeks Finals win No. 27. At least three relay records appear in the running to be broken, and we’ll say good-bye to some accomplished individual standouts including a pair of past champions in Division 3.
Preliminaries at all three Finals sites begin at noon Friday, with swimming and then diving, with Saturday championship events starting at noon. Tickets cost $11 each day and may be purchased for Divisions 2 and 3 exclusively at GoFan. (Division 1 tickets were assigned two per participant.) Both days of all three meets will be streamed live and viewable with subscription on MHSAA.tv.
Here’s a glance at team and individual favorites:
LP Division 1 at Holland Aquatics
Reigning champion: Ann Arbor Pioneer
2021 runner-up: Holland West Ottawa
2022 top-ranked: 1. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2. Northville, 3. Holland West Ottawa
The Pioneers have been considered the favorites to repeat all season long. They enter this weekend top-seeded in all three relays with five more top seeds over their 20 total individual entries seeded to score. West Ottawa, the 2019 champion, is expected to be back in the mix at the top with all three relays and six individual entries seeded to score. Northville jumped into the second spot in the final coaches association rankings and has a strong case with all three relays and 13 individual entries seeded to score. Pioneer and Northville also both have one diver competing.
Joshua Brunty, Saline senior: The top seed in the 100-yard breaststroke (57.02) also may swim on two top-four seeded relays. He was second in the breaststroke last season and swam on winning and runner-up relays. He also finished 13th in the 50 freestyle and will swim that again this weekend.
Ryan Gurgel, Canton junior: After placing third in the 200 individual medley and ninth in the 100 butterfly in 2021, he enters this weekend the top seed in the 200 freestyle (1:41.96) and seventh in the butterfly.
Ryan Hume, Ann Arbor Pioneer senior: Last season’s champion in the IM and runner-up in the 500 freestyle is the top seed in both at 1:50.92 and 4:33.39, respectively.
Kevin Maas, Holland West Ottawa senior: He won the 50, tied for second in the 100 free and swam on the winning 200 freestyle relay as a junior, and returns this weekend as the second seed in the 50 (21.14) and breaststroke (57.79) while likely also swimming on two of three third-seeded relays.
Gabriel Sanchez-Burks, Ann Arbor Pioneer junior: He competed at last season’s Finals in the 50, finishing 19th in qualifying, but he’s moved all the way up to having the top seed in that race this weekend (21.05) and the eighth seed in the 100.
Fletcher Smith, Huron Valley United senior: The reigning champion in the butterfly and seventh-place finisher in the 200 free, Smith is seeded fourth in the 200 (1:42.85) and third in the butterfly (50.35) this weekend.
Jack VanHowe, Rochester senior: The reigning champ in the backstroke is seeded first in that race (48.62) and third in the 100 free (46.19) after tying with Maas for second in that race a year ago.
Jack Wilkening, Ann Arbor Pioneer senior: He’ll look to build on his third place in the 100 backstroke and seventh place in the 50 from last season entering this weekend as the top seed in the 100 free (45.88) and second seed in the backstroke (49.17).
Robert Yang, Ann Arbor Pioneer senior: He’s the top seed in the butterfly (50.08) and 11th in the 50 and likely to swim on two top-seeded relays after finishing eighth in the butterfly and ninth in the 100 free in 2021.
Ann Arbor Pioneer’s 200 free relay: The expected lineup of Sanchez-Burks, seniors Harrison Sanders and Alex Farmer and Hume have a seed time of 1:23.97 that would rank as fifth-fastest in LPD1 Finals history and is just more than a second off the all-Finals record of 1:22.8 swam by Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in 1996.
Alex Poulin, Waterford United junior: Last season’s third-place diver won his Regional this time by 80.45 points with the highest score, 469.75, at any Division 1 Regional by 23.45.
LP Division 2 at Oakland University
Reigning champion: Birmingham Seaholm
2021 runner-up: Grosse Pointe South
2022 top-ranked: 1. Ann Arbor Skyline, 2. Grosse Pointe South, 3. Detroit U-D Jesuit
The preseason and midseason rankings both read Jesuit, South, Skyline, respectively, before Skyline jumped to the front heading into this week. Skyline was fourth in Division 2 last season and last won a Finals in 2018 in Division 1. Two of three Eagles relays are top seeded, as are four individual entries, and combined all three relays and 16 individual entries are seeded to score. South has all three relays and 11 individual entries seeded to score, plus the top-scoring diver from Regionals. Jesuit, which finished third last season, has all three relays and 11 individual entries seeded to score. Skyline also has a diver competing.
Christian Bouchillon, Detroit U-D Jesuit senior: He’s the top seed in the backstroke (50.17) and 10th in the IM after finishing 10th in the IM and fourth in the backstroke last season.
Charlie Bruce, Detroit U-D Jesuit senior: He won the 50, finished fourth in the 100 and swam on the winning medley relay in 2021, and enters this weekend seeded second in the butterfly (50.32) and fifth in the 50 (21.38).
Gianni Carlino, Grosse Point North senior: The reigning champion in the 500 is seeded first (4:39.51) in that race and second in the 200 free (1:43.30) after finishing sixth in the 200 last year.
Drew Collins, Detroit U-D Jesuit senior: He’s the reigning champ in the backstroke and was fourth in the 200 free last season. He enters this weekend seeded second in the backstroke (51.02) and fifth in the IM (1:55.67).
Michael Grover, Byron Center senior: The reigning breaststroke champion is seeded first (56.08) in that race and eighth in the IM after taking seventh in the latter last season.
Ben Kurniawan, Ann Arbor Skyline senior: He returns after finishing fifth in both the butterfly and IM in 2021. He’s seeded first in the butterfly (49.50) and second in the IM (1:54.42) with a chance at a pair of relay records as well.
Matthew Lee, Ann Arbor Skyline senior: He’s seeded first in the 50 (20.66) and second in the 100 free (45.61), coming off a 12th in the 50 last season. He also could be part of two record relays.
Evan McKelvey, Ann Arbor Skyline senior: He finished seventh in the 100 and fifth in the 200 as a junior and returns this weekend as the top seeds in both (49.69 and 1:39.77, respectively) and a possible leg of both record-pursuing relays.
Drew Vandeputte, Grosse Point South senior: He finished ninth in the IM and seventh in the breaststroke last season while also swimming on a winning relay. He returns as the top seed in the IM (1:54.30), fifth in the breaststroke (57.34) and as part of a top-seeded medley relay.
Ann Arbor Skyline’s 200 freestyle relay: The expected lineup of McKelvey, junior Jack Staunton, Kurniawan and Lee enters with a seed time of 1:23.69, which would best the LPD2 record by four tenths of a second.
Ann Arbor Skyline’s 400 freestyle relay: McKelvey, freshman Lucas Caswell, Kurniawan and Lee have a seed time of 3:04.36, which would break the LPD2 record by 37 hundredths of a second.
Logan Hepner, Grosse Pointe South junior: Last season’s diving runner-up won his Regional by nearly 55 points with a score of 548.15, the best at any Division 2 Regional by 49.05 points.
LP Division 3 at Calvin University
Reigning champion: East Grand Rapids
2021 runner-up: Holland Christian
2022 top-ranked: 1. East Grand Rapids, 2. Holland Christian, 3. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
East Grand Rapids will look to add to its record 26 Lower Peninsula Finals championships, making the short drive with all three relays and 12 individual entries seeded to score plus the reigning Finals champion diver and another competing. Holland Christian will attempt to take back the top spot after most recently winning back-to-back in 2018-19. The Maroons also have all three relays and 12 individual entries seeded to score, plus two divers competing. Cranbrook most recently won four straight Finals from 2014-17, and finished third last season. The Cranes have all three relays but only seven individual entries seeded to score – although two are top seeds.
Erik Bolang, Pinckney senior: This will be his second Finals as he swam the IM and 500 as a freshman, and Bolang enters this time as the top seed in the IM (1:54.84) and second seed to teammate Tyler Ray in the butterfly (49.66). He’s also slated to swim on the top-seeded medley relay.
Charles Brown, Spring Lake senior: He’s hoping to take the final step after finishing second in both the 50 and butterfly last season. Brown is seeded first in the 50 (20.54) and third in the butterfly (49.68).
Andrew Dobrzanski, Milan senior: The reigning breaststroke and IM champion also won the former as a sophomore and set the LPD3 Finals record in that race of 54.67 last season. This time he is seeded first in the 200 free (1:41.56) and second in the breaststroke (56.26).
Tyler Ray, Pinckney senior: The reigning butterfly champion could double or triple his individual championship number as the top seed in both that race (48.89) and the backstroke (50.34). He’s also part of that top-seeded medley relay.
Ethan Schwab, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood junior: Last season’s runner-up in the 500 and breaststroke (and a medley relay champion), Schwab is seeded first in both individual races in 4:43.42 and 55.59, respectively.
Ben Sytsma, Grand Rapids Christian sophomore: He finished seventh in the 50 and swam on three scoring relays as a freshman, and this weekend enters as the top seed in the 100 free (46.41), second in the 50 (21.06) and as part of top-seeded 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
Charley Bayer, East Grand Rapids senior: The reigning champion diver posted a score of 520.80 to win his Regional by 97.3 points and pace all of Division 3 by 38 points.
PHOTO A pair of swimmers launch side-by-side during a relay at last season's Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)