Preview: Annual Contenders Aim for Top Finish Again
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 12, 2021
No team has won more Upper Peninsula boys swimming & diving championships than reigning Finals champ Marquette’s 26.
Similarly, no team has finished second more than Sault Ste. Marie’s 19 runner-up finishes, to go along with four titles.
Those two stand to contend for the top two places again at this weekend’s event – order to be determined.
Diving is Friday at all swimming Saturday – click for more meet details. Both will be streamed live and viewable with subscription on MHSAA.tv.
Here’s a glance at team and individual favorites:
Reigning champion: Marquette
Reigning runner-up: Sault Ste. Marie
Marquette broke Houghton’s two-season championship streak in 2020, finishing ahead of Sault Ste. Marie by 117 points. Prior to Houghton’s two-year run, Marquette had won four straight titles from 2014-17 – which followed Sault Ste. Marie’s most recent championship, in 2013.
Maverick Baldwin, Marquette sophomore – The top seed in the 100-yard freestyle (54.76) and fourth in the 50 (24.80) was second in the 50 as a freshman.
Morgan Burd, Sault Ste. Marie senior – He’s returning after winning the backstroke and individual medley and swimming on two championship relays in 2020. This time he’s seeded first in the 50 (23.18) and backstroke (57.63), the latter by nearly eight seconds.
Davin Evans, Houghton junior – He added a breaststroke championship last season to a relay title from freshman year, and also was third in the IM in 2020. He enters this weekend top-seeded in the IM (2:20.21) and second in the breaststroke (1:05.62).
Liam McFarren, Marquette sophomore – He kicked off his high school career with a championship in the 100 free and runner-up finish in the IM last season, and this weekend he’s top-seeded in the 200 free (2:00.83) and butterfly (1:00.48) both by six seconds.
Archer Olson, Houghton junior – One of three double individual champions last season, Olson will attempt to repeat in the 200 and 500 freestyles and is the second seed in both (2:06.67 and 5:37.01, respectively).
Colin Vanderschaaf, Marquette sophomore – Another standout Marquette sophomore, Vanderschaaf is seeded first in the 500 (5:24.65) by more than 12 seconds as well as the breaststroke (1:05.41).
Marquette 200 freestyle relay – A group with no seniors won last season’s event, with senior Hobey Manson, junior Bobby Caron and McFarren back as possibilities to swim it this weekend.
Cameron Bauers, Sault Ste. Marie senior – Last season’s diving runner-up also swam on the winning 200 medley relay and is slated to swim the 50 on Saturday as well. He also was fourth in diving as a sophomore and third as a freshman.
PHOTO: Swimmers launch during a race at the 2019 Upper Peninsula Finals at Marquette High School. (Click for more from Jarvinen Photos.)
- Boys Basketball
- Girls Basketball
- Boys Bowling
- Girls Bowling
- Competitive Cheer
- Gymnastics
- Ice Hockey
- Boys Swim & Dive
- Girls Swim & Dive
- Wrestling
- MHSAA News
MHSAA Announces Sites, Schedule Details for Winter Indoor Sports Finals
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 10, 2021
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has confirmed sites for its indoor Winter sports championship rounds, including an adjustment for the Individual Wrestling Finals that will allow more fans to attend that event after an increase in spectators limits was put into effect March 5 by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
The Individual Wrestling Finals previously were announced to be competed in full at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo. However, a change moving two divisions to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids will allow for more fans, primarily immediate family, to attend. Previously, wrestlers were to be limited to one spectator per participant; with multiple sites, wrestlers will be allowed multiple spectators each.
Similarly, Van Andel and the Breslin Center in East Lansing will host additional events to allow more fans to attend championship rounds in competitive cheer and girls and boys basketball. Both facilities have capacities of more than 10,000 spectators and may host up to 750 per MDHHS guidelines.
The Competitive Cheer Finals will move to Breslin Center to allow more fans to attend compared to other venues that were being considered. Semifinals in girls and boys basketball will be split by divisions between Breslin Center and Van Andel Arena, in part to provide for greater attendance and also to keep those rounds scheduled to just two locations instead of spreading games across a number of others.
The following are sites and schedules for Finals weekends for the remaining MHSAA Tournaments this winter, with further updates to be posted to the MHSAA Website:
Girls Basketball
Where: Division 1 and 3 Semifinals at Breslin Center in East Lansing. Division 2 and 4 Semifinals at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. All four Finals will be played at Breslin Center.
When: Semifinals are April 7, with Divisions 3 and 4 beginning at 10 a.m. at their respective sites followed by Divisions 1 and 2 at 3:30 p.m. Finals on April 9 will be played at 10 a.m. (D4), 12:30 p.m. (D1), 3 p.m. (D3) and 5:30 p.m. (D2).
Boys Basketball
Where: Division 1 and 3 Semifinals at Breslin Center in East Lansing. Division 2 and 4 Semifinals at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. All four Finals will be played at Breslin Center.
When: Semifinals are April 8, with Divisions 3 and 4 beginning at 10 a.m. at their respective sites followed by Divisions 1 and 2 at 3:30 p.m. Finals on April 10 will be played at 10 a.m. (D4), 12:30 p.m. (D1), 3 p.m. (D3) and 5:30 p.m. (D2).
Girls & Boys Bowling
Where: Division 1 at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Division 2 at Century Bowl in Waterford, Division 3 at Jax 60 in Jackson and Division 4 at Super Bowl in Canton.
When: Team Finals are Friday, March 26, and Singles Finals are March 27. Both events begin at 8 a.m.
Competitive Cheer
Where: Breslin Center, East Lansing
When: Friday, March 26 – Division 3 at 10 a.m., Division 1 at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 27 – Division 2 at 10 a.m., Division 4 at 3 p.m.
Gymnastics
Where: Rockford High School
When: Team Finals on Friday, March 26, beginning at 2 p.m. Individual Finals on March 27, beginning at noon.
Ice Hockey
Where: USA Hockey Arena
When: Semifinals on Thursday, March 25, for Division 2 beginning at 4:30 p.m., and March 26 for Divisions 1 and 3 with first games for those divisions beginning at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively. All three Finals will be played March 27, at 11 a.m. (D2), 3 p.m. (D3) and 7 p.m. (D1).
Boys Swimming & Diving – Lower Peninsula
Where: Division 1 at Hudsonville High School, Division 2 at Jenison High School, Division 3 at Hamilton High School (diving) and Holland Aquatic Center (swimming).
When: Diving on Friday, March 26, and all swimming Finals are March 27. Start times are being determined.
Girls & Boys Swimming & Diving – Upper Peninsula
Where: Marquette High School
When: Diving this Friday, March 12, 2:35 p.m. Swimming is Saturday, March 13, beginning at 11:05 a.m.
Wrestling – Team
Where: Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Divisions 2 and 4 in the Arena and Divisions 1 and 3 in the Valley for pre-Finals rounds. All Finals in the Arena.
When: March 30. Quarterfinals will be followed by Semifinals and Finals, with start times to be determined.
Wrestling – Individual
Where: Divisions 1 and 3 at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo. Divisions 2 and 4 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.
When: Divisions 2 and 3 on Friday, April 2. Divisions 1 and 4 on Saturday, April 3. Starts times are being determined.