Rice Wins Close Race to 4th Straight Title
March 11, 2017
By Dan Stickradt
Special for Second Half
ROCHESTER HILLS — High expectations.
Attending a prestigious school such as Birmingham Brother Rice, where academics and athletics success stories are the norm and somewhat expected, Andrew Biskup understands the pressures that came with the tradition-rich territory.
Biskup and his classmates exceeded those expectations during their prep careers at Brother Rice, and that all culminated Saturday at Oakland University.
The Warriors pulled away from a tight field over the final couple of events to capture their fourth consecutive MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals championship in boys swimming & diving.
“We had guys that swam at Rice 10 years ago. This shows how deep our tradition really goes and the expectations we have here,” said Biskup. “I knew we could be big, but we definitely exceeded my expectations of what I thought could be possible. We’ve always had a great program here at Rice, and it’s great to carry on our tradition.”
Top-ranked and senior-laden Rice collected 238 points to edge Ann Arbor Skyline (212), Saline (202), Novi (196) and Holland West Ottawa (190) in a field where just 48 points separated the top five teams.
Zeeland Unified (177), Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (113), Northville (105), Ann Arbor Pioneer (99) and Grandville (98) rounded out the top 10. A total of 35 schools scored points.
Brother Rice, which features 14 seniors and eight who scored points at the Finals, joined some elite company with the fourth straight title. The Warriors became only the ninth program in MHSAA lore to win at least four straight Finals championships.
“I don't think they understand the magnitude of what they have accomplished because they are so grounded,” offered veteran coach Mike Venos. “They are a humble group of kids that work so hard. Winning four straight titles, in any sport, is extremely difficult.”
East Grand Rapids holds the record of 15 straight Class B-C-D crowns from 1948-1962. Bloomfield Hills Andover won eight straight (1990-97), EGR also completed seven straight (1976-82), Battle Creek Central seven consecutive (1931-37), Ann Arbor Pioneer six straight (1977-82), Ann Arbor University High five straight (1942-46), Brother Rice five straight (1994-98), Saline four straight (2010-13) and now Rice the past four Lower Peninsula Division 1 championship meets.
Additionally, Marquette captured 12 straight crowns in the Upper Peninsula tournament (1991-2002).
This marked Rice’s 11th MHSAA title overall dating back to 1994, and sixth with Venos as head coach. Venos also recorded a Finals runner-up as head coach at Rice and served as assistant for two title teams at Bloomfield Hills Andover.
Rice is now fourth on the all-time list with its 11 total MHSAA Finals championships in boys swim and dive. Only East Grand Rapids (25), Ann Arbor Pioneer (18) and Battle Creek Central (16) have more in the sport.
Brother Rice opened the day with a win in the 200-yard medley relay, as Mason Wilczewski, Biskup, Alex Margherio and Jack Grady joined forces for a 1:31.72 clocking.
Margherio, a junior, came back to win the 100 backstroke, in 48.46 seconds. Grady, Patrick Olmstead, Wilczewski and Margherio capped the meet with a victory in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:04.25.
“This is just a great feeling. This team is so close,” said Margherio. “We have a great senior class — 14 of them and eight that scored — and some good (underclassmen). This is what our goal was since last year.”
Rice held the lead entering the final event and just needed a top-eight finish to hold onto the lead.
“I knew we had the lead. I just wanted us to time our (exchanges right and not disqualify),” said Venos. “I knew if we placed high, we’d win the meet. They came back and actually won the relay.”
Novi’s Camden Murphy won the 200 individual medley (1:48.99) and 100 butterfly (46.63), the latter in a new MHSAA Division 1 and All-Division Finals record. Headed to the University of Georgia, Murphy won two events and placed on two top-eight relays (second in the 200 medley relay and fifth in the 400 freestyle relay).
“The butterfly has always been my favorite event, so to finally win it my senior year is incredible,” said Murphy. “(The Oakland County meet) put me in a really good place, and that kind of gave me some extra confidence that I carried over the rest of the season into today.”
Holland West Ottawa’s Spencer Carl defended his crowns in the 200 freestyle (1:37.08) and 500 freestyle (4:26.89).
“Last year winning the 200 free wasn't expected. I won by .01 last year. This year I was expected to go out and defend it. I don't think I had my best race. It didn't go exactly how I wanted it to, but I still won,” Carl said. “I wanted to go out a state champion again, and that was my ultimate goal.”
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central sophomore Henry Schutte won the 50 freestyle (20.38) by less than three tenths of a second. Then he came back to win the 100 freestyle (45.27).
“I was runner-up in the 50 free last season, so I thought I’d have a chance this season,” noted Schutte. “I thought I had a great race. I wasn't sure how it would turn out being a sophomore. I just love the sport and love to (compete).”
Saline’s foursome of Matt Lau, Josh Willwerth, Greg Winning and Daniel Keith won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:25.01, with Keith pumping his first after he surged past Brother Rice down the stretch. He credited hard work coupled with divine influence for the Hornets’ relay win.
Lau also touched first in the 100 breaststroke (56.37).
“We knew we’d have a chance in that relay. It was wide open and we pulled it off,” said Keith. “It really boils down to us stepping up and it’s all to the glory of God. He’s the one who decides who wins these races. We’re thankful to him that we won a relay state championship like some of the other great Saline swimmers before us.”
Skyline sophomore Henry Schirmer captured the one-meter diving event with 470.15 points, ahead of Lake Orion freshman Alexander Brent (416.55 points).
The Eagles posted their highest D-1 Finals finish and did so with only one senior who scored points.
“I was new this year, and we asked the boys to change everything. At the beginning of the season we never anticipated this,” said first-year Skyline coach Maureen Isaac. “They came a long ways this season with such a young team. I don't think anyone would have thought we’d take second here with (mostly underclassmen). We had a senior place 15th in one event and swim on one of our relays. Everyone else will be back next year.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Swimmers launch during Saturday's Division 1 Finals at Oakland University. (Middle) Birmingham Brother Rice stands on the champion’s podium with its latest trophy. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Diving & Depth Help Deliver EGR's Latest Finals Win
By
Dan D'Addona
Special for Second Half
March 27, 2021
HOLLAND — The East Grand Rapids boys swimming & diving team was devastated when last year’s MHSAA Finals were canceled.
The Pioneers were poised to win and immediately set out on a mission to claim the Lower Peninsula Division 3 title this season.
East Grand Rapids won Saturday’s meet with 308 points despite not winning any swimming events.
Of course, diving was another story.
EGR started strong on Friday, going 1-2 in diving with Charley Bayer winning with 490 points, just ahead of teammate Billy Kirchgessner (472.90). Chelsea’s Mitch Brown was third (450.05).
“Everything started flowing together, and it all worked out in the meet for us,” Bayer said. “That is our biggest advantage. Having a teammate that good can push you, and we pushed each other. It is a blessing to be part of a program like this. This team win is the most important in a long time because we wanted a big win last year and it didn’t happen. This was a redemption win.”
The Pioneers earned their record 26th Finals win with their depth and relays.
In the 200-yard freestyle relay, East Grand Rapids finished second in 1:26.89 with Will Laham, Max Jung, Kenny Pontius and Logan McCahill posting the runner-up finish.
“Last year was traumatic. We had a lot of kids work so hard and we had a good chance to win it. This year, just getting to get to the meet was a plus, but to win it without taking any swimming firsts spoke well for the group,” EGR coach Butch Briggs said. “Diving got us 37 points, and you can’t do much better than that. It just got everyone pumped up.”
Holland Christian finished second with 218.5 points. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood was third (194), Spring Lake was fourth (196) and Mason was fifth (162).
Holland Christian senior Colin Kalkman won the title in the 100 freestyle, finishing in 45.72. He used a strong finish to pull ahead of runner-up Jacob Ryan (45.92) of Detroit Country Day. Trenton’s Spencer Boling-Hamer was third (47.24).
Kalkman then won the 100 backstroke in 50.96, holding off Pinckney’s Tyler Ray (51.09) and East Grand Rapids’ McCahill (51.45).
The Maroons also won the 400 freestyle relay with Joey Grasman, Christian Hoeksema, Blake Assink and Kalkman touching first in 3:09.58. Spring Lake (3:09.73) was second, followed by Mason (3:10.67).
“That was fantastic to win the final relay. They did what they had to do,” Holland Christian coach Todd Smeenge said. “I am happy for all the seniors, and Colin had a great meet. I am so happy for him. It was satisfying to see that work pay off. We scored about what we thought, but East Grand Rapids ate up all kinds of points.”
The fastest race of the meet was the 100 breaststroke, where the top three finishers bettered the previous Division 3 record. Milan’s Andrew Dobrzanski won the event in 54.67, followed by Cranbrook Kingswood’s Ethan Schwab (55.46) and Otsego’s Owen Stedner (55.85).
Dobrzanski also won the 200 IM in 1:50.07, a dominating performance that beat the field by nearly four seconds. Grand Rapids Christian’s Jacob Haaksma was second (1:53..94), followed by McCahill (1:55.17).
Dobrzanski was named Swimmer of the Meet .
“It means a lot. I was shocked when I saw my name up there,” Dobrzanski said. “The breaststroke was amazing with all of the competition.”
Cranbrook Kingswood won the 200 medley relay in 1:34.97 with Colin Zexter, Ethan Schwab, Josh Zexter and Andrew Zhang. Spring Lake was second (1:35.51), followed by East Grand Rapids (1:37.63).
Trenton’s Spencer Boling-Hamer won the 200 freestyle in 1:42.21, ahead of Grasman (1:42.40) and Mason’s Jonas Cantrell (1:42.49).
Detroit Country Day’s Ryan dropped nearly half a second from his seed time to win the 50 freestyle in 20.58, holding off Spring Lake’s Charles Brown (20.71) and Mason’s Gabe Williams (21.68) in an extremely fast race.
Pinckney’s Ray was the winner in the 100 butterfly, going 49.23 to hold off Spring Lake’s Brown (49.80) and Mason’s Liam Boomer (50.48).
Cantrell won the 500 freestyle in 4:27.58, ahead of Cranbrook Kingswood’s Schwab (4:35.14) and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep’s Griffin Gushman (4:41.64).
Mason’s Williams, Tommy Hebert, Boomer and Cantrell won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:26.52, ahead of East Grand Rapids (1:26.89) and Grand Rapids Christian (1:27.13).
PHOTOS: (Top) East Grand Rapids celebrates its team championship Saturday at Holland Aquatic Center. (Middle) Milan’s Andrew Dobrzanski won the breaststroke and 200 IM. (Below) Cranbrook’s Andrew Zhang looks up at the clock after a race. (Click for photos by Dan D’Addona.)