East Grand Rapids Caps Undefeated Season with 23rd Finals Title
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
November 20, 2021
GRAND RAPIDS – Butch Briggs doesn't think the phenomenal postseason success enjoyed by his East Grand Rapids girls swimming & diving program ever gets old.
But there is one stark difference in the Pioneers capturing 23 Finals championships over his 47 years of coaching.
"No, it doesn't get old – I get old," admitted Briggs after EGR added another Lower Peninsula Division 3 championship Saturday at Calvin University. "Every minute goes a little faster, and with the kids there is no difference. They just keep coming in every year. I've always enjoyed the commitment they give.
"With this team there has never been any drama, and some years there has been drama. Talent-wise, we're probably as good as we've been, but the difference is depth. It's probably our deepest team."
That depth was evident in the Pioneers’ third championship win in four years and fifth over the last eight. In all, EGR has now won eight Division 3 Finals crowns to go along with 15 in Class B. The first came in 1978. EGR, which never trailed after the first event Saturday, finished with 444 points followed by Bloomfield Hills Marian with 198. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingwood was third with 165.5, and Holland Christian fourth with 144.
The Pioneers, who finished the season unbeaten, snagged only one individual swim event by Sophie Williams in the 100-yard backstroke (58.19), but they did win the 200 medley relay (1:47.25) and 400 free relay (3:31.14) while diver Ava Jendritz (449.80) also won. Additionally, EGR had three seconds and one third place.
Williams, one of the team's four senior captains, helped two relays to firsts, won the backstroke and was seventh in the 100 freestyle. She agreed with Briggs that depth was the team's strength.
"We're so strong in every class. It's just not one class; we're very well-rounded. We have some girls who only swim one event, but there are others who could do it," she said. "(Being a favorite) is a little scary, but we also say when it comes to the end, we trust each other's work and we look forward to having fun."
Among the other individual champs was Plainwell's Riley Nugent, who captured the 500 free (5:04.35) and 200 free (1:52.83). She won the 500 at all four Finals during her high school career.
"Last year was kind of unusual, but I've been training for this for a long time," Nugent said. "I knew I could finish in the top eight, and I just wanted to swim my best race. I'm super happy that things worked out. This is always a big meet, and I was comfortable coming into it."
While Nugent was a senior in her last meet, Standish-Sterling's Scarlet Maison, a freshman, struck gold in her first championship in winning the 200 individual medley (2:08.360. Maison said her success in the USA Swim program enabled her to win Saturday.
"There was a lot of pressure, but I've been to a lot of USA meets," she said. "I knew I could swim well against good competition; I have confidence. You just have to be true to yourself and have confidence in the work you've done."
Julia Waechter of Marian was a double winner in the 100 free (51.06) and 50 free (23.74).
The other firsts were gained by Flat Rock's Lauren McNamara in the 100 butterfly (56.23) and Ginger McMahon of Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.85).
McNamara, whose time was a personal best, said she liked her chances of touching the wall first.
"That's the goal; that's usually the goal," she said. "I've worked toward this all season. I'm real happy."
McMahon also won the breaststroke as both a freshman and junior. She said her goal wasn't necessarily becoming a three-time champ.
"It's more about fun and love of sport," said McMahon, who will swim at Arizona State next season, "I wanted to use this as training for Winter Junior Nationals. But it's nice to see a lot of others I know here. It's a lot of fun."
PHOTOS by High School Sports Scene.
East Grand Rapids Claims 7 Event Wins and 7th Finals Title Over Last 8 Seasons
By
Teddy Rydquist
Special for MHSAA.com
November 18, 2023
ROCHESTER – East Grand Rapids captured its seventh MHSAA Finals girls swimming & diving championship over the last eight seasons Saturday by totaling 420 points at the Lower Peninsula Division 3 meet at Oakland University.
The title was East Grand Rapids’ fifth in Division 3 since 2016, with the Pioneers also having added Division 2 victories in 2017 and 2022.
Winning seven of the 12 events Saturday, including all three relays, East Grand Rapids was led by junior Kate Simon, who was victorious in both the 100 and 200-yard freestyles and was a member of the 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams, earning herself the Swimmer of the Meet honor from the Michigan Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association.
“It’s really cool, especially for East. We’re such a good team, and they always have a good team,” Simon said of the honor.
“It’s cool to do it under Butch, too.”
While the Pioneers had a couple of young athletes in freshman Addie Hein and sophomore Ellery Chandler play valuable roles Saturday, Simon pointed to the leadership of the Class of 2024 as a major reason why this team continued to thrive.
“I think the seniors and the captains have been really good leaders,” she began. “They’ve really brought our team together, and I think made this team such good friends.”
The “Butch” Simon referenced is legendary head coach Milton “Butch” Briggs, with Saturday’s triumph representing the latest accomplishment in a long line of success for one of the sport’s most accomplished program leaders.
Even with all of the winning the program has done under his watch, his 2023 Pioneers still found a way to make themselves special and stand out from some of his teams of years past.
“What makes this group special is we lost the first two meets of the year, and we hadn’t lost a dual meet in quite a few years,” Briggs shared. “So just to watch this group of girls come together, not only as athletes, but as friends and as people.
“We had a few of our age group coaches step up and help with the program this year, and it made us a lot more complete on depth. It was just fun to be around them; it was the best part of my day.”
Like Simon, Chandler was part of two relay teams for East Grand Rapids and tallied an individual victory in the 100 breaststroke with an All-American consolation qualifying time of 1:03.17.
Alongside Hein and Simon, Chandler is a member of the promising core the Pioneers figure to return in 2024 and she delivered a smiling, humble response when asked about her individual success.
“It feels good to have my hard work pay off and get to do it as a team,” Chandler said.
East Grand Rapids also took home first place in 1-meter diving, courtesy of senior Maria Colombo’s score of 441.4. Addy Buck, her Pioneers classmate, was right behind her in second place at 390.9.
Rounding out the top-five teams Saturday were Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood with 219 points, Bloomfield Hills Marian (214), Milan (163) and Holland Christian (145).
Freshman Camryn Siegers won the 100 backstroke for Holland Christian at 55.37 seconds, and Flat Rock senior Lauren McNamara touched the wall first in both the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley, posting times of 55.68 and 2:05.59, respectively.
PHOTOS (Top) East Grand Rapids launches during a relay exchange Saturday at Holland Aquatic Center. (Middle) Flat Rock's Lauren McNamara swims to the championship in the 200 individual medley. (Below) EGR's Ellery Chandler surges to the win in the 100 breaststroke. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)