Marlins 3-Peat In Closest of Finishes
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
November 23, 2019
HOLLAND – This weekend’s MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Girls Swimming & Diving Final came down to a back-and-forth tussle between Farmington Hills Mercy and Ann Arbor Pioneer.
In the end, the winner was decided by less than a point.
Mercy collected its third consecutive Finals championship with a thrilling win Saturday afternoon at Holland Aquatic Center. The Marlins edged Pioneer, 298-297.5. Saline took third (197.5), while Rockford placed fourth (179.5).
“I’m getting too old for this,” Mercy coach Mike Venos joked. “But I’m never going to complain about a state championship and these girls held it together mentally, which is something we’ve been working on with this senior group for four years. Just learning to control the things in their control, and that’s coming in here swimming fast and diving well.
“Pioneer swam fantastic today, and if it would’ve been a tie for both of us that would’ve been great because honestly, they deserve it as much as we do.”
Top-ranked Pioneer was seeking its first team championship since a string of nine in a row ended in 2008.
The Pioneers won the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:34.75) and the 400 free relay (3:25.31).
“Going into today we decided we were going to take it one race at a time, and we were going to try and do everything we could,” Pioneer coach Stefanie Kerska said. “We were going to control our controllables, and we did that really well.
“I’m super proud of the way they handled themselves in a tough moment to be in, and they handled themselves very gracefully with a lot of grit. That’s all you can ask of them.”
Mercy junior Greta Gidley won the team’s lone individual championship. She raced to victory in the 100 free in a time of 50.53 seconds and bested Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Lucy Mehraban (50.86) by the slimmest of margins.
“I woke up this morning at 6 a.m. because I couldn’t go back to sleep, and all I could think about was this is a dream team and I will never be on a team as great as this one,” Gidley said. “The whole time, there was never a doubt in my mind that we could not do it, that we couldn’t win it again.
“This team is closer than it’s ever been before, and I think that has helped. We’re all best friends, and we train together and dive together. That just makes it that much better.”
The Marlins won last year’s Final by 11 points over Harrison-Farmington.
“I thought last year was close, and this was even closer now,” senior Julia Coffman said. “I couldn’t imagine doing this with any other people, and it’s like a dream. This is the most incredible group I’ve ever been around, and I’m savoring this moment.
“We train with Pioneer, and we are close with them and they put their hearts into it. They are a great team, but today we were just a little better.”
Hudsonville senior Claire Tuttle pulled off the three-peat in the 100 breaststroke and nearly set a new meet record in the race. Tuttle clocked a time of 1:00.79, nearly besting Miranda Tucker, who swam a 1:00.56 in 2014.
Tuttle also won the 50 free in 22.80 seconds.
“My expectations were to just do the best I could and support my team,” Tuttle said. “I really wanted to go for Miranda Tucker’s state record, but she’s also insanely fast and it’s an honor to be that close to her.
“I didn’t expect to do as well as I did in the 50 free, but that was insane, and I just feel beyond blessed that I’ve been able to be a part of such a supportive team and to make these friendships that have lasted throughout high school and have gotten me through so much. It’s sad to see it all go, but I’m excited for the new beginning (at the University of Michigan ).”
Grand Haven senior Kathryn Ackerman ended her high school career in style by capturing a pair of individual titles to finish with five at the Finals.
She won her third straight 200 individual medley (1:57.61) championship while also coming out victorious in the 100 back (54.70).
She also helped her team finish runner-up in the 400 free relay.
“I was pretty happy with all my swims,” Ackerman said. “It was a little bittersweet to go into my last meet, so there were a lot of emotions. I was just hoping to go out there and have fun and get close to my best times, and I was. It was fun to have that comeback at the end and have that be my last swim as a Buccaneer.”
Grand Ledge senior Lola Mull became a three-time winner in the 500 free with a time of 4:55.02, while Ann Arbor Skyline senior Allison Haak won the 200 free (1:50.65) and Northville freshman Emily Roden won the 100 fly (55.43).
Ann Arbor Huron junior diver Annie Costello avenged her runner-up finish at last year’s Final and put forth a dominating effort with a winning score of 424.40.
Top-seeded Rockford (Sara Kraus, Masy Folcik, Rachel Gamm and Ashley Lund) held off Pioneer to win the 200 medley relay (1:42.40).
PHOTOS: (Top) Farmington Hills Mercy cheers on its 400 freestyle relay, which finished third to give the team a ½-point overall championship win. (Middle) Hudsonville’s Claire Tuttle swims to her third-straight 100 breaststroke championship. (Below) Grand Haven’s Kathryn Ackerman swims to her third-straight title in the 200 IM. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
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.