Pair of Relay Champs Set Pace as Pioneer Runs Finals Win Streak to 5
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
November 23, 2024
HOLLAND – The end of a high school career couldn’t have been scripted any better for Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Reese Heidenreich.
The senior standout swam the first leg of the final event of her career and set the tone in a 400-yard freestyle relay victory.
It was the exclamation point on a day that saw the Pioneers dominate once again en route to a fifth-straight Lower Peninsula Division 1 swimming & diving championship at Holland Aquatic Center.
"An amazing way to cap off my career,” Heidenreich said. “It’s bittersweet because it's my last year, but I wouldn't want to end it any other way.”
Pioneer finished with an astounding 386 points to finish well ahead of runner-up Jenison (222). Northville (165) placed third and Grand Haven (142) was fourth.
It’s the second-longest title streak in program history behind the 2000-08 teams that won nine consecutive Finals.
“We were favored coming in and favored all season, but the girls weren't complacent and they didn't take anything for granted,” Pioneer coach Stefanie Kerska said. “They showed up every single day as if they were the underdogs, and I really respect their work ethic and how they conducted themselves in and out of the pool each day.”
Pioneer’s supreme depth was on full display as it didn’t have an individual event winner.
The Pioneers did, however, also win the 200 freestyle relay with the foursome of Heidenreich, Katelyn Van Ryn, Ursula Ott and Meg Pinkerton.
“We really come together in relays, and that’s what makes us our best and that’s where we shine,” Heidenreich said. “We can lean on each other and support each other. The 400 relay at the end was the highlight of the day because it took so much grit and teamwork to pull that out.”
Ott said the team takes pride in continuing to live up to the tradition of Pioneer swimming.
“It just pushes us to be better and get more and more state titles under our belt,” she said. “This team is truly amazing, and I love everyone on it. I think just the closeness is what drives us to be our best. We just always come together and support each other, and it's just really sweet and amazing to see.”
In addition to its three relays and three divers, Pioneer had 26 individual entries seeded to score (among the top 16 in their events).
“I’ve been doing this for a really long time and I can't remember a more fun or functional team that I've worked with,” Kerska said. “It’s the culture, it's the tradition and it’s the senior leadership. They just want it for each other so badly, and it's never about them. It’s only about the team and the program, and you go a long way when you have kids like that.”
The win was a culmination of a work ethic that is second to none.
“This victory is just a testament to the hard work of every single person on this team as well as the coaches that pour so much effort and energy into this program,” Heidenreich said. “To see us come out on top again just really validates all the hard work.”
Jenison tied for its highest finish in school history after also placing runner-up in Division 2 two years ago.
“To come up a division and be second here is just a testament to how awesome these girls swam and dove the last two days,” Jenison coach Kyle Stumpf said. “This was the best Day 2 I’ve been a part of in 10 years, and every single spot was held or moved up.
“We knew Pioneer was going to be loaded and have lots of depth, so you can only control what you can control. And I told the girls we can't control how other teams swim, so let's just swim and dive the best we can and see where the chips fall. It was awesome to see their hard work all season pay off, and this was a great team to coach.”
Senior Sophia Umstead led the Wildcats and capped a stellar high school career with two more individual titles, in the 200 individual medley (1:59.98) and 100 breaststroke (1:00.72).
She also was a member of the winning 200 medley relay and finished her career with six individual and five relay championships.
“It’s been an amazing four years, and I’ve had such a great experience swimming with this team,” Umstead said. “I don't know what I would've done without Jenison swimming, and I’m very happy to come out here and swim fast with my team. It was a great experience.”
West Bloomfield junior Elizabeth Eichbrecht repeated as champion in the 200 freestyle (1:48:48) and 500 freestyle (4:51.87) events, while Zeeland junior Madison Ensing won the 50 freestyle (22.94) and 100 freestyle (50.11).
West Ottawa’s Mackenzie Baldwin took top honors in the 100 backstroke, while Kalamazoo Central’s Maggie Spybrook finished first in the 100 butterfly.
Oxford senior Tristan Krajcarski won the diving portion of the meet with a final score of 432.60.
PHOTOS (Top) Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Ursula Ott swims the breaststroke during Saturday’s Division 1 Finals at Holland Aquatic Center. (Middle) A Jenison swimmer competes during the 200 medley relay. (Below) Racers power through the backstroke Saturday. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
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.