Preview: Champs Return for More
November 17, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A total of 17 past MHSAA individual champions will lead the charge into this weekend's Lower Peninsula Girls Swimming & Diving Finals, which begin with preliminaries at noon today.
Among those reigning winners, 10 seniors are hoping to finish by climbing the awards podium one more time – and they and many more will attempt to do so with their teammates as well.
Below is a look at team contenders and top individuals to watch at all three Finals. All three will be broadcast live on MHSAA.tv and covered with stories posted to Second Half later Saturday evening. Click for full meet information including times and event orders.
LP DIVISION 1 at Oakland University
Farmington Hills Mercy finished first or second every season from 2011-14 before falling back to third place last fall, but could be the favorite as it seeks a ninth MHSAA Finals championship. The Marlins have 12 individual swim entries and two relays seeded in scoring range among the top 16 in their respective events, plus a diver competing. Reigning champion Ann Arbor Skyline has similar numbers going for it – 11 individuals and three relays in scoring position (including a top seed) and a diver. And Saline should also be in the mix again after finishing second last season, 2013 and 2011 and winning in 2009, 2010 and 2014. The Hornets have the reigning champion diver plus all three relays and seven individuals seeded among the top 16 – and four of those swim seeds are ranked first in their events.
Emma Cleason, Ann Arbor Skyline senior – Last season’s champion in the 200-yard individual medley (and fourth-place finisher in the 100 butterfly) enters this weekend seeded sixth in the IM (2:06.13) and fourth in the butterfly (56.13).
Emma Curtis, Grand Blanc senior – Curtis has won the 50 freestyle the last two seasons and also was fifth in the 100 last season; she’s seeded third in the 50 (23.33) this time and fifth in the 100 (51.28).
Morgan Kraus, Rockford sophomore – After finishing 10th in the butterfly and eighth in the backstroke in 2015, Kraus is expected to make a big jump seeded fourth in the backstroke (56.75) and first in the butterfly (54.40); she also swims on the top-seeded 200 medley relay (1:45.33).
Maddie Luther, Saline sophomore – She posted a strong freshman finish in the distance events placing sixth in the 200 and fourth in the 500 last fall, and enters this weekend seeded second in the 500 (4:52.6), first in the 200 (1:49.83) and swimming on the top-seeded 200 freestyle (1:36.19) and 400 freestyle (3:29.69) relays.
Katie Minnich, Farmington Hills Mercy junior – Minnich has won the backstroke the last two seasons and also was seventh in the IM last season. She’s seeded first in the backstroke (55.51) and fifth in the IM (2:05.70) this time.
Georgia Mosher, Ann Arbor Skyline junior – The reigning champion in the 500 also finished third in the breaststroke last fall; she’s seeded first in the 500 (4:51.2) and third in the breaststroke (1:04.17) this weekend.
Sydney McDowell, Rockford senior – The reigning breaststroke champion (and 12th-place finisher in the IM) will look for a strong finish seeded fifth in the breaststroke (1:04.43), eighth in the IM (2:07.36) and while competing as part of that top-ranked 200 medley relay with Kraus.
Nicole Pape, Rochester Adams senior – The Division 2 IM champion in 2014, she finished second in that race and the butterfly last season in Division 2 as well and is seeded third in the IM (2:04.98) and sixth in the breaststroke (1:05.15) this time in Division 1.
Taylor Seaman, Brighton senior – The 2014 champion in the 100 freestyle came in second in that race and fourth in the 200 last season, but is seeded this time second in the 100 (50.81) and first in the 50 (23.21).
Lizzy Spears, Saline junior – She’s another expected to make a big jump after finishing 10th in the breaststroke and fourth in the IM in 2015; she’s seeded first in the IM (2:02.58), fourth in the breaststroke (1:04.40) and will swim on the top-seeded 400 free relay with Luther.
Erin Szara, Northville senior – She finished 11th in the breaststroke last season, but is seeded first in that event (1:03.57) with a time three seconds faster than what she raced at the 2015 Final; she’ll also swim the IM.
Ashley Turak, Farmington Hills Harrison sophomore – She finished fourth in the 50 and sixth in the 100 freestyle in Division 2 last season, and with the jump to Division 1 also has jumped to the second seed in the 50 (23.32) and top seed in the 100 (50.62).
Laura Westphal, Northville senior – She finished second in the 500 last season to Mosher after winning that race at both the 2013 and 2014 Finals. Westphal also finished second in the 200 freestyle and enters this weekend seeded second in that race (1:50.86) and eighth in the 500 (5:01.82).
Camryn McPherson, Saline senior – McPherson moved up from runner-up in 2014 to diving champion in 2015 and will seek a repeat after posting the best Regional score in Division 1 by 28 points.
LP DIVISION 2 at Eastern Michigan University
Dexter emerged last season for its first team championship since 2002 and looks good to double the celebration. All three relays are seeded among the top seven, and nine individuals are seeded among the top 16 with two top seeds plus a diver competing. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central is seeking its first MHSAA title since 1994 and first top-two finish since 2007. All three Rangers relays and 11 individuals are seeded to score, and divers took the top two spots and three of the top eight at their Regional. Forest Hills Central finished third last season and Birmingham Seaholm was fifth, but the Maples could make a move toward their first title since 1997. All three relays are seeded sixth or higher (including one seeded first), 16 individuals are seeded among the top 16 in their events (with two tops seeds) and two divers also will be in the mix.
Julia Boswell, Royal Oak junior – After finishing fifth in the 500 and 12th in the IM in 2015, Boswell enters this weekend seeded second in the IM (2:08.34) and first in the 500 (5:03.43) by nearly five seconds.
Felicity Buchmaier, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central junior – The reigning champion in the butterfly and runner-up in the backstroke is seeded second in the butterfly (56.46) and sixth in the backstroke (57.39).
Haley Dolan, Birmingham Seaholm junior – Dolan swam on two top-three relays last season but didn’t make the championship heats in her individual event, the 50 free. But she’s now the top seed in the 50 (24.25) with a time more than a half-second better than what she swam at the 2015 Final, and will also swim the 100 freestyle (54.62) and on all three relays including the top-seeded 200 freestyle (1:38.25).
Freyja Garbaccio, Okemos senior – She finished fourth in the butterfly and ninth in the backstroke last season, but this season is seeded first in the butterfly (56.29) and also will swim the IM (2:12.85).
Vicki Postmus, Byron Center senior – After finishing eighth in the IM and 11th in the butterfly in Division 1 last fall, Postmus moves to the Division 2 meet as the top seed in the IM (2:06.78) and fifth in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.87).
Gabby Rosely, Walled Lake Northern junior – Rosely finished fourth in both the backstroke and IM last season and is seeded to improve as third in the IM (2:09.46) and first in the backstroke (55.87).
Allie Russell, Birmingham Seaholm senior – Russell finished fifth in the IM and just missed winning the breaststroke, coming in 17 hundredths of a second out of first place to finish second last season. She’s seeded sixth in the IM (2:11.06) and first in the breaststroke (1:05) this time.
Annette Schultz, Dexter junior – Schultz was voted “swimmer of the meet” by coaches last season after winning both the 100 and 200 freestyles and swimming on the winning 200 medley relay; she’s seeded first in the 100 (52.33) and 200 (1:51.41) and will swim on two top-seven relays this weekend.
Anna Hansen, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central sophomore – Two-time reigning diving champion Erin Neely has had to miss her final high school season with an injury, but teammate Hansen could keep the championship with the Rangers after posting the highest Regional score in Division 2 (416.65).
LP DIVISION 3 at Holland Aquatics Center
Division 3 has a different look this fall with East Grand Rapids and Bloomfield Hills Marian back in the mix after finishing second and fourth, respectively, in Division 2 in 2015. The Pioneers won Division 3 in 2013 and 2014 and come in with all three relays and an incredible 26 individual seeds among the top 16 in their events – including two top seeds – plus five divers. Marian is right there too with two top-seeded relays and the third with a third seed, plus 19 individual top-16 seeds including four more tops in those events. Pushing for another strong finish is reigning champion Grand Rapids Catholic Central; all three relays are seeded to score, as are seven individual entries (one top seed).
Lauren Biglin, Bloomfield Hills Marian junior – Marian’s distance standout was third in the 500 and fifth in the 200 at last season’s Division 2 meet, and enters Division 3 as the top seed in both (5:03.23 and 1:53.35) plus a contributor on top-seeded 200 and 400 free relays.
Ileah Doctor, East Grand Rapids junior – Doctor finished second in the 50 and fourth in the 100 for Jenison in Division 2 last fall but enters third in the 50 (23.66) and first in the breaststroke (1:05.36) this time.
Gabby Higgins, East Grand Rapids senior – After winning both the 100 and 50 in Division 3 as a sophomore, Higgins finished third in both races in Division 2 last season while also helping winning 200 and 400 relays. Back in Division 3 again, she’s seeded fourth in the 50 (24.10), third in the 100 (52.82) and will swim on both relays, which are both seeded second.
Riley Kishman, Grand Rapids Catholic Central senior – Kishman owns two championships in the IM, two in the breaststroke and last season won the latter and the 200 freestyle plus swam on winning 200 and 400 free relays. She’s seeded second in the breaststroke (1:06.15) and 200 freestyle (1:55.82) this time and will swim on the 400 free and 200 medley relays.
Susan LaGrand, Grand Rapids Catholic Central junior – LaGrand won the butterfly as a freshman and then both the butterfly and IM and swam on the first-place 400 freestyle last season; she's seeded to repeat in the IM (2:09.81) and sixth in the butterfly (58.77).
Karlee Marsh, Tecumseh senior – After winning the 100 and finishing second in the 200 freestyle last season, Marsh is seeded fourth in both (53.59 and 1:57.63) and will swim on two top-seven relays.
Meghan Peel, Spring Lake senior – Peel finished fourth in both the 100 freestyle and backstroke last season but enters this weekend seeded first in the butterfly (57.84) as well as the backstroke (58.40).
Sophia Schott, Bloomfield Hills Marian senior – She won the 50 in Division 2 the last two seasons and was second in the 100 a year ago; now in Division 3, she’s seeded first in the 50 (23.46) and 100 (52.10) and will join Biglin on the two top-seeded relays.
Evelyn Vandemark, Alma senior – The reigning champion in the 500 also finished seventh in the butterfly last season; she’s seeded fifth in the 500 (5:21.48) this time and also will swim the 200 (2:00.81).
Mackenzie Crawford, Milan sophomore – Crawford posted the top Division 3 Regional diving score by 19 points and finished 29.45 ahead of the field at her event.
PHOTO: Grand Rapids Catholic Central's Riley Kishman pushes toward the finish in winning the 100 breaststroke at last season's Lower Peninsula Division 3 Final. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Rising Harper Creek Reaping Rewards
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
October 17, 2017
BATTLE CREEK — With a reward dangling in front of them, the Harper Creek swimmers had extra motivation at the All-City Girls Swimming & Diving Meet two weeks ago.
They turned in one of their best performances of the season and captured the title for the first time in school history, earning an opportunity to toss coach Corrin Buck into the pool to kick off the celebration.
“We had a team discussion and planned it ahead of time,” senior captain Jena Wager said. “It’s like when a team wins a league or state meet pouring Gatorade over the coach.”
Harper Creek finished ahead of perennial power Battle Creek Lakeview, 476-452. Lakeview had won the previous 14 All-City championships.
Buck was prepared for the dip.
“In 22 years (as Harper Creek’s coach), it’s only the second time I was dunked,” she said. “I told them going in, this is a very big deal. If we actually do win, I will let you throw me in. My assistants and I brought extra clothes just in case.
“One of the things for us is that we’d never beat (Lakeview).”
The Beavers now have their sights set on another first: Winning the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference in two weeks.
“We’ve never won a league championship yet,” Buck said.
Meanwhile, her athletes continue to qualify for the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Swimming & Diving Finals to be held Nov. 17-18 at Eastern Michigan University.
To date, seven girls have qualified individually or as part of relays.
Sophomore Alysa Wager has qualified in three individual events (100-yard butterfly, 100 breaststroke, 50 freestyle) and three relays (200 medley, 200 free, 400 free).
As a freshman, she swam a school record 58.75 in the 100 fly, already reaching one of her goals.
“It was one of the oldest records on the board,” she said. “That was one of my big goals last year, to get on the board.
“We (junior Elizabeth Wolfe, the Wagers and senior Taylor Root) also set the 200 free relay record (1:42.51) last year.”
Jena will compete in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke as well as on the three relays.
The other Finals qualifiers are Wolfe (100 free, three relays), junior Madeleine Brown (400 free relay), freshman Sarah Thompson (500 free, 200 free relay), senior Kelsea Popps (200 medley, 200 free relay) and senior Megan Kusler (diving).
Family ties
Both Wagers have MHSAA Finals experience, Alysa getting hers as a freshman and Jena all three years to date.
“I learned don’t be scared,” Alysa Wager said. “Just race your race and a good outcome will happen. I was top 16 (12th in fly, 16th in 50 free).
“It wasn’t one of my best swims, but I think it was because I let some of the other guys get in my head. This year it’s gonna be different.”
Jena said she learned it takes more discipline than she thought.
“I had a couple years hit or miss with my goals, and it made me realize you have to have discipline: eating, sleeping and training to keep your body in shape.”
The Wagers are among four pairs of sisters on the team. The others are Madeleine and freshman Megan Brown, seniors Taylor and Sabriya Root, and Elisabeth and freshman Hanna Wolfe.
“I had to talk to all these girls that once you walk in the door, you are no longer sisters, you are teammates,” Buck said. “No bickering.
“You can’t take this stuff home, either. You have to make sure you are good teammates, and I think they all do that well.”
Buck has experience dealing with siblings. Her daughters Kelsea and Kara Popps also were on the team together. Kara is now a junior on Saginaw Valley State’s team.
“It was very exciting to be able to share that part of mom and coach, as much as it was very difficult,” Buck said. “Kelsea is doing a great job of handling that pressure.
“They’ve both had to deal with some tough things. Kara always said ‘I’m going to make sure everyone knows I earned this spot.’ She worked her tail off and so does Kelsea.”
Kelsea Popps, who started swimming at age 4, said she likes having her mother as her coach.
“I’ve never known anything different. It’s my favorite thing. I get to know what’s for dinner in the middle of practice. I never have to come home to a surprise,” Popps said.
“There are times when it kind of combines. If I’m having a bad day she’s like, ‘Which role do I play right now?’ For the most part it’s coach in the pool, mom at home.”
Popps also said one of her goals was to beat her sister’s records.
“Kara was always faster than me, so we never swam in the same lanes,” she said. “It was fun having a sister as a leader on the team. It helped me a lot.
“She has some (school) records and I wanted to take them down, but it’s not looking like that will happen.”
Learning from a Master
Buck, who also is a physical education teacher at the school, provides a wealth of experience to the Harper Creek program.
She was a 12-time All-American at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, swimming the breaststroke and individual medley.
She said she was surprised when she came to Battle Creek that so many people had already heard of Slippery Rock, then discovered the school’s football scores were often announced at University of Michigan home football games.
She still swims both races in United States Masters Swimming events and has competed in numerous national meets.
“I don’t have much time to swim right now,” she said. “I joke that these are my four months of being a putz.
“As soon as we wind down here, I get in the water and start training. I’m definitely very involved in my swimming.”
She also does aquatic bicycling and lake open water swimming.
“When I talk to the kids about a drill or a stroke or a set, I can say a lot of times, I did that this summer so zip it, you can handle it. Let’s go,” she said.
When Buck was hired at Harper Creek in 1995, she had some work to do.
“We had very few kids, and the work ethic wasn’t there,” she said. “All the kids were like, ‘What? We’re gonna like swim all the time?’ It was definitely an adjustment, and some kids were like they didn’t want to do it, they just wanted to have fun.
“In those 22 years, we really went from having nothing and being in the bottom of the league to being in the top one or two.”
She said one of the biggest boosts is having a middle school program.
“The group I have right now has a lot of good experience. They’re coming out of our middle school if they’re freshmen,” she said. “Back in the day, I used to have to teach kids how to swim, how to dive, how to breathe to the side, how to blow bubbles.
“Lately, I think because of our middle school program and our club program, most of the kids come in with the ability to swim. I very rarely have a brand new person.”
Jena Wager said one of Buck’s best traits is “she’s really good at being able to determine what’s best for each person. She finds each person’s strengths and works with that.”
Others on the team are seniors Kennedy Lewis, Shereelyn Reed and Inga Sprengel, juniors Marie Luedtke and Haley VanScoder, sophomore Kennedy Kreger and freshman Maddie Piper.
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Battle Creek Harper Creek celebrates its first All-City championship Sept. 30. (Middle top) Sisters Jena, left, and Alysa Wager. (Middle below) Jena Wager swims the backstroke at the All-City meet, winning the event in 1:04.13. (Below) Harper Creek coach Corrin Buck, top, and Kelsea Popps. (Celebration and action photos courtesy of the Battle Creek Enquirer; Wagers head shots courtesy of Harper Creek's athletic department, and Buck and Popps by Pam Shebest.)