Preview: Powers May Reign, But Many Have Chances to Shine
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 18, 2021
Powerhouse programs appear set to rule again at this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Girls Swimming & Diving Finals.
Ann Arbor Pioneer in Division 1, Birmingham Seaholm in Division 2 and East Grand Rapids in Division 3 will enter Friday’s preliminaries with large groups of contenders seeded among the top 16 in their respective events.
But one of the best parts of this weekend’s meets is the opportunity that provides – placers up to 16th score points, and hundreds will have that opportunity. Among returning event champions and this weekend’s top-seeded individuals alone, 28 schools are represented – with many more likely to celebrate one or more placers climbing the podium.
Competition begins at noon for Friday’s preliminaries and Saturday’s championships. Friday’s action will begin with swimming, with divers taking the pool approximately 3 p.m. at all three sites.
Spectator limits – two tickets per Finals qualifier – will be in place in Divisions 1 and 3, but all three Finals will be streamed live on MHSAA.tv both days with an announcer calling Saturday’s action. Click for lineups and seed times for all three meets.
Lower Peninsula Division 1 at Holland Aquatic Center
Reigning champion: Ann Arbor Pioneer
2020 runner-up: Farmington Hills Mercy
2021 top-ranked: 1. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2. Northville, 3. Brighton.
Pioneer won last season’s championship, its first since 2008, with exactly double the points (368) of the next closest placer. This could be quite an encore, as 21 entries and all three relays are seeded to score, all three relays are among four top seeds, and a scoring diver also is returning. Northville was third last season and is seeking its first team championship with all three relays and nine individuals seeded to score. Brighton was fourth a year ago and has some possibilities as all three relays and 11 individuals enter in scoring positions.
Stella Chapman, Ann Arbor Pioneer junior: The reigning champion in the 100-yard backstroke also took fourth in the 200 individual medley last season and swam on the winning 400 freestyle relay. She seeded second in the backstroke (55.84), fourth in the IM (2:07.64) and likely will swim on two top-seeded relays.
Lily Cramer, Ann Arbor Pioneer senior: She could be in line for at least one individual championship after swimming on two winning relays both last season and in 2019, and coming in fifth in the IM and eighth in the 100 breaststroke as a junior. She seeded first in the 200 freestyle (1:48.50) and second in the breaststroke (1:02.16) and is likely to swim on two top-seeded relays as well.
Sophie Curtis, Grand Blanc senior: She’s seeking to join her two-time title-winning older sister Emma with her first trip to the top of the podium, seeded first this weekend in the 100 freestyle (51.15) and fourth in the backstroke (57.13). She finished third in the 100 and sixth in the backstroke last season.
Brady Kendall, Plymouth senior: The reigning champion in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly is seeded first in both races with times of 23 seconds and 54.02, respectively.
Abby Marcukaitis, Middleville Thornapple Kellogg senior: After finishing fourth in the backstroke and ninth in the 50 last season, Marcukaitis also enters her final high school races with a chance at a first title. She’s seeded first in the backstroke (55.63) and 14th in the 50.
Emily Roden, Northville junior: She won the butterfly as a freshman and then finished fourth in that race and third in the 200 freestyle last season. She returns as the top seed in the IM (2:04.43) and second in the butterfly (55.11).
Victoria Schreiber, Brighton junior: After finishing runner-up in both the 200 and 500 freestyles last season, she’s the top seed in the 500 (4:58.43) just ahead of teammate Annika Geyer (4:58.52) and third-seeded in the 200 free (1:52.19).
McKenzie Siroky, Livonia Stevenson junior: The reigning champion in the breaststroke is the top seed in that race (1:00.86) and second-seeded in the 50 (23.04), just four hundredths of a second outside the top spot in the latter race.
Vivian VanRenterghem, Ann Arbor Pioneer senior: An individual champion in the 200 free and winner as part of the 400 free relay the last two seasons, VanRenterghem is likely to swim on two top-seeded relays and is seeded fifth in the 200 free (1:53.22) and sixth in the 100 (51.96). She also was 10th in the backstroke as a junior.
Ann Arbor Pioneer 200 medley relay: All three Pioneer relays have posted seed times that would place them among the fastest in LPD1 history in those respective races. But a medley relay likely made up of Chapman, seniors Amelia Weyhing and Holly Pringle and junior Sophia Guo might have the best chance at chasing a record. Their seed time of 1:43.57 would fall in fifth all-time in LPD1, with the record 1:42.40.
Megan Jolly, Rockford sophomore: Jolly scored a 454.05 at her Regional at Hudsonville to win by just under 118 points. Her score also was the best from any of the Division 1 Regionals by 11 points.
Lower Peninsula Division 2 at Oakland University
Reigning champion: Birmingham Seaholm
2020 runner-up: Rochester Adams
2021 top-ranked: 1. Birmingham Seaholm, 2. Grand Rapids Northview, 3. Rochester Adams.
Seaholm has won the last two Division 2 team titles and three of the last five with a 2018 runner-up finish in that mix as well, and prevailed last season with two relay winners but without an individual event champion. The Maples have all three relays and 14 individual entries seeded to score, plus a diver, and likely is the team to chase again. Northview finished third last season and is hoping to make a jump with all three relays and 10 individual entries seeded to score. Adams finished 46 points off the lead a year ago and is the most recent not-Seaholm champ, having edged the Maples in 2018. The Highlanders have two relays and nine individual entries in scoring position to start the event. Skyline is an interesting contender as well with three relays and nine individual entries seeded to score including three top seeds, plus two divers.
Grace Albrecht, Jenison sophomore: She made her Finals debut with a win in the 50 and sixth place in the 100 freestyle, and will return seeded second in both races in 23.76 and 52.50 seconds, respectively.
Karen Austin, Birmingham Groves senior: Last season’s runner-up in the 500 (and fifth-place finisher in the IM) will be looking to take the last step up the podium as the top seed in the 500 (4:59.29) and fifth in the IM (2:09.17).
Angelina Baker, Portland Northern senior: The reigning champion in the 500 is second-seeded this time but only 61 hundredths of a second off the top at 4:59.90. She’s also seeded seventh in the butterfly (57.67) after finishing fourth in that race last season.
Lily Cleason, Ann Arbor Skyline junior: She was runner-up in the backstroke and seventh in the 200 free as a sophomore, but is seeded first in both this weekend in 55.22 and 1:51.75, respectively.
Samantha Clifford, Birmingham Seaholm junior: She piled plenty of points toward the team title last season swimming on two winning relays and finishing second in the 100 free and third in the 200. She’s been part of three relay champs total over her first two seasons and could add an individual title seeded first in 100 (52.25) and second in the 200 (1:52.51).
Addy Forbes, Grand Rapids Northview sophomore: Another freshman champion last season, she won the backstroke and finished fourth in the IM. She’s seeded third in the backstroke (58.04) and seventh in the IM (2:10.06) this time.
Tess Heavner, Fenton freshman: She could be the next freshman Finals champ, entering seeded first in the breaststroke (1:03.91), second in the IM (2:05.85) and slated to swim on the top-seeded 200 medley relay.
Claire Kozma, Ann Arbor Skyline senior: A past placer at the LPD1 Finals, she enters her final meet for Skyline as the top seed in the 50 (23.64) and sixth in the butterfly (57.47).
Gracie Olsen, Fenton senior: She will be looking to finish her Fenton career with a few more championships to go with the four she’s earned over the last three seasons. Olsen has won the butterfly the last two Finals and is seeded first at 55.25. She’s also seeded first in the IM (2:02.85) after winning that race as a freshman. She won the 200 free her sophomore season before finishing runner-up in that race as a junior.
Hannah Williams, Portage Northern junior: A multi-event champion as a sophomore could add to her titles in the 200 free and breaststroke. She’s seeded second in the breaststroke (1:04.32) and 12th in the 200 this time.
Caroline Li, Okemos junior: She finished diving runner-up last season and as a freshman, and enters this weekend having posted the second-highest Division 2 Regional score of 463.05.
Lily Witte, Dexter junior: The two-time champion in Division 2 posted the highest Regional score last week of 472.25 and also will be swimming the 50 and potentially on the 200 free relay.
Lower Peninsula Division 3 at Calvin University
Reigning champion: Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
2020 runner-up: Hamilton
2021 top-ranked: 1. East Grand Rapids, 2. Bloomfield Hills Marian, 3. Holland Christian.
After not competing at last season’s Finals, East Grand Rapids could add to its record 23 championships – and most recently won four straight in either Division 3 or 2 from 2016-19. The Pioneers have all three relays and 21 individual entries seeded to score, plus three strong divers competing. Marian was third last season and won its most recent Finals title in 2014 in Division 2. With three relays and 11 individual entries seeded to score, plus a diver, the Mustangs should have an opportunity to move up. Holland Christian finished fourth last season and could climb with strong relays leading the way.
Gwen Eisenbeis, Williamston senior: The reigning champion in the 50 and runner-up in the backstroke is seeded second in both the 50 (23.79) and 100 free (51.71).
Scarlet Maison, Standish-Sterling freshman: She’ll make her Finals debut in the IM and breaststroke and is top-seeded in the former (2:09.07) and third-seeded in the latter (1:07.02).
Ginger McMahon, Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett senior: The breaststroke champion as both a freshman and junior, and runner-up in the IM last season as well, she enters this weekend top-seeded in the breaststroke (1:04.21) and seventh in the butterfly (1:00.27).
Lauren McNamara, Flat Rock sophomore: She finished third in the butterfly and 12th in the IM last season and is expected to make a jump in both as the top seed in the butterfly (56.98) and seventh in the IM (2:13.21).
Riley Nugent, Plainwell senior: She will swim for a rare fourth championship in the same race after winning the 500 freestyle her first three seasons. She’s seeded second in that race (5:11.35) and eighth in the 200 free (1:58.56) after finishing third in the latter last season.
Erika Pietras, Grosse Ile senior: She’s another strong distance swimmer, coming off a runner-up finish in the 500 and fourth place in the 200 last season. She’s seeded first this time in the 500 (5:08.36) and fifth in the 200 (1:56.14).
Sarah Rott, Grand Rapids Catholic Central sophomore: The top seed in the 200 free (1:56.14) and sixth in the 100 (53.72), she was fifth and tied for ninth, respectively, in those races last season.
Alina Stanczak, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep senior: She finished fourth in the backstroke and seventh in the 100 free last season and could finish with her first title, entering the weekend top-seeded in the backstroke (58.96) and 10th in the 100.
Julia Waechter, Bloomfield Hills Marian senior: After climbing the podium with her 200 medley teammates as a freshman, she will have multiple opportunities to finish with individual titles. Waechter is seeded first in the 50 (23.64) and 100 (51.40) and will swim on the top-seeded 200 free relay and second-seeded 400 free relay. She was third in the 50 and fourth in the 100 last season.
Ava Jendritz, East Grand Rapids sophomore: Three East Grand Rapids divers finished among the top five at the Hamilton Regional, and Jendritz led the way for all of Division 3 with a score of 442.50.
Abigail Sullivan, Otsego senior: She was third at the Hamilton Regional with a 408.65, but won last season’s Finals championship by nearly 110 points with a 455.50.
PHOTO: Contenders launch during last season's Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Preview: Racing Toward Greatness Again
November 21, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
This weekend’s Lower Peninsula Girls Swimming & Diving Finals will welcome a handful of reigning title winners and even a few record holders from past championship meets. As is often true, the team races will feature annual powers among the forecasted contenders.
But if there’s a more intriguing common theme connecting all three Finals, it’s the large group of individual contenders who have been on the verge of reaching the podium’s top step – and will have their best opportunities yet to finish the climb for the first time.
The Division 1 Final will be hosted by Holland Aquatic Center, while Divisions 2 and 3 both will be competed at Oakland University. Preliminaries are Friday and Finals are Saturday, and all three Finals will be streamed live and can be watched with subscription on MHSAA.TV. Division 1 competition begins at noon both days, while Division 3 begins at 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday and Division 2 begins at 5 p.m. both days. Click for lineups and seed times for all three meets.
LP Division 1 at Holland Aquatic Center
Reigning champion: Farmington Hills Mercy
2018 runner-up: Brighton
2019 top-ranked: 1. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2. Farmington Hills Mercy, 3. Saline.
Pioneer is seeking its first team championship since ending a string of nine straight in 2008, and after finishing seventh at a close meet in 2018 that saw the top seven teams separated by just 39 points. The Pioneers have three relays and 13 individuals seeded to score (among the top 16 in their events). Mercy has won the last two LP Division 1 championships to bring its total this decade to four, and the Marlins have a returning placing diver, three relays and nine individuals seeded to score – with a number of additional individuals seeded just outside the top 16. Saline is seeking its first title since 2014 and will bring two relays and 12 individuals seeded to score, plus four divers after coming in fifth in 2018. Fourth-ranked Rockford was the 2016 champion and came in fourth last season. The Rams enter this weekend with all three relays and seven individuals seeded to score, but might get an additional boost because it should compete for at least a handful of championships – two of three relays are top-seeded.
Kathryn Ackerman, Grand Haven senior: The three-time Finals champion is looking to finish with at least two more individual titles while also swimming on two relays. She’s the top seed in the 200-yard individual medley (2:01.65) after winning that race the last two years and swimming the all-Finals record (1:57.25) in 2018. She’s also the fourth seed in the 100 backstroke (57.22); last year she also swam and won the butterfly.
Greta Gidley, Farmington Hills Mercy junior: As a sophomore, Gidley finished sixth in the 100 freestyle, 16th in the 200 free and swam on two placing relays. She could take things up a notch or two entering as the top seed in the 100 (51.02) and the second seed in the IM (2:06.06) while again expecting to swim on two contending relays.
Allison Haak, Ann Arbor Skyline senior: Haak is another returning placer expected to make a jump this weekend after coming in fifth in the 100 and sixth in the 200 free and swimming on two placing relays in 2018. She’s seeded first in the 200 (1:50.68), second in the 500 (4:58.60) and set to swim again on two contending relays.
Amelia Hayes, Saline sophomore: Hayes is the top seed in the backstroke (56.26) after finishing third in that race as a freshman, and 12th in the IM after just missing the final heats last year. She did swim on two top-three relays at the 2018 Final, and her two relays this time are both seeded sixth or higher.
Brady Kendall, Plymouth sophomore: Kendall was another standout freshman a year ago, finishing third in the 50 and fifth in the butterfly and swimming on two consolation relays. She’s seeded second in the 50 (23.42) and first in the butterfly (54.53) this weekend, her latter time eight tenths of a second off the all-Finals record swam in 2017.
Lola Mull, Grand Ledge senior: Mull is seeking a three-peat in the 500 and seeded first (4:54.42) as she also goes after her all-Finals record time of 4:44.47 swam two years ago. She also was runner-up last year in the 200 free and is seeded third (1:52.37) in that race.
Claire Tuttle, Hudsonville senior: Tuttle also is swimming for a three-peat after winning the breaststroke the last two seasons. She’s seeded first in that race (1:01.55), just under a second off the all-Finals record time swam in 2014. Tuttle also is seeded first in the 50 (23.34) after finishing fourth in the 100 last year, and is expected to also swim on two top-four relays.
Rockford 200 medley relay: Seniors Masy Folcik and Rachel Gamm, junior Sara Kraus and sophomore Ashley Lund enter with a top seed time of 1:43.84 and could make a run at the LPD1 Finals record of 1:43.10 swam in 2016. Kraus, Folcik, Lund and then-senior Morgan Kraus won the race last season in 1:43.72.
Annie Costello, Ann Arbor Huron junior: Costello finished fourth in diving at the Final as a freshman and runner-up a year ago, less than eight points off the lead. Her 431.40 winning score was more than 27 points higher than anyone’s in LPD1 at any of the three qualifying meets last week.
LP Division 2 at Oakland University
Reigning champion: Rochester Adams
2018 runner-up: Birmingham Seaholm
2019 top-ranked: 1. Birmingham Seaholm, T-2. Birmingham Groves, T-2 Grosse Pointe South.
Seaholm missed out on a second championship in three seasons last fall by 30 points, but enters this weekend the favorite with all three relays seeded second in their races and 16 more individual seeds among the top 16 in those respective events. Groves hasn’t finished among the top two at a Final since winning four straight Division 2 titles from 2003-06, but this could be the year for serious contention again. Groves has all three relays and seven individuals seeded to score, plus three divers including a 2018 placer. Grosse Pointe South is seeking its first top-two finish after missing by six points last season while placing third. The Blue Devils could be a force for the next few years; this weekend they bring three relays and 12 individuals seeded to score, plus two divers, and nearly all of their contenders are underclassmen.
Elly Belmore, St. Clair Shores Lakeview sophomore: Belmore finished fifth in the breaststroke and ninth in the IM last season as a freshman, and could have an even more memorable weekend this time. She’s seeded first in the breaststroke (1:06.25) and second in the IM (2:07.37).
Sage Gettings, Holland senior: After finishing fourth in the 50 and third in the butterfly a year ago, Gettings is seeded first in the butterfly (56.66) and also will swim the 100. She’s also part of two top-11 seeded relays.
Madeline Greaves, Farmington junior: Greaves finished third in both the IM and butterfly in Division 1 last season as part of the Harrison/Farmington co-op. She’s seeded first in both of her races this weekend, but a different combination – the IM (2:05.38) and 500 (5:00.26).
Claire Newman, Midland Dow senior: The Chargers’ standout will look to add a few more titles to last season’s championships won in the 50 and 100 freestyles. She’s seeded first in both races (23.00 and 50.40, respectively), with her 100 time 81 hundredths of a second off the meet record swam in 2017. She’s also part of top-seeded 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
Gracie Olsen, Fenton sophomore: Olsen had a memorable freshman year meet last year winning the IM, finishing second in the butterfly and swimming on two scoring relays. This time she’s seeded fourth in the butterfly (57.43) and second in the 200 free (1:52.49), with spots on two seventh-seeded relays.
Charlotte Schultz, Dexter junior: After swimming to a fifth place in the 500, sixth in the 200 free and on two scoring relays last season, Schultz is seeded first in the backstroke (58.81) and also sixth in the 200 (1:55.51). She’ll also swim on two top-seven seeded relays.
Hannah Williams, Portage Northern freshman: Williams enters her first MHSAA Final as the top seed in the 200 free (1:51.21) by more than a second. She’s also seeded ninth in the 100 free (53.62) and will swim as part of two top-six seeded relays.
Kamila Podsiadlo, Walled Lake Western junior: Podsiadlo rose from sixth as a freshman to champion last season, winning the title by more than 16 points. She finished second at her Regional to Dexter’s Lily Witte (see below).
Lily Witte, Dexter freshman: Witte has won five junior national championships and earned fourth and sixth places at the 2019 Junior Pan American Championships. Her qualifying meet score last week of 467.90 was more than 25 points higher than anyone else’s in Division 2.
LP Division 3 at Oakland University
Reigning champion: East Grand Rapids
2018 runner-up: Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
2019 top-ranked: T-1. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, T-1. Bloomfield Hills Marian, 3. East Grand Rapids.
East Grand Rapids has won six of the last 10 Division 3 championships, plus a seventh in Division 2 in 2017 to make the Pioneers’ current streak three Finals titles in a row. They scored 330 points last year to win by 46, and enter this weekend with all three relays and 14 individuals seeded to score plus a returning placer in diving. Cranbrook won three of the four Division 3 titles EGR didn’t over the last decade and enters with all three relays and 12 individuals seeded to score – including three tops seeds – plus a placing diver from 2018. Marian was fourth last season after finishing runner-up in 2016 and 2017. The Mustangs will be in the mix of what could be a close meet with three relays and 13 individuals seeded to score.
Ellie Frost, South Haven junior: Frost won the 50 and finished third in the 100 freestyle last season, and she’s expected to score big in both again. She’s seeded first in the 50 (23.83) and sixth in the 100 (53.65).
Justine Murdock, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood junior: After winning the backstroke championship a year ago, she’s seeded first in that race (57.58). She’s also seeded second in the IM (2:10.05) after finishing fifth last season, and is part of top-seeded 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.
Riley Nugent, Plainwell sophomore: Last season’s 500 champion also came in seventh in the 200 free and swam on a scoring relay. She’s seeded first in the 500 (5:01.89) and 200 (1:53.28) this time and swimming on two relays seeded to score.
Mary Snyder, Bloomfield Hills Marian sophomore: Snyder started her high school Finals career by finishing fourth in the breaststroke, eighth in the IM and as part of two scoring relays including the champion in the 200 medley. She’s seeded first in the IM (2:09.87), second in the breaststroke (1:06.86) and will swim on two second-seeded relays.
Emily Solarski, Tecumseh senior: Solarski will look for a strong finish to her high school career seeded first in the butterfly (56.89) and also swimming the 50 and as part of two top-five seeded relays.
Alysa Wager, Battle Creek Harper Creek senior: Wager posted a second place in the butterfly and third in the breaststroke and also swam on two scoring relays last season. She’s seeded first in the breaststroke (1:06.27) and seventh in the butterfly (58.13), plus will swim on two relays seeded to score.
Delaney Wesolek, Bay City John Glenn senior: After finishing ninth in the 100 free and 14th in the backstroke and swimming on two scoring relays in 2018, Wesolek is expected to score even more in her final high school meet. She’s seeded first in the 100 (52.86), third in the 200 free (1:55.16) and as part of the top-seeded 200 free relay and third-seeded 400 relay.
Gwenyth Woodbury, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood junior: She finished second in both the 100 and 200 freestyles last year but won both races as a freshman. She’s seeded second in the butterfly (57.18) and 200 free (1:53.67) this weekend and will swim as part of two top-three seeded relays including the favorite in the 400.
Rayah Blood, Hamilton junior: Blood moved up from third as a freshman to second last season, and her 446.20 score to win her diving qualifier last week bested the entire Division 3 field by nearly 18 points.
PHOTO: Ann Arbor Skyline's Allison Haak swims to a fifth-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle at last season's LPD1 Finals. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)