MHSAA girls swimming finals: Ann Arbor Pioneer finds new way to win Division 1
As winners of the previous three Division 1 girls swimming and diving team titles, Ann Arbor Pioneer has gotten used to competing with proverbial targets on their backs. And with a younger, less experienced team this season, the targets got a little bigger.
But the Pioneers were on the mark Saturday at Eastern Michigan’s Jones Natatorium, holding off challenges from up-and-coming teams to continue their championship string at four.
“It was definitely a fight, but we knew we had to push through and swim for each other,” said senior Stella Chapman, who defended her titles in the individual medley (1:59.49) and the backstroke (53.54). “We knew this year wasn’t going to be like the rest, but we still had full confidence in ourselves and everyone believed in each other. I think that was the biggest key for today.”
Pioneer, which had won its recent titles by overwhelming margins, got by with 301 points; Grand Haven was second with 237.5, followed by Jenison (228.5) and Saline (171).
“All year long, Grand Haven and Jenison were putting up really great times, so we knew it was going to be important to really have depth and come with numbers, which is really our strength,” Pioneer coach Stefanie Kerska said. “Each team is really different on how you compose it and how you win. This was a new way for us to win, but just as rewarding.”
Of the 14 Pioneer swimmers who competed Saturday, seven of them were making their first appearance in a state championship meet.
“There was a huge learning curve and a growth process we needed to go through, and under those circumstances, we really did a great job today,” Kerska said. “It was just a really great team effort this year — not a ton of individuals who were winners, but this is a really rewarding way to win because they put the team ahead of everything this season.”
Despite its youth, Pioneer was able to draw on a senior class — including Chapman, Yan Yee Adler and Rachel Brubaker — who completed an unblemished four years not having lost a single dual meet, conference championship or state final.
“There is some sort of pressure on us, but the team didn’t let it get to them, which I’m really proud of,” said Chapman, a Wisconsin commit. “We never went into it thinking ‘We have to do this,’ or ‘We have to do that.’ It was more like ‘We knew we could’ and we wanted to live up to it.”
“This meet is its own thing, because it brings out nerves for everyone — veterans included,” Kerska said. “It’s a learning process, and they’ve got to experience it once, and then the growth usually happens year by year. They’re off to a really good start.”
The Pioneers’ power event — which put them in front for good — came early in the meet. Chapman and Adler went 1-2 in the championship heat of the individual medley, moments after Bridget Kamara, Reese Heidenreich and Jayla Kuzak earned the top three spots in the consolation heat. The combined finishes were good for 59 points.
West Bloomfield sophomore Elizabeth Eichbrecht was a double-winner, successfully defending her titles in the distance races — the 200-meter and 500-meter freestyles (1:48.08 and 4:47.66). Both performances were automatic All-American qualifying times.
“I just wanted to get my best times, that was really it,” she said. “It was good. My teammates did an amazing job this meet and they worked hard all season and they really crushed it today.”
Jenison won the medley relay (1:42.37) and the 200 freestyle relay (1:32.85) with Grace Albrecht, Sophia Umstead, Emma Albrecht and Layla Umstead. Sophia Umstead took the butterfly (53.88) and the breaststroke (1:01.74) and Grace Albrecht won the 50 (23.33).
Grand Haven's Rosalee Springer won the 100 freestyle (51.25) and anchored the winning 400 free relay (3:27.97) with Grace Ackerman, Genevieve Springer and Claudia Busse.
Novi’s Lorelai Maisano was the diving champion, with a score of 417.60 for 11 dives.
Division 3
East Grand Rapids, which had won a Division 2 championship last season, dropped down to Division 3 and found little resistance toward taking home another title on Saturday at Oakland University. The Pioneers swamped the competition with 420 points, nearly twice as many as runner-up Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook (219).
The, Pioneers, who claimed first place in all three relays, got individual wins from Kate Simon (1:49.77/200 free), Maria Colombo (441.40/diving) and Ellery Chandler (1:03.29/breaststroke).
Division 2
With defending champ East Grand Rapids swimming in a different division, Farmington Hills Mercy was able to claim its first title since 2019 at the Holland Aquatic Center. The Marlins totaled 326 points, leading Birmingham Seaholm (198), Grand Rapids Northview (172) and Ann Arbor Skyline (164).
Amylia Higgins won the 50 free for the Marlins (23.57), while Campbell Shore, Leah Greaves, Mackenzie Conway and Avery Tack took the 200 free relay (1:37.21).
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: MHSAA girls swimming finals: Ann Arbor Pioneer finds new way to win
