By: Jonathan Szczepaniak | C&G Newspapers | Published December 3, 2024
METRO DETROIT — It’s difficult to find a sport where teams can carry over success more consistently than swim and dive.
This year’s edition of the Michigan High School Athletic Association girls swim and dive state finals showcased Ann Arbor Pioneer winning its fifth straight Division 1 championship while Farmington Hills Mercy (D2) and East Grand Rapids (D3) both earned back-to-back titles in their respective divisions. East Grand Rapids has currently won four consecutive titles, winning two apiece in Division 2 and 3.
It’s about strength in numbers and who can put the most swimmers in the pool on the brightest stage, and it’s ultimately what separates teams from being state champions to being state runners-up each year.
The average point differential between first and second place over the weekend slate was 172.83 points with the highest coming in at 234 points in Division 3.
Something doesn’t necessarily sit right with that type of distance, but it’s a numbers game at the end of the day.
Local teams in the C & G Newspapers coverage area put their best foot forward at the state finals with a large group of individual state champions, a team state champion, and a team runner-up as well.
Below is a recap of the MHSAA girls swim and dive state finals (in order of division).
Division 1
Bloomfield Hills
Placement: 10th
Bloomfield Hills just keeps on improving.
After placing 12th last season, a massive progression from 17th in 2022, the Black Hawks finished 10th overall Nov. 23 at the Holland Aquatic Center.
Sophomore sensation Bailey Robinson led the way with a pair of individual all-State finishes in the 50 (2nd) and 100 (2nd) freestyle while sophomore Kailey Bachmann added one in the 100 butterfly (3rd), where she finished 17th at the 2023 state finals.
It was the sophomores again shining for Bloomfield Hills in the relay side as Robinson and Bachmann teamed up with sophomore Violet Keiper and senior Livia Baker to earn all-State in the 200 freestyle relay by placing seventh.
Robinson, Bachmann, and Keiper put the finishing touches on an incredible state showing by tallying another all-State finish in the 400 freestyle relay alongside junior Sophia Hawkins.
The Black Hawks have an extremely talented and youthful squad who is ready to take the next step at states, especially with Robinson, now a four-time individual all-Stater, within arm’s reach of a state title to her name.
West Bloomfield
Placement: 12th
It’s Elizabeth Eichbrecht’s world, and she just allows other people to swim in it.
One of the top swimmers – if not the top swimmer – in the state, the junior phenom already had four individual state titles, but when has two more ever hurt anyone?
Eichbrecht reestablished her dominance in the 200 and 500 freestyle Nov. 23 at the Holland Aquatic Center, taking first place in both events including an eight-second victory in the 500 freestyle.
Currently committed to Indiana University Bloomington, Eichbrecht will have a shot at a clean state title sweep her senior season.
West Bloomfield head coach Ronson Webster said there’s two things he feels separates her from the competition.
“I think it’s her true grit and determination,” Webster said. “That’s the thing that really makes her stand out above everybody else.
“She’s not only going to be someone who is the first person at practice and the last one to leave, but she’s one of those people that’s just a competitor. Whenever she knows she’s gotta race, she goes out there and she goes for it.”
Eichbrecht also teamed up with junior Bryn Cusack, sophomore Jessica Conkey, and freshman Piper Smith to tally an all-State finish in the 200 medley relay by placing eighth.
The 200 medley relay was the award winner for most improved event for the Lakers after finishing 22nd in 2023, and Webster said the all-State finish was largely due to their first-year swimmer, Smith.
“Throughout the season last year, we didn’t have a breaststroker,” Webster said. “Elizabeth (Eichbrecht) had to form into a breaststroker and fill that spot, but this year we had a freshman come in that is a breaststroker in Piper Smith. That was a huge contributing factor to us being able to bring that relay to all-State this year.”
On top of the Lakers’ incredible state finals performance, Webster’s squad also brought home the Oakland Activities Association White league title due to contributions from Eichbrecht, Cusack, Conkey, Smith, senior Olivia Johnson, senior Natalie Weissman, senior diver Jamie Vincent, sophomore Alexandra Moga, and many more.
“Honestly, the girls did fantastic the entire season,” Webster said. “They continued to improve the whole way through. A lot of the underclassmen girls stepped it up and played a big role in us winning the league meet. I’m very proud of them.”
Rochester
Placement: 13th
Sophomore Taylor Robinson was not going to be denied this season.
After being the lone state qualifier for Rochester last season but coming up short on bringing home a point for the Falcons, Robinson made sure her second trip to the state finals stage would be well worth it.
Finishing eighth in the 50 freestyle and earning all-State honors, Robinson, who also set the 50 freestyle school record this season, capped off her breakout season with a bang.
“She just had a lot of focus this year,” Rochester head coach Aaron Helander said. “She had the goal of placing top eight and getting the school record in the 50, so she achieved both of those goals this season. You can tell she’s just focused and driven towards her goals. Next year, we’re looking to get top three in her events.”
Senior Sydney VanHowe ended her high school swim career with a school record and all-State finish in her name, placing sixth in the 100 butterfly with a 58.60 time.
Other record-breaking times for the Falcons at the state finals were senior Gabriella Rapetti in the 100 breaststroke (12th/1:07.75) and the team of Robinson, VanHowe, Rapetti, and junior Riley McCauslin in the 200 freestyle relay (9th/1:39.54).
Rochester also broke the school’s 200 medley relay that was set in 1992 and were co-OAA Blue league champions this season.
As far as progress goes, this was a massive step in the right direction for the Falcons, who should continue to build off it.
“We had some really fast club swimmers on our team, so having all those girls on those individual events have swam for eight-plus years of their lives,” Helander said.
“That helps as far as talent. This year, we also did a lot of race-focus work and 200 training in practice, and I think that helped us make improvements as well.”
Division 2
Farmington Hills Mercy
Placement: 1st
The Marlins are back on top.
It was truly a team effort that brought Mercy to the top of the podium Nov. 23 at the Oakland University Aquatic Center, for their depth simply exhausted the competition.
When a school would have an all-Stater in a certain event, Mercy would counter with two or three at any given time.
Mercy’s firepower was simply too much for any school to keep up with as the all-State honors were pouring in with freshman Ella Hafner (2nd) and junior Violet Schwartz (7th) in the 200 freestyle; sophomore Avery Tack (2nd) and junior Clare Hafner in the 200 IM; senior Mackenzie Conway (2nd), sophomore Campbell Shore (6th), and sophomore Leah Greaves (T-7th) in the 50 freestyle; and Tack (2nd), senior Kathleen Schwab (3rd), and Schwartz (7th) in the 100 butterfly.
Shore was also crowned the state champion in the 100 freestyle while Greaves (4th) and Conway (6th) posted all-State finishes in the event as well.
Ella Hafner continued her breakout campaign with a state runner-up in the 500 freestyle alongside senior Caroline Lee’s fifth-place finish in the event. Clare Hafner also added another all-State finish in the 100 breaststroke (6th).
Adding onto their already dominant performance, Mercy swept the 200 and 400 freestyle relays with Shore, Conway, Tack, and Ella Hafner taking first in the 200 and Tack, Greaves, Shore, and Ella Hafner earning first in the 400. The Marlins’ 200 medley relay team of Greaves, Conway, Schwab, and Clare Hafner took state runner-up.
With a core of its state qualifiers returning next season, a three-peat for Mercy is within arm’s reach.
Grosse Pointe South
Placement: 2nd
The Blue Devils did all they could to hang in there with Farmington Hills Mercy, but it just wasn’t enough.
On the bright side, South catapulted to state runner-up this season for the first time since 2021 after finishing 4th and 5th the past two years.
South cashed in on another league-winning season in the Macomb Area Conference Red and improved its state finals point total by 100, but still fell 120 points short of Mercy Nov. 23 at the Oakland University Aquatic Center.
“For many, many years, this was enough points to win the state championship,” Grosse Pointe South coach John Fodell said. “If you look back, how we placed and how we did would’ve won multiple championships years back. Mercy is so hard to compete against.”
While Mercy had the depth, South countered with the individual state champions as junior Whitney Handwork (50 freestyle) and freshman Caroline Bryan (100 butterfly) were both crowned state champions while South’s 200 medley relay team of Bryan, junior Mischa Eng, freshman Nicole McEnroe, and freshman Quinn Ryan also took first.
The Blue Devils’ youth movement was on display at states and will be fun to watch as it battles with Mercy over the coming seasons.
“We were very, very talented all the way through,” Fodell said. “All of them were all-State even in their individual events. It’s nice having young talent like that.”
Other South all-State honorees were McEnroe (3rd/200 IM & 5th/100 breaststroke), Eng (5th/100 butterfly & 3rd/100 backstroke), senior Hannah DiDio (6th/100 butterfly), Handwork (5th/100 freestyle), junior Heidi Bryan (8th/500 freestyle), Caroline Bryan (4th/100 backstroke), and Ryan (7th/100 backstroke).
The 200 freestyle relay team of Handwork, DiDio, Heidi Bryan, and Ryan also took state runner-up.
Birmingham Seaholm
Placement: 3rd
It was the final lap for a generational Maples senior class.
With seniors Abby Stanley, Avery Anderson, Skyler Jansen and Valentina Cavaliere at the helm, Seaholm has been consistently in the top four with a state championship to their name in 2021.
Stanley and Anderson were both state qualifiers for the championship-winning squad, but now all four called it a career Nov. 23 at the Oakland University Aquatic Center.
“They’ve been such a huge part over the years because they’re all impact swimmers coming in as freshmen,” Seaholm head coach Karl Hodgson said.
“They’ve been the core of our success the last four years. Those four seniors, I call them the big four. Everybody knows we’re nothing without those girls.”
Jansen and Anderson both tallied two individual all-State honors as Jansen earned it in the 200 (5th) and 500 freestyle (5th) while Anderson cleaned up in the 100 freestyle (3rd) and 100 backstroke (2nd). Cavaliere (7th/breaststroke) and Stanley (3rd/200 freestyle) each added an individual all-State finish as well.
They were impressive apart, but when they came together, they were dominant in the water, earning third in the 200 medley relay while Stanley, Jansen, and Anderson teamed up with freshman Noelle Schneider to finish second in the 400 freestyle.
It was almost like a passing of the torch with the three seniors and the freshman sensation all in a relay, for Schneider put on a show at the state finals.
Schneider posted a pair of all-State finishes in the 100 (8th) and 200 freestyle (4th).
“As a freshman coming in and doing what she did, it was remarkable,” Hodgson said. “I knew of her, and I coached her sister for four years, but they (swam) in our summer league. I didn’t anticipate her to be as big of an asset as she was to the team. She really stepped it up.”
The Maples also took care of business in the OAA Red with a first-place finish.
It’s a proper farewell for a senior class that has devoted so much to the Seaholm program, but don’t count them out just yet for next season, even if they’re losing a certain swimmer Hodgson had extremely high praise for.
“Avery (Anderson) is going down as one of the all-time greats at Seaholm,” Hodgson said.
Division 3
Bloomfield Hills Marian
Placement: 2nd
Similar to what Division 1 and 2 teams are facing with Ann Arbor Pioneer and Farmington Hills Mercy, Bloomfield Hills Marian simply couldn’t keep up with the firepower of East Grand Rapids.
Falling behind East Grand Rapids by 234 points, the Mustangs still put on an impressive performance to earn state runner-up Nov. 23 at Eastern Michigan University.
“Butch Briggs (East Grand Rapids head coach) is incredible,” Marian head coach David Eichenhorn said.
“He’s won 27 state titles in 50 years. That’s basically one every other year. Yes, they have more people, but I’d be more than willing to say Butch Briggs can outcoach me. He’s the best. They have the most talent, but they also have one of the best coaches in MHSAA history.”
Marian was able to secure second courtesy of all-State performances from sophomore Stella Glorio (7th/200 freestyle & 2nd/500 freestyle), freshman Catherine Howe (6th/50 freestyle & 6th/100 freestyle), junior Grace Dery (7th/200 IM), and senior Marianna Becharas (7th/100 butterfly).
The Mustangs also had two all-State relays with Becharas teaming up with junior Peyton Rehbine, freshman Malin Murphey, and freshman Cecelia Grace to earn sixth in the 200 medley relay while Becharas, Rehbine, Grace, and Howe earned fourth in the 200 freestyle relay.
Eichenhorn said Becharas’ leadership was a key factor in the team’s success, especially on the relays, and said he was also happy to see one of his swimmers finally get her flowers.
“Peyton (Rehbine) finally got the shine she deserves,” Eichenhorn said.
“For two years in a row – her freshman and sophomore year – she swam at prelims on our 200 free relay knowing I was going to take her off of it for finals. She really should’ve been all-State in relays the last couple years. Her first day was awesome, but for her to drop even more time the second day was huge.”
Marian is only two seasons removed from its last state championship, and Eichenhorn said he expects his returning state qualifiers to make an impact next season and hopefully close the gap on East Grand Rapids.
“Next year, we have not just depth of talent with the current juniors but depth in leadership as well,” Eichenhorn said.
“Honestly, it’s going to be spread out over six or seven girls, which is great. They’re doing a great job. That junior class is culture builders. They came in with me, so they have a special place in my heart.”
Other all-State honorees:
Division 1
• Rochester Adams senior Sadie Rogers (3rd 200 IM & 6th/100 breaststroke)
Division 2
• Birmingham Groves sophomore Olivia Kamp (2nd/100 breaststroke)
• Birmingham Groves 200 medley relay (5th) – team consisted of senior Ally O’Brien, junior Ashley Glime, junior Maya Shelton, and sophomore Olivia Kamp
• Birmingham Groves 400 freestyle relay – team consisted of junior Ashley Glime, junior Maya Shelton, senior Delaney Miller, and sophomore Mallory Gerken
• Grosse Pointe North senior Avery Beal (4th/50 freestyle & 2nd/100 freestyle)
• Grosse Pointe North 200 freestyle relay (3rd) – team consisted of junior Cailey Hard, junior Liliana Ivanaj, senior Addison Wakefield, and senior Avery Beal
• Grosse Pointe North 400 freestyle relay (5th) – team consisted of junior Cailey Hard, senior Addison Wakefield, senior Avery Beal, and junior Kennedy Hasting
• Berkley sophomore Mia Mracna (7th/ 200 IM & 3rd/100 breaststroke)
• Berkley junior Maddie Collins (T-7th/50 freestyle)
• Farmington senior Annika Cho (8th/100 backstroke)
Division 3
• Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood senior Hazel Strain (4th/100 freestyle & 2nd/100 backstroke)
• Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood Elle Brooks (5th/100 backstroke)
• Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood sophomore Elizabeth Kurz (7th/100 breaststroke)
• Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 200 medley relay (3rd) – team consisted of Hazel Strain, Elle Brooks, Elizabeth Kurz, and freshman Lily Elder
• Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 400 freestyle relay (4th) – team consisted of Hazel Strain, Elle Brooks, sophomore Juliana Puro, and sophomore Stella Rocchini
• Detroit Country Day sophomore Quinn Norlander (3rd/200 IM & 3rd/100 backstroke)
• Detroit Country Day 200 medley relay (4th) – team consisted of sophomore Quinn Norlander, senior Anna Ryan, freshman Allie Schwartz, and sophomore Jill Heller
• Detroit Country Day 200 freestyle relay (2nd) – team consisted of freshman Allie Schwartz, sophomore Jill Heller, sophomore Quinn Norlander, and freshman Lauren Clark