ROCHESTER — When practice started back in November, Detroit U-D Jesuit head boys swimming & diving coach Drew Edson looked at his team and knew it could be a special season.

But his forecast actually had little to do with the talent that was evident in the pool.

“It was because of the way they carried themselves,” Edson said. “It wasn’t the swimming or how many great swimmers we had in the pool. It was the attitude and the work ethic. It was the day in and day out effort they showed every day. It was amazing.”

Amazing to finish this season as well was the fact the Cubs achieved something Saturday they had never accomplished before – win an MHSAA Finals championship.

U-D Jesuit won its first by topping the rest of the Lower Peninsula Division 2 challengers at Oakland University, scoring 305 points. Byron Center was second with 256.5 points, and Birmingham Seaholm was third with 207. Farmington (149) and Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (122) rounded out the top five. 

Jesuit had three individual winners: seniors Evan Tack and Patrick Mackillop, and sophomore Charlie McCuiston.

Tack won the 200-yard individual medley in a meet-record time of 1:46.28, McCuiston won the 100 freestyle in 45.45 seconds and Mackillop captured the 100 breaststroke in a time of 54.88.

“It just means the world,” Mackillop said. “It’s such a good culture. It’s the greatest feeling ever, and I wouldn’t want to do it with another group of guys.”

U-D Jesuit also won the 400 free relay in a meet-record time of 3:03.68 with the team of Tack, freshman Jack McCuiston, senior Matt Garza and Charlie McCuiston. 

“It’s hard to put it into words,” said Edson, who completed his ninth year as head coach. “It was the culture. It was the way they treated each other and the way they’ve built this team off of the things that really mattered. The fast swimming has come after that.”

Stoney Creek senior Will Cicco and Seaholm junior Elliot Rijnovean won multiple individual events. Headed to swim next for Brown University, Cicco won the 200 free in a time of 1:37.36 and the 500 free in a time of 4:28.36.

Committed to Indiana, Rijnovean won the 100 butterfly in a time of 47.85 and the 100 backstroke in a time of 47.10 that set an all-class/division Finals record. 

“I just locked in,” Rijnovean said. “Everything was on the line, and I managed to pull through. That was my thought process throughout the whole thing.”

Rijnovean also swam leadoff for Seaholm’s 200 medley relay that won in a time of 1:30.09. He was joined by junior Finn Murray, senior Emmett Knudsen and sophomore Quinn O’Neill. 

Utica Ford senior Maximus Dexter won the 50 free in a time of 20.75, and Portage Northern junior William Blind won diving with 508.90 points.

Farmington’s team of senior Luke Morden, junior Josh Luo, senior Paul DeMartini and senior Jack Tomlinson won the 200 free relay in a time of 1:24.04. 

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PHOTOS (Top) U-D Jesuit's Patrick Mackillop swims to a championship in the 100 breaststroke Saturday at Oakland University. (Middle) Birmingham Seaholm's Elliot Rijnovean swims to an all-Finals record in the 100 backstroke. (Below) Mackillop and teammate Charlie Michael swim side by side in the breaststroke; Michael finished third. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)