Houghton Boys Rise With Last-Event Win
February 17, 2018
By Ryan Stieg
Special for Second Half
MARQUETTE – For the past two years, the Houghton boys swimming & diving team has watched Marquette come out ahead of the Gremlins for the Upper Peninsula Finals championship.
On Saturday, the Gremlins finally finished on top, but it came down to the wire.
Trailing the Redmen by two points heading into the final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, Houghton needed a strong performance if it wanted to end Marquette’s four-year title reign.
They got it as Houghton’s relay took first place, and as a team edged the Redmen 242-232. That was the only event the Gremlins won all day, and they picked the perfect time to do it.
“We were down two points, and I told the boys just give it everything you’ve got and they came through,” Houghton coach Erik Johnson said. “This feels pretty darn good. These kids worked really hard, and we only did it with nine guys. I’m really happy for our seniors to be able to send them out this way. It’s been a goal of theirs for a long time, and they were able to get it done.”
It was a tough outcome for the Redmen, who had won four events on the day – including the other two relays – and did so despite having a small roster. Matt Brauer (200 freestyle) and Ryan Glover (100 backstroke) were Marquette’s two individual winners.
“Quite honestly, if you told me at the beginning of the year that our boys would get second, I would’ve said you’re crazy,” Marquette coach Nathan McFarren said. “We lost some amazing swimmers that I had for four solid years. The boys team gave it everything we had. We just didn’t have the depth when it came down to it. We won a lot. We swam hard. We worked hard and we had a great taper, but it wasn’t in the cards this year.”
Kingsford finished third in the eight-team meet with 192 points, with Caleb Plumley winning the 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke. Sault Ste. Marie took fourth at 182 and Gladstone fifth at 176. The Blue Devils took first in four events with Leevi Olson (50 free and 100 free) and Andrew Innerebner (500 free, 100 butterfly) both winning twice.
“All our kids had top times, and even our role kids stepped up,” Sault Ste. Marie coach Steve Habusta said. “If you would’ve told me where we’d be at, I wouldn’t have believed you. With Leevi, I don’t know if there’s another swimmer that’s gone four-for-four four years in a row in the same event (50 free). I’ve been here for a while and I’ve never seen that, so that’s special. Also, Andrew had a U.P. (Finals) record in the 500 free (4:55.13), so that’s awesome for him.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Swimmers launch during Saturday’s Upper Peninsula Finals at Marquette High school. (Middle) Sault Ste. Marie’s Andrew Innerebner completes his meet record 500 freestyle. (Photos by Daryl Jarvinen/Jarvinen Photos.)
Coach Called It: Jesuit's Intangibles Lead to Speed, Program's 1st Finals Win
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 15, 2025
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.
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.)