Marquette Boys Run Finals Streak to 7 as Kingsford Becomes Top Challenger
By
Jason Juno
Special for MHSAA.com
February 21, 2026
MARQUETTE — Marquette’s dominance of Upper Peninsula Swimming and Diving Finals continued Saturday.
The Sentinels won their seventh-straight championship and 33rd U.P. meet in all. The one change this year was in the runner-up position. Marquette finished ahead of Kingsford 298-200, breaking a five-year streak of second-place finishes by Houghton.
Marquette swept the girls and boys team titles for the fifth-straight season. The Sentinels may not have had quite the depth they’re used to having, but it was still enough to keep the hardware coming.
“We didn’t fill events for the first time in several years,” Marquette coach Nathan McFarren said. “That’s a big deal. You have to have two to three in each event to have that depth. We didn’t have the depth — we were small but mighty. I would say most of our events, we had two people finishing at least in the top eight. That was the difference.
“Houghton and Kingsford had some solid wins, Sault Ste. Marie. Overall, the wealth was spread out pretty well, but I think it just came down to that depth.”
Junior Beau Deiter picked up Marquette’s only individual win on the boys side. He won the 500-yard freestyle in 5:32.94.
“I didn’t know what was going to happen going into it,” he said. “Me and Lenden Ellis from the Sault, we were seeded right next to each other. We were two milliseconds apart. I did not know what was going to happen. I was behind going into the first little bit, but then I got to a pace and I just stuck with it.”
His freshman brother, Lucas, placed second in 5:34.02.
“That was a fun one,” McFarren said. “Lucas, as a freshman, he was in fourth place with 12.5 yards to go and he took over the Sault boys to get second place with his brother. That was pretty special.”
Kingsford’s Bryce Johnson won one individual U.P. title last season, and he made it two as a sophomore this year. He was the only swimmer to finish in under a minute in both the 100-yard butterfly and the 100-yard backstroke.
He finished the butterfly in 58.73 seconds, nearly three seconds ahead of runner-up Gavin Mills of Marquette. His 58.44 time in the backstroke was nearly five seconds ahead of Jack Pozega of Marquette in second place (1:03.28).
Johnson repeated as U.P. champion in the butterfly, going much faster than last year’s 1:03.50.
“It feels awesome, two in a row now,” he said. “I was super nervous, especially with Marquette, they’re my biggest competitor. I was behind at first, and then I caught up later in the season and I found my way to the top.”
Johnson first finished in under a minute in the backstroke in a late January meet – that was the first time anyone had done so in the U.P. since 2023, the Iron Mountain Daily News reported. That’s his best race, his coach Jim Lindstrom said, and he was also a member of Kingsford’s winning 200 medley relay (1:45.25).
Gladstone senior Tyler Soderman won both the 50 freestyle (23.03) and the 100 freestyle (50.92).
Kingsford junior Thomas Gibbons took first in both the 200 IM (2:16.29) and the 100 breaststroke (1:04.37). He won the breaststroke by just over five seconds and the IM by nearly six. Gibbons was also on the winning 200 medley relay team.
“He had two personal bests today, especially in the breaststroke,” Lindstrom said. “He brought a 1:08 down to a 1:04. He’s really doing well.”
Sault Ste. Marie’s Ryker Medrick won the 200 freestyle (1:58.08). He was also a part of the victorious 400 freestyle relay team (3:42.23).
Marquette won the 200 freestyle relay (1:38.25).
PHOTOS (Top) Marquette's Beau Deiter swims to the 500-yard freestyle championship at Saturday's Upper Peninsula Finals. Kingsford's Bryce Johnson reaches the wall first in the backstroke. (Click for more by Jarvinen Photos.)
Houghton Repeats to End Perfect Season
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
February 17, 2019
MARQUETTE — The Houghton boys completed a perfect swimming & diving season Saturday while retaining their Upper Peninsula title with 313 points.
The Gremlins earned their second straight U.P. Finals title after finishing runners-up in both 2016 and 2017.
“They all came together today,” Houghton coach Erik Johnson said shortly after taking a dip in the Marquette High School pool. “My favorite bath is something special.
“Our depth is what helped us today. We were pretty senior-oriented this year, and we’ll let them soak it in and enjoy it. Kevin Beagham had a great day. Being a senior and team captain, this is special for him. As for the perfect season, it’s something I really don’t keep track of. Our kids are pretty loud about getting their friends fired up. The seniors left their mark on this program.”
Beagham won the 100-yard breaststroke in 61.18 seconds, 200 individual medley (2:15.67) and helped the Gremlins take the 200 medley relay (1:52.61) with classmates Cameron Jackson and Colton Haataja and freshman Davin Evans also part of that relay.
“This feels amazing,” said Beagham, who plans to attend Iowa State University this fall. "We’ve been working for this all year. There was a lot of pressure this year. We definitely had a target on our back.
“The 100 breaststroke was a little rough, but I think all the other events went pretty well. I’ll remember this forever. I’m real proud of all our guys and girls. I couldn’t have done any of this without them.”
Marquette and Gladstone shared runner-up honors at 203 points apiece.
Senior Josh Nykanen led Marquette with victories in the 50 freestyle in 23.08 seconds and 100 breaststroke (1:07.79), and as part of the 400 freestyle relay (3:46.41).
“That relay is a challenging race, especially with it being at the end of the meet,” said Johnson, whose future plans include serving an electrical apprenticeship in Minneapolis. “You’re using all your muscles and you get a little sore, but it’s all worth it. All my friends are on the 400 freestyle relay, and this gave us one last chance to swim together. I’m just happy the meet went the way it did. We’re pleased to come out as runners-up.”
Also part of the winning relay were senior Robert Bell, junior Wyatt Clement and freshman Bob Caron.
Marquette coach Nathan McFerrin said he was pleased with the team’s effort.
“At the beginning of the year, if you told me we’d tie for second, I wouldn’t have believed you,” he added. “Our boys numbers were a little down this year, but we have 10 incoming freshmen and four of the eighth-graders could have won the 200 medley and freestyle relays. We have a lot to be excited about.”
Gladstone took a relay title for the first time, covering the 200 medley event in 1:41.48.
“It’s awesome to tie for runner-up as a team and be the first team from Gladstone to win a relay,” said senior Tyler Barteld. “I’m proud of all our guys. Having low numbers makes it feel more like a family than a team.”
Also helping the Braves win that relay were junior Nick LeClaire and sophomores Peter Noblet and Isaac Berthaume.
Sault Ste. Marie junior Andrew Innerebner set U.P. Finals records in 100 freestyle (48.27) and 200 freestyle (1:44.02).
Marquette’s Sam Williams is now the former 100 record holder with a 48.39 from three years ago, and Innerebner topped his previous best in the 200 (1:46.36) from 2017.
It’s fun to compete against the best in the U.P.,” said Innerebner. “I basically took into account that I was in the first (individual) race. I wanted to set the pace and get everybody excited.
“I remember Coach Steve (Hubuata) telling us we’re here to shock the world. We did great today. We had a lot of personal bests.”
PHOTOS: (Top) A Houghton swimmer helps his team toward the championship in the butterfly Saturday. (Middle) Swimmers launch during one of the day’s early races at the Upper Peninsula Finals. (Click for more from Jarvinen Photos.)