Performance: Saline's Dakota Hurbis
February 16, 2017
Dakota Hurbis
Saline senior – Swimming & Diving
Hurbis is finishing a high school career that will rank among the most prolific in Michigan high school diving history, and over the last year he’s been on a particular tear. After defeating reigning champion Jake Herremans of Rockford at last season’s MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final, Hurbis has continued to be the favorite to beat, and earned the Michigan Army National Guard “Performance of the Week” by posting a score of 531.70 last Friday to break a 17-year-old record and win the event at the Michigan Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association meet at Eastern Michigan University.
Hurbis finished second in LP Division 1 and third as a sophomore before last year’s championship win, and his meet record at EMU bested the previous by more than 11 points. It’s in part a product of hard work; Hurbis has been training at EMU since he was 9 and during high school season regularly has put in double practices, even when he also was playing baseball as a freshman. This winter's performance has been impressive for another reason: Last spring, after taking first and second places at USA Diving Junior Regionals, Hurbis was faced with the challenge of coming back from June shoulder surgery – which he accomplished, about a month early, in October.
A big-time University of Michigan, New England Patriots and Detroit Tigers fan, he’ll be rooting for other Tigers the next few years diving at Louisiana State University. Hurbis carries a 3.4 grade-point average and is interested in studying for a future in sports business. First, he'll help the Hornets as they try to break Birmingham Brother Rice's three-season hold on the Division 1 title; Saline was runner-up a year ago. Hurbis is a team captain, a rarity for a diver as he competes in only one event for his team, but also a testament to his leadership.
Coach Todd Brunty said: “Dakota is simply one of the best we have ever had. He is hard-working and dedicated to his sport. He has worked tirelessly all year round at Legacy Diving Club in Ypsilanti for as long as I can remember to become one of the best divers in Michigan high school history. He was elected by his teammates as captain of our team for many reasons. I think the main reason is that he has always been a team-first guy. Many swimmers or divers that are as good as he is may not compete in high school and just dive club diving (where they can spend more time on 3-meter and 10-meter events not competed in high school but competed in college). Dakota stayed loyal to his team and to the guys he grew up with here in Saline. He has even swam at our championship meets and dual meets to fill crucial relay positions to help the team. He is also very helpful to new swimmers and divers. Dakota is always supportive and helpful to them, teaching them new things and spreading the love of the sport to them. It is like having a second dive coach."
Performance Point: “The MISCA meet is a really big meet for me because it’s all divisions; we have the state meet but it’s only our division, so this is the best competition I’ll face with divers from all over the state," Hurbis said. "I was seeded first going in but I knew a couple of people were really close to me, and I knew I’d have to have a really good meet. I just went into that meet knowing I’d have to focus up a little more and do a little extra, and once the meet started all my training and everything took over. I got into meet mentality, and I had myself a pretty good meet.”
It’s always been diving: “Ever since I was a kid, I liked being around the water. My older brother (Steven, 2009 grad) swam, and I saw him on the high school team and that he got a lot of close friends (from swimming). I did the country club stuff when I was younger, and I just enjoyed being around the water. Once I started diving, it came pretty easy to me, and I had coaches tell me I could be good at it. I played baseball, I played football, I swam a little bit, but diving is what I’ve always been passionate about.”
Speak up: “I’ve tried to be the best team player I can be during my four years here. My sophomore year I began giving pregame speeches in the locker room, and every opportunity I’ve gotten I’ve tried to step up and lead the team – be outspoken, be a good example for the people following me. … When we go into the locker room before meets, sometimes people say a couple things. (I try to be) a little funny and (with) a little bit of motivation. The key is you’ve got to mix them both together.”
Comeback trail: “My shoulder had been bothering me since winter, and I had a pretty big torn labrum. I wanted to wait until after senior Zones, but my coach told me to get (surgery) done as soon as possible so I could come back for my senior year. … I ended up getting in the water in mid-October again, and in the beginning I was just trying to get all my dives back on all boards – 1-meter, 3-meter and platform. A lot of people were surprised I came back early, and when I came back I got my dives back right away. I’ve got a couple of extra dives on 1-meter I haven’t competed yet, and on 3-meter I’ve got a couple of new dives, which is nice. I’m constantly adding stuff; some people throw bigger DD (degree of difficulty) dives, but I try to do what scores best.”
Business of sports: “I’m actually really good with numbers, math and numbers, so I might do something with that. My whole life I’ve followed sports; I can tell you anything about professional sports, college, and my brother and dad are the same way. It’s sometime I’d like to go into.”
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2016-17 school year, Second Half and the Michigan National Guard will recognize a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2016-17 honorees:
Feb. 2: Foster Loyer, Clarkston basketball – Read
Jan. 26: Nick Jenkins, Detroit Catholic Central wrestling – Read
Jan. 19: Eileene Naniseni, Mancelona basketball – Read
Jan. 12: Rory Anderson, Calumet hockey – Read
Dec. 15: Demetri Martin, Big Rapids basketball – Read
Dec. 1: Rodney Hall, Detroit Cass Tech football – Read
Nov. 24: Ally Cummings, Novi volleyball – Read
Nov. 17: Chloe Idoni, Fenton volleyball – Read
Nov. 10: Adelyn Ackley, Hart cross country – Read
Nov. 3: Casey Kirkbride, Mattawan soccer – Read
Oct. 27: Colton Yesney, Negaunee cross country – Read
Oct. 20: Varun Shanker, Midland Dow tennis – Read
Oct. 13: Anne Forsyth, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country – Read
Oct. 6: Shuaib Aljabaly, Coldwater cross country – Read
Sept. 29: Taylor Seaman, Brighton swimming & diving – Read
Sept. 22: Maggie Farrell, Battle Creek Lakeview cross country – Read
Sept. 15: Franki Strefling, Buchanan volleyball – Read
Sept. 8: Noah Jacobs, Corunna cross country – Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Saline's Dakota Hurbis tucks during a dive at his home pool this season. (Middle) Hurbis will attempt to add a second-straight MHSAA Finals championship next month. (Top photo courtesy of the Hurbis family, bottom photo courtesy of the Saline Post.)
Saline Tops Podium for 1st Time Since 2013 as Multiple Past Runners-Up Take Next Step
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
March 15, 2025
HOLLAND – Saline boys swimming & diving coach Todd Brunty said the quest for his team’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals championship Saturday began exactly 365 days ago after losing out to rival Ann Arbor Pioneer by 30 points.
"First, everyone has to believe in the opportunity or the possibility of it," he explained. "You have to be a team that expects to compete. It's the old cliché: You've got to believe you can do it.
“Three hundred and sixty five days ago, we believed we had the talent to do it. We didn't quite perform like we wanted a year ago, but coming into today we thought we had a chance."
Saline cast aside the disappointment of finishing runner-up last year by winning the team meet at Holland Aquatics Center with 291.5 points, outdistancing the 263 scored by the four-time reigning champ Pioneers. Northville was third with 224 points, Zeeland fourth at 176 and Detroit Catholic Central fifth with 175 points.
Sophomore Issac Adanin captured the 200-yard individual medley (1:48.24) and 100 breaststroke (56.23) titles to lead Saline’s scoring. Diego Valdes won the 100 butterfly (49.15) for the Hornets.
The championship was their first since winning four straight Division 1 titles from 2010-13. Saline also finished runner-up in 2016.
Last year, Adanin was runner-up in the IM and fourth in the breaststroke.
"I had a slow start (this season). It was smooth, then I gradually got faster," he said. "I really hoped I (could win both races). I was kind of young last year, so I didn't have large expectations. But I've been to a lot of big meets in club, so I learned how to get better. It was harder this year, different, because (the meet) was so stacked."
Joining Adanin as a double individual winner was Detroit Catholic Central sophomore Camren Turowski, who finished off an unbeaten season in the 50-yard freestyle by winning that event in 20.41 seconds and won the 100 free with a Division 1 meet record time of 45 seconds.
Turowski had elected to give up lacrosse and football at the middle school level a few years ago because it seemed he was always fighting injuries. "I kept getting injured, and I wanted to save my body for swimming," he said.
Now he’s putting the hurt on swim opponents. Both performances Saturday were All-America qualifying times and came on the heels of earlier this season breaking the Oakland County and Detroit Catholic Central record of 45.25 in the 100 free while setting a conference and school record of 20.69 in the 50.
A year ago Turowski, an avid wake surfer, finished runner-up at the Finals in the 50 while helping three relays place among the top two. It was that second-place finish, in fact, that Turowski credits for driving his transformation from a good swimmer into an outstanding one.
"Last year I didn't win (the 50 free), and I didn't like that," he said. "In swimming you need to improve in small increments, which means a lot. That means progress, which is what you need.
"I think it was a stronger field this year, very competitive in the 100. But I planned to win. I don't like to lose."
Detroit Catholic Central coach Jessica Stoddard said Turowski is the kind of swimmer who pays attention to coaching details, strives for perfection and is always seeking the next challenge.
"He comes in and asks what he needs to work on. He's very coachable," she said. "He's always first in and last out."
Zeeland's Owen Stevens achieved his goal Saturday by breaking the 11-year-old Division 1 Finals record in winning the 500 free (4:23.65).
Stevens, a Zeeland West senior and Finals qualifier since his freshman year who will swim at Louisville next season, last lost in the 500 free during his freshman season.
"It was my last high school race in the 500, and I wanted to go out by breaking the record and I did," he said. "It felt good. The record was in the back of my mind, and I thought if I swam my race, I could break it."
Grandville's Jack Merkel won the 100 backstroke (48.69), ending a career of rollercoaster showings at the Finals. He qualified in the backstroke as a freshman, but was slowed by the flu. He then took third in the 100 butterfly and second in the backstroke as both a sophomore and junior.
Merkel said finishing so close to a Finals championship can provide motivation, but the pressure also can raise the expectation meter.
"It can go both ways," he said. "But then I realized that if you finish second, there's only one person in the state better than you. If you're good enough to finish second, you can also win. You have to change your mindset a little bit."
Other champions were East Kentwood's Fidele Byiringiro, who became the first from his school to win diving since Kyle Gahan in 1997. He scored a 448.80.
Northville had a pair of winners with Brady Stenson in the 200 free (1:38.06) and the 400 free relay team (3:06.60). Ann Arbor Pioneer won the 200 free relay (1:24.65).
PHOTOS (Top) Saline poses with its championship trophy Saturday at Holland Aquatics Center. (Middle) Camren Turowski stands atop the podium after receiving one of his two championship medals. (Below) Saline’s Issac Adanin swims to the breaststroke championship. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)