Preview: Racers Seek to Double Up Again, Team Races Could See Another 1st-Time Champ
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 12, 2026
An impressive sixsome could dominate championship lists – and storylines – at this weekend’s MHSAA Lower Peninsula Boys Swimming & Diving Finals.
Six swimmers will attempt to win multiple races for the second year in a row, and Otsego senior Liam Smith will pursue a third-straight two-title day as he looks to add to his career haul of five individual championships.
Last season’s Finals also saw a first-time team title winner, and could see one or more again this weekend. Annual contenders Ann Arbor Pioneer and Saline are expected to continue their season-long battle in Division 1, and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood is pursuing a fourth-straight championship in Division 3 but is ranked behind two potential first-time winners. The Division 2 team race includes two possible first-timers among the top three contenders as well.
Preliminaries at all three Finals sites begin at noon Friday, with Saturday championship events starting at noon as well. Both days of all three meets will be streamed live and viewable with subscription on the NFHS Network. For information on purchasing tickets, plus psych sheets, dive orders and more, visit the Boys Swimming & Diving page – and see below for a glance at several team and individual contenders to follow.
Division 1 at Oakland University
Reigning champion: Saline
2025 runner-up: Ann Arbor Pioneer
2026 top-ranked: 1. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2. Saline, 3. Northville.
Saline broke Pioneer’s four-year hold on the championship last season with its first since 2013, and those two are expected to contend for the top spot again – with Pioneer the winner of both their regular-season dual and their Southeastern Conference Red championship meet this winter. Saline has all three relays and nine individual qualifiers seeded to score (among the top 16) this weekend, plus three strong divers competing, while Pioneer has all three relays and 11 individuals seeded to score and a diving contender as well. Northville finished runner-up most recently in 2022 and placed third last season, and will attempt to break into the top two with a solid group of all three relays and nine individuals seeded to score and a strong diver as well.
Issac Adanin, Saline junior: After winning the 100-yard breaststroke and 200 individual medley last season, he’s seeded second in both races in 56.13 and 1:50.72, respectively.
Benjamin Bricker, Troy senior: The top seed in the 200 freestyle (1:38.53) and third seed in the 100 backstroke (49.84) didn’t swim at the Finals last season but was a top-eight placer in both races as a sophomore in 2024.
Samuel Campbell, Milford senior: He’s seeded first in the backstroke (48.62) and fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:40.69) after finishing second in the backstroke and third in the 200 a year ago.
Charles Knoepp, Ann Arbor Pioneer junior: He’s looking to improve on last season’s third place in the 500 freestyle and seventh in the IM, seeded first in the 500 (4:28.21) and fifth in the 200 free (1:41.56) this time.
Trae Lewis, West Bloomfield senior: He’s the top seed in the IM (1:50.01) and second seed in the backstroke (49.60) as he heads to his first Finals, adding to a decorated club career.
Oliver Ottenwess, Grandville senior: The top seed in the butterfly (49.53) and second seed in the 200 free (1:39.62) after finishing third in the butterfly and fourth in the backstroke last year.
Baylor Perkins, Grand Blanc senior: He could make a big jump after finishing sixth in the breaststroke and 10th in the 50 freestyle last year, seeded seventh in the 50 this time and first in the breaststroke (55.59).
Brady Stenson, Northville senior: The reigning champion in the 200 freestyle and runner-up in the 500 is seeded second in the 500 (4:32.71) and third in the 200 (1:39.66) this time.
Camren Turowski, Detroit Catholic Central junior: He’ll be looking to add to individual championships in the 50 and 100 freestyles from last season and two relay titles from 2024, seeded first in the 50 (20.45) and 100 (44.58) this weekend.
Ann Arbor Pioneer 400 freestyle relay: An expected group of Knoepp, senior Edwards Zhang, junior Isak Woods and freshman Gavin Martens enters with a top-seeded time of 3:02.88 – with the all-Finals record 3:02.06 swam by Bloomfield Hills Broth Rice in 2014.
Joseph Rosales, Saline junior: He finished 16th in Division 1 diving a year ago but won his Regional last week with a Division 1-best 460.60.
Division 2 at Eastern Michigan University
Reigning champion: Detroit U-D Jesuit
2025 runner-up: Byron Center
2026 top-ranked: 1. Byron Center, 2. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 3. Portage Central.
Both Jesuit and Byron Center earned their highest places at a Finals last season, and the rankings say they’ll switch spots but maintain top-two finishes. Byron Center has all three relays and 16 individual seeded to score – including four top seeds – plus three divers competing. Reigning champion Jesuit has all three relays seeded among the top four in their events, 20 individuals seeded to score, and a diver competing. Portage Central is seeking its first top-two Finals finish and expected to rise significantly from 12th a year ago, with all three relays and 11 individuals seeded to score.
Anthony Kopinski, Dexter junior: He’s seeded first in the backstroke (51.46) and third in the butterfly (51.08) after finishing 10th in backstroke and seventh in the 200 freestyle in 2025.
Charlie McCuiston, Detroit U-D Jesuit junior: He won the 100 freestyle and swam on the championship 400 free relay last season, and could add to that haul seeded first in the 100 (45.25) and 200 freestyles (1:39.93) and swimming on the top-seeded 400 free relay (3:09.89).
Carter Nelson, Byron Center senior: The top seed in the 500 (4:36.46) finished sixth in that race and 12th in the 200 freestyle a year ago.
Ryder Nichols, Byron Center junior: He finished second in the breaststroke and also swam the IM last season and returns this weekend seeded first in the breaststroke (56.11), ninth in the IM and expected to swim on the top-seeded 200 medley relay (1:33.21).
Elliot Rijnovean, Birmingham Seaholm senior: He’s won the backstroke, butterfly and swam on the champion 200 medley relay the last two seasons, and enters his last Finals seeded first in the butterfly (50.60) and third in the 50 (21.44).
Joshua Webert, Livonia Churchill senior: He finished 12th in both the IM and butterfly last season, but is expected to move up substantially seeded first in the IM (1:54.76) and fourth in the butterfly (51.43) this weekend.
Lucas Witham, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central senior: The top seed in the 50 (21.11) and fourth seed in the 100 freestyle (46.68) finished second in the 50 and fourth in the 100 last season.
William Blind, Portage Northern senior: The reigning Division 2 diving champion posted the highest score for all Division 2 Regionals last week at 492.20.
Division 3 at Holland Aquatic Center
Reigning champion: Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
2025 runner-up: Holland Christian
2026 top-ranked: 1. Holland Christian, 2. Spring Lake, 3. DeWitt.
Cranbrook has won the last three Division 3 championships but enters this weekend ranked No. 4, although the Cranes will pursue a four-peat with three relays top-seeded and nine individual qualifiers also seeded to score. Holland Christian is seeking to claim its first team title since winning Division 3 back-to-back in 2018 and 2019, and has finished runner-up three of the last five seasons. The Maroons have all three relays and 10 individuals seeded to score, plus two divers competing. Spring Lake and DeWitt both are seeking their first top-two Finals finish, Spring Lake entering with all three relays and 10 individuals seeded to score and DeWitt with all three relays and seven individuals seeded among the top 16, plus two divers competing.
AJ Farner, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood senior: The reigning champion in the backstroke and 200 free also has been part of four relay titles and enters this weekend seeded first in the breaststroke (57.17), sixth in the 200 and slated to swim on two top-seeded relays.
Sam Harper, Plainwell senior: He won the 500 and finished second in the 200 free last year and returns as the top seed in both at 4:40.01 and 1:41.99, respectively.
Jack Higgins, Detroit Country Day senior: He’s seeking repeats in the 50 and 100 freestyles seeded second in both at 21.53 and 47.51, respectively.
Kade Opsal, Adrian senior: After finishing second in the backstroke and tying for second in the 50 last year, he is seeded first in both in 50.10 and 20.98, respectively.
Jake Shoemaker, Holland Christian junior: He’s seeded first in the 100 freestyle (46.37) and second in the 200 (1:42.92) after finishing third in the 100 and third as well in the backstroke last season.
Liam Smith, Otsego senior: He’s won three straight championships in the butterfly and the last two in the IM, and enters his last Finals seeded first in both in 48.57 and 1:50.52, respectively.
Charlie DeHaan, Holland Christian junior: He finished third in diving last season but could give his team a repeat winner (Parker Schut) following graduated teammate after posting the top score at any Division 3 Regional last week by more than 60 points at 480.40.
PHOTO Swimmers launch during a race at the 2025 Lower Peninsula Division 3 Final. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Cranes Dominate D3 in Record Fashion
March 14, 2015
By Dan Stickradt
Special for Second Half
ROCHESTER HILLS — There was no one denying Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood’s repeat performance Saturday.
No one was even close.
After winning its first boys swimming and diving MHSAA championship in 2014, Cranbrook Kingswood made quite a statement in capturing its second straight Lower Peninsula Division 3 boys swimming and diving title at Oakland University.
Behind an uber-dominating team performance, Cranbrook Kingswood compiled an impressive 430 points and won by 130.5.
“It was a little more difficult this season, a lot more pressure,” said Cranbrook Kingswood coach Karl Hodgson, who has guided the Cranes to four top-five finishes in his stint at the school. “I knew we had a shot coming in, and we were in good position after the prelims. But I never thought we’d do this well. We had some incredible performances. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Not too many teams have won by that many and scored this many points.”
Since the MHSAA split from two divisions to three for boys swimming in 2008, the previous record for D-3 Finals points was East Grand Rapids’ 373 in 2008. Cranbrook scored 297 points in winning its first MHSAA title in 2014. No other D-3 school has eclipsed the 300-point barrier.
Chelsea finished in the runner-up slot for the second straight year, collecting 299.5 points. East Grand Rapids was third with 248 points, while Hamilton (215), Grand Rapids Christian (124), Milan (111), Detroit Country Day (104), Grand Rapids Catholic Central (94), Tecumseh (90) and Otsego (86) rounded out the top 10 in a field where 29 schools scored.
Cranbrook dominated from start to finish, opening the meet with an LPD3 meet record in the 200-yard medley relay and capping the day with another meet record in the 400 freestyle relay.
On the day, Cranbrook scored in 11 events, captured first places in five, had a runner-up finish, five third-place finishes and a trio of fourth-place finishes to showcase its top-tier talent.
The Cranes also had 14 of 16 competitors score points during their repeat performance.
“We came out and won the first relay, and it kind of amped us up,” admitted senior Frankie Misra. “We kind of (fed) off that energy. We wanted to win it again. We knew we had a strong team coming in, and we had some incredible swims in the prelims. I am so proud of our team — and even prouder today. I don’t think we could have imagined us doing so well.”
Misra, Mitch Buccalo, Andrew Guam and Giorgio DelGrosso joined forces for a 1:33.89 clocking in the 200 medley relay to set the tone. The Cranes continued to pile on the points after that point. Out of 176 total slots, Cranbrook had 27 placers spread over all events.
Buccalo set another LPD3 Finals mark in winning the 200 IM (1:50.55). Andrew Trunsky took first in the 500 freestyle (4:37.12), building a large lead by the midpoint and cruising to a win by nearly 3.5 seconds, while DelGrosso pulled away for a win in the 100 breaststroke (56.58).
Showing a three-second advantage at Friday’s prelims, the unit of Guam, Alessandro Guttilla, Misra and Buccalo put the finishing touches on the team title by winning the meet-ending 400 freestyle relay in 3:06.15, yet another LPD3 meet record.
“I think when us seniors came in, we helped take the program to another level, and now we have so many good swimmers on this team,” Buccalo said. “We trained so hard for this. We were second two years ago, and we won it this year and last year. We’re not just a (tennis and hockey school), yes sir. Our swimming program is very strong.”
East Grand Rapids’ Andy McGregor was in on three victories on the day, touching first in both the 200 freestyle (1:40.96) and 100 freestyle (46.09), while he teamed up with Braden Wiener, Christian Bart and Jack Filion for a meet-record time of 1:26.06 in the 200 freestyle relay.
“It’s pretty special being up there representing our school and coming in here and doing so well,” said MacGregor, who had a slow start in the 200 free only to pull ahead in the final two lengths. He also anchored the winning relay.
“I think the sprinting part is my strength. I always pick it up to finish strong,” added MacGregor.
Chelsea sophomore Joey Mangner won the 50 free (21.27), an event where six competitors broke 22 seconds.
“Last year I was 12th in the 50. I didn’t make it to the fast heat,” said Mangner. “Coming back this year I really wanted to get it, at least try to contend for the title.”
Chelsea’s Joe Smith captured the one-meter diving event (492.95 points), rising up from the second position after Friday’s prelims. The Bulldogs had four of the top 16 finishers in diving, including two of the top three placers.
“I really felt good in the Finals. It was one of my best performances,” Smith said. “I think it’s really special to have four of us from one team place at states in diving. I think it really helped push our team into second place.”
As a team, Chelsea put together another fine outing but still not enough to catch top-ranked Cranbrook. The Bulldogs still placed in the top 10 for the 24th time in 27 seasons.
“They are very good, very deep,” said Chelsea coach Dave Jolly about finishing second to Cranbrook for the second straight season. “We knew we could challenge for second but knew we couldn’t match up with their depth. But I am very pleased with how we competed. We had everyone swim season bests, and we did very well in diving. Having the best diving coach in the state of Michigan (Eric Burris) sure helps. This is the second straight year we had a state champion in diving. Being strong in that event really helped us finish second. We scored (50) points in that event alone.”
Hamilton’s Alec Nyboer repeated in the 100 butterfly, establishing a new LPD3 meet standard with a 49.15 clocking. Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Joey Puglessi won the 100 backstroke (50.45) to round out the winners.
“This was the goal all along,” Nyboer said. “I won it last season, too, and I have been down close to 50 (seconds) all season, so it was nice to go under and get the record. I think it would be sweet to get the all-division record next year. I have about two more seconds more to shave off. A lot of work to do.”
Puglessi earned his second title, pulling away during the last length to win by nearly a second. He also won the backstroke as a freshman in 2013.
“I really tried to challenge in my race and see what I could do,” said Puglessi. “I set some high standards for myself and it seemed to pay off today. It’s nice to see all of the hard work pay off and to represent your school in this way.”
Click for full results.
PHOTOS: (Top) Cranbrook Kingswood’s Giorgio DelGrosso moves ahead of the pack during Saturday’s Lower Peninsula Division 3 Finals. (Middle) Chelsea’s Joe Smith prepares to touch water during one of his title-winning dives. (Below) Hamilton’s Alec Nyboer repeated and set a meet record in the 100 butterfly. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)