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.)
South Lyon Soccer Standout Dives Back In for Big Pool Finish
By
Tom Markowski
Special for Second Half
March 10, 2022
Never mind that swimming isn't Josh Mason's best sport. Forget the fact that he left the sport after his freshman year to concentrate on his first love – soccer.
Well, Mason is back in the pool and he's making waves.
This weekend Mason and his South Lyon teammates will head to the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Swimming & Diving Finals at the Holland Aquatic Center.
The prelims begin at noon Friday with the championship races starting at noon Saturday.
Mason, a 6-foot-5, 190-pound senior all-state center-back on the soccer team, qualified in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles, but he and coach John Burch have decided to forego his entry into the 100 in an attempt to enhance South Lyon's chances in the team competition. In addition to the 50, Mason will compete in all three relays – the 200 medley and two freestyle relays (200 and 400).
Opting out of the 100 suits Mason just fine. His best event is the 50, and he said “the last 25 (yards) of the 100 is a struggle for me. It takes everything I have to get through it.”
Whether it's in the pool, on the pitch or in the classroom, Mason never gives anything less than 100 percent. His drive to excel, he quickly admits, comes from his parents, Caroline and Chuck Mason.
Both competed in athletics; Caroline was a collegiate track athlete, and Chuck played soccer in high school.
“I started swimming when I was 3 or 4,” Mason said. “It was just one of those things where my parents wanted me to learn how to swim. I just really enjoyed it, and I kept coming back.”
His start in soccer also came before the age of 5 and Mason found a balance by competing in both, though soccer gradually became priority one.
“With my dad having played soccer, he's enjoyed being around and being a part of it,” Mason said.
“I always loved soccer. I have a love-hate relationship with swimming. It gets you into shape. (Swim) practices are hard. I use it for conditioning. It translates well to soccer.”
Mason competed in swimming because it was fun at an early age. When he entered high school, he realized he was pretty good at it – and so, that being the case, why not try out for the swim team?
Burch was there to welcome him with open arms.
“Josh? He's just an elite athlete,” Burch said. “He wants to succeed. He wants to excel. He's worked hard to get where he's at.”
Like Burch, South Lyon soccer coach Brian Elliott, who just completed his 10th season as the boys head coach, knew he had an outstanding player when Mason entered high school.
“He was a man among boys, even when he was a freshman,” Elliott said. “We knew he was something special. He was a three-year captain. That doesn't happen. He's our first for the boys program. He was one of our tallest players even when he was a freshman. He was thin then, but he's filled out since. As a center-back, the best ones are tall. And he has the agility of someone who's 5-8 or 5-9. Josh is somehow this physical phenom. The last two years he was able to physically dominate.
“He's a once-in-a-lifetime student-athlete for a coach.”
But as a swimmer his freshman year, was Mason in over his head competing for one of the top, if not best, swim programs in the Lakes Valley Conference? He was eager to find out.
Was he inexperienced? Absolutely. Did he show promise? No question.
There was one snag. His commitment to soccer.
“His mother and I had a conversation before the season,” Burch said. “She told me that he wouldn't be able to compete at the Finals because there was a big soccer tournament., When it came time for the Finals), I thought, I could really use Josh. I'm sure he wished he could have competed at the states. But soccer was his sport. I understand that.”
As Mason's involvement with soccer increased, his time for other outside activities shrunk. This led to his decision not to compete in swimming his sophomore and junior years. But a promise was made, behind closed doors.
Burch said Mason's teammates continued to recruit him to return. Mason had one stipulation – once his soccer season was over, and his verbal commitment was made to a university, he would be free to rejoin the swim team. In October, Mason committed to Michigan State – opening the door for his return.
“I always thought he'd come back,” Burch said.
It took Mason a few weeks to get back into shape in the pool, and when he did, he took off. At the conference meet he won both of his individual events and was part of two winning relay teams (200 and 400 freestyles) as South Lyon took home the title.
“I knew what kind of kid he is,” Burch said. “I had him in class in the eighth grade. When he came back this year, I didn't know what I'd get. I didn't know what to expect. Heck, he'd been away for two years. Maybe he'd go through the motions. But he's not that type. If he's going to do something, you know he's going to do it well. I knew I was getting a good kid, someone who will add to the team.
“Sure, he's accomplished a lot. At the same time, when he was a freshman, if you would have said he would accomplish all of this, I would say, yes.”
Regardless of how races finish this weekend, there's a happy ending. Mason, a remarkable student as well sporting a 4.1 GPA, has his scholarship. The South Lyon swim team welcomed a teammate back. And Burch is sending another competitive team to the MHSAA Finals.
Tom Markowski primarily covered high school sports for the The Detroit News from 1984-2014, focusing on the Detroit area and contributing to statewide coverage of football and basketball. He also is a former correspondent and web content director for State Champs! Sports Network. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTOS (Top) South Lyon’s Josh Mason shows his medal after winning the 50 freestyle at the Lakes Valley Conference championship meet. (Middle) Mason sends a shot toward the net during a game last fall. (Below) Mason launches at the start of the 100 freestyle league final. (Photos courtesy of the Mason family.)