Eichbrecht Stacking Championships at Midpoint of West Bloomfield Career
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
November 28, 2023
WEST BLOOMFIELD — When she started high school swimming last fall, West Bloomfield sophomore Elizabeth Eichbrecht didn’t know what expectations to have, given she knew full well the high level of competition there was throughout the state.
Well, after two seasons, it’s safe to say Eichbrecht has blown any expectations she had out of the water, pun intended.
At the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals on Nov. 17-18 at Eastern Michigan University, Eichbrecht won her third and fourth individual championships.
She won the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1:48.08, more than three seconds ahead of the next finisher. The winning time qualified for All-America recognition and bested her first-place time from the 2022 Finals by 0.34 seconds.
Later on, Eichbrecht won the 500 freestyle in a time of 4:47.66, more than 11 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Her All-American time in that event was more than five seconds better than her winning time in 2022.
Two years, four Finals titles. Not too shabby.
“Yes it’s surprising, because there are so many fast girls and we are all very competitive,” Eichbrecht said.
Eichbrecht already holds six school records – in all four freestyle events, the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly.
She also owns Oakland Activities Association records in the 200 and 500 freestyles and the 100 butterfly.
“I like the distance events more, mainly because I don’t have to all-out sprint,” Eichbrecht said.
West Bloomfield head coach Ronson Webster said the big reason why Eichbrecht was even better this year as a sophomore after making such an impact as a freshman wasn’t necessarily because she was bigger and stronger, although those were contributing factors.
Mainly, her success this year was the validation that she belonged after such a great freshman season.
“She gained more confidence this year going into her races,” he said. “She focused on racing her race and not who was next to her. Meeting the time we worked for was the goal. Winning is a bonus.”
While Eichbrecht excels at so many events, her specialty has been the 200 and 500 freestyles, which is stating the obvious given the Finals titles she has won in those events.
“Her training is very specific as it is for every swimmer on our team,” Webster said. “Everyone is trained differently. Her technique is very important and specific to her event and body size. Since she is shorter, she can’t swim the same as a tall person. Having the right technique designed for the swimmer and the correct race plan goes a long way.”
Eichbrecht next will focus on her club season for Supernova Swim Team based out of Farmington Hills, and she already is looking forward to competing at the Winter Junior Nationals in Columbus from Dec. 6-9.
By the time her career is over, it’s safe to say Eichbrecht might be the best all-time from a West Bloomfield school that’s not known as much for swimming as other Oakland County powers such as Farmington Hills Mercy or the Birmingham schools. But Eichbrecht is relishing putting her school on the swimming map with all her success so far.
“I love swimming at WB,” she said. “My teammates are amazing, and they work super hard. I’m super proud of all the work they put in this season, and I can’t wait for next season.”
Keith Dunlap has served in Detroit-area sports media for more than two decades, including as a sportswriter at the Oakland Press from 2001-16 primarily covering high school sports but also college and professional teams. His bylines also have appeared in USA Today, the Washington Post, the Detroit Free Press, the Houston Chronicle and the Boston Globe. He served as the administrator for the Oakland Activities Association’s website from 2017-2020. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties
PHOTOS (Top) West Bloomfield’s Elizabeth Eichbrecht swims the winning 200-yard freestyle Nov. 18 at Eastern Michigan University. (Middle) Eichbrecht talks with runner-up Yan Yee Adler from Ann Arbor Pioneer after also winning the 500 freestyle. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Grand Blanc Takes 'Total Team Effort' to Championship Level with SVL Title Clincher
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 12, 2025
Needing a “total team effort” was much more than generic coach speak this past week for the Grand Blanc girls swimming & diving team.
Twenty-one athletes scored at the Saginaw Valley League Championships, helping the Bobcats edge Midland Dow and claim the program’s first league title since 2020.
“I definitely think that’s what sets us apart from other teams – we have so many amazing swimmers,” Grand Blanc senior Riley McLeman said. “If we had two people in the championship heat, and so did Dow, we also had two people in the B and C finals, where they had none. Everyone played a role in this. Every single person on our team was important, and that was amazing to see.”
Quality depth has driven the Bobcats all season, and in the SVL meet, it was the difference as they overcame Dow placing the individual winner in eight of the meet’s 12 events. Grand Blanc did win two events and placed second in nine, but pulled away with its depth.
“We knew early on in the season that we were keeping a really great senior class and had a lot of great swimmers returning, and also that we were getting a great freshman class,” Grand Blanc coach Katherine Kuhn said. “We had our sights set on winning leagues, and we knew we had that depth and that speed. And they had to show out. It wasn’t just, ‘We have this depth, we’re good.’ They still had to really show out at the meet, and they did.”
The SVL meet scores all the way through 24 places, adding importance to the B and C finals.
So, for a swimmer like freshman Ava Christian, her personal-best times in the 200 and 500-yard freestyle races were for more than just pride as she contributed to the Grand Blanc cause with 33 points – all earned in B finals.
“There was kind of some pressure, but it was a good pressure,” Christian said. “Even people that weren’t scoring as highly still had a chance to make a difference. It put pressure on everyone, not just the top swimmers. I really feel like it shows how well we can work together and support each other.”
The top swimmers did their job, as well. Rory Grzymkowksi won the 100 backstroke, while Mallory Shaver, Norah Grosso, Peyton Folks and Sydney Folks won the 400 free relay. Shaver was second in the 200 and 500 freestyles, while McLeman was second in the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley and Lila Brocker was second in the 100 backstroke. The 200 free and 200 medley relays also placed second.
Just as fun for that group of standouts was cheering on their teammates in those B and C finals, knowing how much they meant.
“It was great,” McLeman said. “Especially watching some of these freshmen that I didn’t know too well before the season, and even some of my best friends I’ve been swimming with for years getting to compete at a high level and having these amazing breakthrough races. It really got us hyped up and excited for our races.”
While building its depth, Grand Blanc has also been getting stronger at the top. Eight swimmers will be competing at the Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals on Nov. 21 and 22 at Oakland University. McLeman, Shaver, Sydney Folks, Grzymkowski and Brocker all have qualified in individual events, while Cameron Folks, Peyton Folks and Grosso will swim on relays. Diver Chloe Borton has a chance to make it nine qualifiers, as she will compete at her event Regional on Thursday.
It’s a number Kuhn said she hasn’t seen in her five years (three as an assistant, two as head coach) with the varsity program.
The goal for the Bobcats is to get as many athletes as possible to the final day of the season, something Shaver was able to do a year ago as a sophomore.
“There are some first-time people, and some people that know what to expect, but I definitely will share with the freshmen that they have to take it in and not let the stress take over, because they’ve trained for this,” Shaver said. “I think we have some talented girls that have been able to put in the work and want to represent Grand Blanc in a good way and just show off our talents.”
If the trend of this season holds, expect the Bobcats to reach that goal, as they’ve reached every one to this point.
McLeman said Kuhn broke the season into chunks for the team:
Win the Genesee County meet. Check.
Defeat Dow in a dual. Check.
Win the SVL. Check.
“It’s just been great; it’s been the most amazing season I’ve been part of,” McLeman said. “I could not ask for a better way to finish up my Grand Blanc swim career, to watch me and my best friends accomplish something we’ve worked for since our freshman year.”
Paul Costanzo served as a sportswriter at The Port Huron Times Herald from 2006-15, including three years as lead sportswriter, and prior to that as sports editor at the Hillsdale Daily News from 2005-06. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Grand Blanc’s Ava Christian swims a freestyle race this season. (Middle) The Bobcats stand for a trophy photo after clinching the Saginaw Valley League championship. (Below) Mallory Shaver, top, swims the butterfly and Riley McLeman swims the breaststroke. (Photos courtesy of the Grand Blanc girls swimming & diving program.)