Standout Performances, Strength in Numbers Add Up to Marquette Girls Repeat

By John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com

February 18, 2023

MARQUETTE — Numbers lined up in favor of the Marquette girls swimming & diving team here Saturday as they retained their Upper Peninsula Finals title with 393 points.

Gladstone, with just nine on its roster, edged Kingsford 156-153 for the runner-up honor.

“Unfortunately, swimming numbers are down across the state,” said Marquette coach Nate McFarren. “We’ve been fortunate enough to maintain strong numbers, and winning every relay separated us from the pack. I think it’s important for all U.P. teams to have more numbers. I thought Gladstone did real well. I think Tom (Desy, the Braves’ coach) does a great job down there.”

Marquette junior Grace Sobczak collected four firsts, winning the 200-yard individual medley in two minutes, 23.42 seconds and 500 freestyle (5:35.02) and helping the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.

A Houghton athlete swims the backstroke. Freshman Paige Davis, who was also a part of those relays, added a first in 100 butterfly (1:04.52) and second in 50 freestyle (26.04).

“I couldn’t have done it without my coach and teammates,” Davis said moments after receiving her butterfly award. “Our coach does a real good job training us, and he’s so supportive. We sometimes do agility drills and sometimes dryland training. The relays are fun, and the training has helped.”

Freshman Logan McFarren took the 200 freestyle (2:10.49), helped both freestyle relays and was runner-up in the 500 freestyle (6:02.02).

Senior Maddie Wood, also part of the 200 freestyle relay, took third in the 500 freestyle (6:17.75) and fourth in the 200 IM (2:39.97).

“It feels really great to take the U.P. title,” said Wood, who has been swimming for 12 years. “Our team works super hard, and everything paid off. I got my best times all year in the individual races. I’m thankful for the support from my teammates and coaches and happy my grandparents were here to watch. We do 20-30 50s at least once a week ,and it definitely helps my endurance.”

Gladstone’s Ava Getzloff was a double winner, taking the 50 freestyle (25.83) and 100 backstroke (1:02.07), both in personal bests, and helping the Braves place second in the 200 medley and freestyle relays.

“My starts went pretty well,” said Getzloff, who’s a junior at Escanaba and swims for Gladstone through a co-op venture. “I’m very happy with my times. I also swim for the (Northern Lights) YMCA team and made the state tournament which will be held in March. Everything really went great for our team today.”

Classmate Mary Hook was runner-up in the 100 breaststroke (1:16.54) and 200 IM (2:31.27).

“Timing is everything in breaststroke,” she said. “I feel that’s the most important part. It’s like a special feeling having everyone cheering for you. Their chanting helps you keep your timing.”

A diver competes Friday. Junior Reese Herioux anchored the Braves’ 200 freestyle relay and took third in the 200 freestyle (2:18.53) and fourth in the 500 freestyle (6:21.27).

“I was really happy with our team,” she said. “Marquette is always real good. Our team is real good. Some people do dryland training, but most of my training is in the pool.

“The U.P. Finals are always fun. You get to see a lot of your friends. They have the best stands here for spectators, which makes the Finals real exciting.”

Desy said he was happy with the team’s performance.

“Ava had an outstanding meet, and Mary did a great job today,” he added. “For a small team like ours to take second is pretty awesome. Marquette just has so many more kids than everybody. The girls did an awesome job.”

Kingsford junior Nahi Cristobalena won the breaststroke (1:12.45) and Ishpeming Westwood sophomore Faith Spiroff won Friday’s diving competition with 235.55 points.

Click for full results.

(PHOTOS by Randy Ritari – Click to see more.)

Flashback 100: Ann Arbor Pioneer's Unstoppable Streak Stretches 9 Seasons

September 6, 2024

Ann Arbor Pioneer's girls swimming & diving team is celebrating its 2002 Lower Peninsula Division 1 title in the photo above, and the Pioneers remain the record holders for longest Finals championship streak in that sport with nine consecutive from 2000-08. 

Pioneer has won a total of 20 Finals team titles in girls swimming & diving, 16 under the direction of longtime coach Dennis Hill and the last four under the leadership of current coach Stefanie Kerska. The Pioneers also have finished Finals runners-up 11 seasons.

Future Olympian Kara Lynn Joyce swam on the 2001 and 2002 Pioneer teams, setting all-Finals records as a senior in the 50-yard freestyle (22.04), 100 freestyle (48.59), 200 freestyle (1:46.34), and as part of the 200 freestyle relay (1:32.77). She still holds those all-Finals records in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle events, and at one point she owned the national high school records for both races as well.

Joyce went on to swim at Georgia, winning 18 NCAA championships and setting two national records, and she competed at the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Olympics for Team USA, winning a total of four medals.

Follow us on InstagramXFacebook and TikTok for more weekly "Flashback 100" photo features and additional content celebrating our 100th anniversary.

Previous "Flashback 100" Features

Aug. 30: Detroit dePorres Rushes to 1995 Class CC Football ChampionshipRead