Talented Mercy Lineup Earns Repeat, Shows No Signs of Slowing Down

By Tim Robinson
Special for MHSAA.com

November 23, 2024

ROCHESTER — It was only fitting that the Farmington Hills Mercy girls swimming & diving team jumped into the deep end of the Oakland University pool after repeating as Lower Peninsula Division 2 champion Saturday.

That's because it was the depth of the team that propelled the Marlins to a dominating performance.

“There was no pressure on us at all,” coach Mike Venos said. “Just go take care of your own business and no matter what, we’re going to walk out of here successful.”

The Marlins won celebrated winners in two relays and an individual race. And when they didn’t finish first, they were placing, finishing with 375.5 points, well ahead of second-place Grosse Pointe South (255) and third-place Birmingham Seaholm (244).

“The thing I love about Mercy is that it’s a true team effort,” Venos said. “We scored multiple girls in almost every event. We do this as a team.”

Grosse Pointe South’s Caroline Bryan powers to the championship in the butterfly. If there was a surprise, Venos said, it came from sophomore Campbell Shore, who won the 100-yard freestyle in 51.41 seconds. She entered the weekend with the fourth-fastest seed time in that race.

“Winning that was great,” he said. 

The Marlins’ total was 50 points better than last year’s, easily holding off any challenges.

For Grosse Pointe South, it regardless was a school-record performance for a team that missed a chance to add to its total due to a disqualification in the 400 freestyle relay.

But South coach John Fodell didn’t dwell on what might have been.

“We had a little bump in the road (Friday) with the DQ, but today the team came together and really swam to get second, and they really battled for that,” he said.

It marked a leap forward for South, which finished fifth last year.

“We started off the meet by winning the medley relay, which was huge,” Fodell said. ‘Whitney (Handwork) won the 50 free (23.71) and Caroline (Bryan) won the butterfly (54.92). So those were nice things that got the motivation going.”

“We came in knowing it was going to be a battle for second, so we were really focused on that,” Handwork said.

Fenton’s Tess Heavner repeated as a double champion, setting a school record and earning All-America status in the individual medley (2:01.07) and also earning All-America in winning the backstroke (54.61).

”The backstroke was the finishing touch, because I had to wait for a long time in between (events),” she said, “I was happy I was able to keep it up and finish strong in that. I really like the IM and the backstroke. They kind of stress me out, but they're probably two of my favorite events.”

Skyline’s Adrienne Schadler swims to one of her two individual titles.Several younger athletes joined Bryan in impressing. Freshmen Aubrey Yarker of Hastings (diving) and Amelia Malarz of Midland Dow (breaststroke) also won individual titles. Ann  Arbor Skyline sophomore Adrienne Schadler earned All-America consideration in winning the 500 freestyle (4:54.41) and All-America recognition in winning the 200 freestyle (1:48.79).

But Mercy also served notice that it will be reckoned with in 2025, with just three seniors on this year’s roster. 

But that’s a long way off.

One of those Mercy seniors, captain Katie Schwab, tried to articulate how it felt to repeat.

“That feeling is just indescribable,” she said. ‘Like the energy that was here today. It’s more than words can describe, and my heart is just so full being a part of this team.

“We have a really good, strong team, and we're going to be really strong for the next couple of years," she added. "I’m really excited to see where this team goes.”

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Farmington Hills Mercy’s Avery Tack swims to a runner-up finish in the 200 individual medley Saturday at Oakland University. (Middle) Grosse Pointe South’s Caroline Bryan powers to the championship in the butterfly. (Below) Skyline’s Adrienne Schadler swims to one of her two individual titles. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)

Performance of the Week: East Grand Rapids' Kate Simon

November 29, 2024

Kate Simon headshotKate Simon ♦ East Grand Rapids
Senior ♦ Swimming

The Pioneers’ standout capped her high school career with two more individual and two more relay championships – and a meet record – in helped East Grand Rapids to its record 27th Finals championship, this one in Lower Peninsula Division 3. She’ll graduate with four individual and eight relay Finals titles and having contributed to EGR team championships all four years of high school.

Simon swam an LPD3 Finals-record 50.06 in the 100-yard freestyle and just missed on another meet record in winning the 200 freestyle in 1:48.19 – just 12 hundredths of a second shy of another all-time best. She also led off the winning 200 freestyle relay (1:36.24) and anchored the winning 400 freestyle relay (3:37.01). She will continue her swimming and academic careers next year at Notre Dame, where she’s considering studying business. Simon also played No. 1 doubles for East Grand Rapids last spring, reaching the quarterfinals at the LPD3 Girls Tennis Finals.

@mhsaasports 🏊‍♀️POW: Kate Simon #swimming #EastGrandRapids #Finals #champion #record #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA

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Previous 2024-25 honorees

Nov. 22: Ella Kokaly, Essexville Garber softball - Report
Nov. 15:
Caroline Bryan, Grosse Pointe South swimming - Report
Nov. 8:
Kaylie Livingston, Whitmore Lake cross country - Report
Oct. 25:
Oliver Caldwell, Grand Rapids West Catholic tennis - Report
Oct. 18:
Alex Graham, Detroit Cass Tech football - Report
Oct. 11:
Victoria Garces, Midland Dow cross country - Report
Oct. 4:
Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26:
Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19:
TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
Sept. 12:
Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6:
Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30:
Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report

(Photos courtesy of the Simon family.)