Dynasties are something special. Something to be cherished. Enjoyed. Celebrated.
And there is no bigger dynasty in Michigan high school sports than what the Pioneer swimming and diving programs have accomplished over the past four years. Each fall over those last four years the Pioneer girls’ team has won a state title, moving a marker one rung up the ladder for the boys to match.
For the past three years, before Saturday, the boys have kept pace, matching the girls with three consecutive titles. The Pioneer girls left no doubt in November when they won with 301 points but there was some doubt in the waters whether the boys could keep pace in March.
Saline, Catholic Central and Northville were all formidable foes and the Pioneers were young, inexperienced and lacked those big-time front line swimmers they have lined up in recent years. So the Pioneers took another lane, using their depth as a strength and hoping everyone did their jobs on Saturday at Oakland University.
Apparently, everyone did their jobs – and then some.
The boys matched the girls with their fourth consecutive Division 1 Swimming and Diving State Title on Saturday as Pioneer racked up 275 points to edge Saline (245 points), Detroit Catholic Central (243.5) and Northville (226). Huron finished 28th with six points.
Over the last four years, the Pioneer boys and girls swimming programs have not lost a dual-meet or tournament. Undefeated in four straight seasons. Now that’s a dynasty.
The Pioneer boys’ program won six consecutive state finals from 1977-82 so four straight isn’t even a school record.
Pioneer won this state finals without winning an individual race or a relay. They did it with depth, determination and a solid game plan put together by Coach Stefanie Kerska.
Pioneer started the meet with a fourth-place finish in the medley relay. The team of Jensen Wood, Edward Zhang, Isaac Almeida and Christopher Leuciuc finished in 1:34.25.
In the 200 freestyle, Zhang, only a sophomore, took second place with 1:38.1. Cam Kline was 10th (1:44.49) and Charles Knoepp was 11th (1:44.83) for the Pioneers.
Pioneer had a strong showing in the 50 freestyle with sophomore Henry Baumhover touching third in 20.95 Leuciuc taking fifth in 21.18.
Senior Gabriel Mercier had a strong showing in his final appearance on the board for the Pioneers. Mercier took second in diving with 476.60 points.
Almeida, a senior, was eighth in the butterfly in 52.96.
Pioneer took two more top-eight finishes in the 100 free. Baumhover took second in 45.51 in a very close race for the title. Oxford’s talented senior Olin Charnstrom won with a time of 45.03 in a photo finish. Leuciuc was eighth for Pioneer in 46.95.
Pioneer repeated the feat again in the 500 free as Wood took sixth in 4:43.93 and Knoepp was eighth in 4:46.07. Kline was 10th in 4:42.66.
In the 200 freestyle relay, the Pioneer team of Baumhover, Kline, Almeida and Leuciuc was third in 1:25.85. The Huron team of Franciszek Orlowski, Ethan Yung, Graham Baker and Kal Bunnell was 16th in 1:30.74.
In the backstroke, Wood took eighth (53.68) and Almeida was ninth (52.79). Huron’s Franciszek was 13th in 54.00.
Zhang touched third in the breaststroke with a time of 57.31.
Pioneer’s team of Baumhover, Kline, Knoepp and Zhang took fourth in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:10.12.
