The Skyline girls’ swimming and diving team, led by super sophomore Adrienne Schadler, placed fourth last weekend at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 State Finals at Oakland University. The Eagles finished with 137 points, one better than Portage Central to earn the fourth spot. Dexter had a strong showing with 46 points which landed the Dreadnaughts in 16th place.
Farmington Hills Mercy dominated the meet and finished with 375.5 points to repeat as D-2 champions. Grosse Pointe South (255) was second and Birmingham Seaholm (244) third.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited for a fourth place trophy in my life,” said Skyline Coach Maureen Murrett, who has earned a few first-place trophies in her storied coaching career. “It was such a great weekend for this wonderful group. They showed what you can do when you act as a team.
“The meet came down to the last event for us and each person on the relay stepped up. Lifetime best times and inspired swims. So fun.”
That “last event” was the 400 free relay where the team of Sofia Torres, Britta Coultas, Annabelle Balazer and Schadler took third with a time of 3:35.14 to land the Eagles 32 points.
It was an amazing day for Schadler, who earned All-America consideration in winning the 500 freestyle (4:54.41) and All-America recognition in winning the 200 freestyle (1:48.79).
In the opening medley relay, Dexter’s team of Kayce McAllister, Harper Brown, Grace McClellan and Emma Bishop finished 12th with a time of 1:53.63.
Along with Schadler’s amazing victory in the 200 free, teammate Balazer, a junior, was eighth in 1:58.67.
In the 200 free, Torres was eighth in 2:14.34 and Julianna Peoples was 15th in 2:17.32.
Dexter’s McAllister, only a sophomore, was 11th in the 50 free in 24.67. She also jumped back in the pool and took sixth in the backstroke with a time of 58.43.
Greenhills sophomore Libby Schuster was 15th in diving with 295.45 points.
Torres was 11th (58.90) in the butterfly and Balazer took ninth in the 500 free (5:15.55) for Skyline.
Skyline’s team of Torres, Anika Vaitkevicius, Balazer and Schadler touched sixth in the 200 free relay in 1:39.17. Dexter’s team of McAllister, Brown, McClellan and Bishop took 16th in 1:43.86.
Brown, a senior, finished her outstanding high school career with a fourth-place finish in the breaststroke with a time of 1:05.41.
