Source: MI Prep Zone

Author: MARVIN GOODWIN

LAKE ORION - Farmington Hills Mercy’s Allie Lobbia walked out of Lake Orion High Saturday with a trophy. Was it swiped? Of course not.

The Marlins earned this trophy after capturing their 12th straight Oakland County Swimming and Diving championship.

As for Lobbia, who walked out of the school with the trophy with nary a team member in sight, there was an explanation. “I’m one of the team captains,” smiled Lobbia, who by executive privilege of sorts, was allowed possession of the prize.

Ultimately, it will probably end up in the school trophy case where the Marlins continue to stockpile county championships.

The Marlins scored 376 points, outdistancing runnerup Birmingham Marian (289) by nearly 100 points, while Lakeland (207), South Lyon (124) and Rochester Adams (181) followed.

“It’s awesome, the team’s doing so well,” said Lobbia, “and we got a lot of (time) cuts today.”

Indeed, Katie Minnich won the 200 individual medley in 2:05.70, the 100 backstroke in 55.51 and joined Tierney Janovski, Alaina Skellet and Lindsey Case on the winning 200 medley relay (1:47.6) for the Marlins, who haven't broken stride even though it's their first season in decades without Shannon Dunworth at the helm.

First-year Mercy coach Mike Venos has stepped in and kept the streak going. “It was tough walking in the door following a legend,” he said, “(but) swimmers like to work hard and these girls like to train hard. A lot of girls put some targets on their backs. They swam very fast, very tired. I think this sets us up for a real good end of the year.”

Mercy’s Kendall Goit and Annette Dombkowski took the first two places in the 200 freestyle in 1:57.60 and 1:53.74, respectively, and Alexa Rybicki picked up points in diving by finishing second (396.12) behind Walled Lake Central”s Amanda Ling, who scored 472.49 points for the victory.

Marian ended the afternoon with a victory in the 400 freestyle relay with Sophia Scott, Gabby Granata, Kailyn Swantek and Lauren Biglin, who won the 500 freestyle in 5:03.25, comprising the winning unit which clocked 3:31.22.

Lakeland had a solid showing as Emma Hazel won the 100 backstroke (56.84) - Lake Orion’s Sarah Hennings was second (57.03) - and the Eagles placed second in the 400 freestyle relay (3:35.30) with Courtney Connolly, Kate Doyle and Riley Faulkner joining Hazel. Kate Doyle was third in the 500 freestyle for the Eagles.

Lake Orion landed a victory in the 100 freestyle with Claire Abasse winning in 51.24. “It’s really good, it makes me happy with how much work I’ve done,” said Abasse, who placed fourth in the 50 freestyle and swam a leg on the fifth-place 200 medley relay.

Farmington-Harrison’s Ashley Turak won the 50 freestyle in 23.57 and was second in the 100 freestyle, and Birmingham Groves’ Charlotte Pierce won the 100 breaststroke in 1:05.41, ahead of Nicole Pape of Rochester Adams and Allie Russell of Birmingham Seaholm.

Oakland County Swimming and Diving Championships

(Saturday at Lake Orion)

TEAMS - 1. Farmington Hills Mercy 376; 2. Birmingham Marian 289; 3. Lakeland 207; 4. South Lyon 124; 5. Rochester Adams 181; 6. Birmingham Seaholm 162; 7. Lake Orion 138; 8. Farmington-Harrison Thunderbirds 119; 9. Birmingham Groves 112.5; 10. North Farmington 80; 11. Clarkston 75; 12. Walled Lake Northern 60; 13. Royal Oak 54; 14. Bloomfield Hills 38; 15. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 35; Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingwood 34

Events

200 MEDLEY RELAY - Farmington Hills Mercy (Katie Minnich, Tierney Janovski, Alaina Skellet, Lindsey Case) 1:47.6, 2. Birmingham Seaholm 1:48.02, 3. Lakeland 1:48.6.

200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY - 1. Katie Minnich (Farmington Hills Mercy) 2:05.70, 2. Courtney Connolly (Lakeland) 2:08.2, 3. Julia Boswell (Royal Oak) 2:08.94.

50 FREESTYLE - 1. Ashley Turak (Farmington-Harrison Thunderbirds) 23.57, 2. Sophia Schott (Birmingham Marian) 23.64, 3. Kailyn Swantek (Birmingham Marian) 23.72.

DIVING - 1. Amanda Ling (Walled Lake Central) 472.49, 2. Alexa Rybicki (Farmington Hills Mercy) 396.12, 3. Julia Feord (Cranbrook-Kingswood) 370.40.

100 BUTTERFLY - 1. Emma Hazel (Lakeland) 56.84, 2. Sarah Hennings (Lake Orion) 57.03, 3. Courtney Connolly (Lakeland) 57.24.

100 FREESTYLE - 1. Claire Abasse (Lake Orion) 51.24, 2. Ashley Turak (Farmington-Harrison Thunderbirds) 52.18, 3. Kailyn Swantek (Birmingham Marian) 52.24.

500 FREESTYLE - 1. Lauren Biglin (Birmingham Marian) 5:03.25, 2. Julia Boswell (Royal Oak) 5:04.35, 3. Kate Doyle (Lakeland) 5:06.31.

200 FREESTYLE RELAY - 1. Birmingham Marian (Sophia Schott, Mary Kate Nodland, Kailyn Swantek, Lauren Biglin) 1:36.86, 2. Birmingham Seaholm 1:38.0, 3. Farmington Harrison Thunderbirds) 1:38.94.

100 BACKSTROKE - 1 Katie Minnich (Farmington Hills Mercy) 55.51, 2. Emma Hazel (Lakeland) 56.08, 3. Hannah Chao (North Farmington) 57.67.

100 BREASTSTROKE - 1. Charlotte Pierce (Birmingham Groves) 1:05.41, 2. Nicole Pape (Rochester Adams) 1:05.93, 3. Allie Russell (Birmingham Seaholm) 1:06.93.

400 FREESTYLE RELAY - 1. Birmingham Marian (Sophia Schott, Gabby Granata, Kailyn Swantek, Lauren Biglin) 3:31.22, 2. Lakeland 3:35.30, 3. Lake Orion 3:35.62.