By John Raffel
Rockford is hoping to establish itself as a force in Division 1 swimming and diving this season, but it will find it tough to prevail in the OK Red. The Rams suffered a 158-156 loss to Hudsonville on Jan. 22.
Jacob Fase continues to have a strong season for the Rams. Against Hudsonville, he was first in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:48.33. Other first-place performers were Jake Erremans in the 1-meter dive with 324.4 points, Dave Newberger in the 100-yard butterfly (53.53 seconds) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:00.87), and Fase in the 100-yard freestyle (48.72).
Fase is a junior, and his coach, Derek Mead, has high expectations for him this season. Fase placed 10th last season at the state finals in the 500-yard freestyle. He also qualified for state as a freshman. His best bets for the state meet this year appear to be the 200- and 500- freestyles.
Rockford was ranked seventh in a recent state poll.
Midland Dow
Nehemiah Mork is off to a good start for Midland Dow. He finished first in the 50-yard freestyle, the 100-yard freestyle, the 200 medley relay, and the 400 freestyle relay in a quad at Lakeview in January.
Midland Dow is ranked fifth in a recent Division 2 coaches poll.
Heritage
Heritage reigned supreme in January in the Heritage Hawk relays, taking first in a 10-team field. Heritage had 368 points compared to 366 for DeWitt. Logan Yearham, Jonah Cribbs, Aaron Esparza, and Tyler Miller won the 300-breaststroke relay in 3:03.8. The foursome of Yearham, David Paquette, Esparaza, and Miller were first in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:29.75. Yearham, Miller, Noah Fleming, and Paquette won the 400 medley relay in 35.44.
Bay City Central
Bay City Central, after losing to the likes of Dow and Heritage, had a 109-67 win over Essexville Garber in late January. First-place performers in that meet for Bay City Central were Adam Greenhoe, J. Koch, S. Paul, and Mark Peterson in the 200 medley relay in 1:56.11; Greenhoe in the 50-yard freestyle in 26.32; Michael Hayward in the 100-yard freestyle in 53.77; Jacob Pavlawk in the 500-yard freestyle in 6:12.76; Hayward, Paul, N. Pavlawk, and G. Wojcik in the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:39.78; and Peterson in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:07.01.
Essexville Garber
Essexville Garber has had a strong season from several performers. In a recent loss to Bay City Central, winners for Garber included Garrett Mason in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:01.14; Jacob Stone in the 200-yard intermediate in 2:24.7; Jacob Stone in the one-meter dive with 285.1 points; Cameron Franz in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:04.58; Brady Wieland in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:15.74; and Cobley, Franz, Mason, and Stone in the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:47.48.
Haslett
Haslett showed it’s in the running for a strong finish to the season with a mid-January win over Jackson, 95-91. McKain Williams was first in the 200-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle, Ryan Abbot first in the 50-yard freestyle, and Angus McFarlane first in the 100-yard butterfly. The 400-yard freestyle relay was also first.