Dexter sixth at D2 swimming finals, Stephen Sobczak runner-up in two events
ROCHESTER - The 2010 Division 2 state swimming and diving finals had barely wrapped up and Dexter High School coach Michael McHugh was already eagerly looking forward to 2011.
His Dreadnaughts had just finished in sixth place with 149 points at Oakland University, and not a single one of those points were scored by a senior. Birmingham Groves won the title with 331 points, followed by Grosse Pointe South (248.5) and Holland (229).
"I'm extremely pleased with our weekend. We did everything we wanted to do," McHugh said. "It was a great ending to a great season, and I'm already excited about next year."
Dexter junior Stephen Sobczak had a stellar weekend, swimming All-American times while finishing second in both the 100 freestyle (45.74 seconds) and 100 backstroke (:51.66). The 100 freestyle time is also a Dexter varsity record.
"Stephen was incredible all weekend," said McHugh. The junior swam the lead-off backstroke leg of the Dreadnaughts' fifth-place 200 medley relay team and anchored their sixth-place 400 freestyle relay.
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Sobczak cut nearly a full second off the 100 backstroke time he posted at last year's state finals, but Nick McGowan improved even more to finish one spot ahead of Sobczak for the second straight year. The Birmingham Groves senior won in 50.92 seconds this year. A year ago McGowan was first in :52.03 and Sobczak second in :52.64.
"My goal was to win the backstroke, but getting second in the 100 free was unexpected. That was a momentum-booster for me," Sobczak said.
Dexter sophomore Jake Claflin and freshman Jonathan Zofchak both reached the championship heat of the 500 freestyle. Claflin finished seventh and Zofchak eighth. That same duo was 13th and 10th, respectively, in the 200 freestyle event.
Other Dreadnaught scorers included sophomore Mark Brown (10th in 50 freestyle), sophomore Josh Boren (10th in 100 butterfly), sophomore Nate Kilian (15th in 500 freestyle), sophomore Ian Wilson (15th in 100 breaststroke) and the 12th-place 200 freestyle relay team.