Dexter chasing top-5 finish in Division 2, Milan swimmers lead pack of local qualifiers into Division 3 meet

The Pioneer High School swim team will invade the Holland Aquatics Center this weekend with a 22-member contingent attempting to defend its Division 1 state championship.

Among the most potent challengers to the Pioneers -- winners of five of the last eight titles and 18 overall -- will be nearby Saline, which will send its own 18-member state team on a trip to the west side of the state.

The Southeastern Conference rivals are the two top-ranked teams in the state. Saline won their head-to-head dual meet while Pioneer outscored the Hornets at the SEC Red Championships.

Saline coach Todd Brunty isn't sure how the deeper field at the finals will impact the Hornet vs. Pioneer showdown. And he's quick to point out that Grandville, Rockford, Northville, Livonia Stevenson and Huron will make their own run for the top spot.

Grandville, with freestyler Mike Wynalda seeded first in two events and anchoring a pair of strong relay teams, seems the most likely candidate to disrupt the all-Washtenaw County battle for supremecy.

"I think if you look at the depth of the meet, it's hard to shake down," Brunty said. "I don't think it favors anybody one way or the other ... we're all going to have to swim well, especially our bottom-end guys."

Here's a closer look at local participants at each of three state meets held Friday (preliminaries) and Saturday (finals):

DIVISION 1 Pioneer will have a total of 35 entries in individual events, including defending state champion diver Nick Nemetz and Grant Cole, the runner-up in last year's 50-yard freestyle race.

Sophomore Seiji Osawa is the top seed in the 500 freestyle and tenth in the 200 individual medley. Other top qualifiers for the Pioneers include Cole (third in 50 free, ninth in 100 butterfly), Kevin Naud (fourth in 200 freestyle, 15th in 100 butterfly), and Kyle Gunderson (eighth in 100 butterfly, ninth in 100 backstroke).

The Pioneers have top-four seeds in each of the three high-scoring relays. That includes the best time in the 400 freestyle relay, which will be the last event of the finals.

Saline will be led by its stellar freshman class. David Boland (first in 200 IM, second in 100 butterfly), Adam Whitener (second in 200 freestyle, third in 100 freestyle) and Josh Ehrman (sixth in 200 IM, 15th in 100 backstroke) all hope to make a big impact on their first state championship meet.

The Hornets have four other individuals with multiple seed times among the top 14 in their events: Jake Engelmeier (seventh in 200 freestyle, 14th in 100 butterfly), Mike Fisher (fifth in 100 breaststroke, eighth in 200 IM), Andy Jensen (fifth in 100 freestyle, ninth in 200 IM) and James Fisher (sixth in 100 butterfly, 13th in 200 freestyle).

All three of Saline's relays are among the top three seeds.

Huron sends 10 individuals to the finals. Michael Everett (11th in 200 freestyle) and Nick Clyde (13th in 100 breaststroke) are the River Rats' top seeds.

DIVISION 2 Dexter is the lone Washtenaw County representative at the Division 2 state finals held at Oakland University and will be looking for a top-five finish.

Eleven of the Dreadnaughts' 24-member roster qualified, the most in coach Mike McHugh's time with the program.

One of the best races of the finals should be Dexter junior Stephen Sobczak against senior Nick McGowan of Birmingham Groves. McGowan edged Sobczak for the 100 backstroke title last year, and they return as the top two seeds in the event this year.

Sobczak is also seeded sixth in the 100 freestyle.

DIVISION 3 Skyline (six), Chelsea (five) and Milan (six) will all send multiple individuals to the Division 3 finals at Eastern Michigan University. Greenhills will also be represented by Ashwin Fujii in the 100 breaststroke.

Milan looks to be the local team with the best chance to find itself toward the top of the standings. The Big Reds have three individuals - Dylan Shearer (second in 100 breaststroke), Tyler Fisher (fourth in 100 butterfly) and Tyler Disgesare (sixth in 100 backstroke) - with top seeds.

QUALIFIERS Here is a look at all Washtenaw County qualifiers, with their seeds in each event. Complete psych sheets for each final can be found on MHSAA.com.

DIVISION 1 at Holland Aquatic Center Washtenaw County qualifiers, with events and seeds in parenthesis.

HURON Individuals: Nate Argetsinger (diving); Jeff Camalo (diving); Nick Clyde (100 breast, 13th; 200 IM, 28th); Michael Everett (200 free, 11th; 100 free, 36th); Jonathan Geldermans (100 back, 17th; 50 free, 30th); Ben Kirsch (100 fly, 35th); Keeley Maher (200 IM, 17th); James Riegger (100 back, 24th); Pierce Theisen (50 free, 24th; 100 fly, 32nd); Michael Toner (200 IM, 23rd; 100 back, 26th).

Relays: 200 medley (12th), 200 free (11th); 400 free (6th)

PIONEER Individuals: Kyle Anderson (500 free, 12th; 200 free, 30th); Zach Averill (50 free, 14th; 100 free, 18th); Max Boyea (200 IM, 24th; 500 free, 31st); Grant Cole (50 free, 3rd; 100 free, 9th); Eli Cornblath (100 breast, 34th); Thomas Deegan (100 back, 33rd; 100 fly, 34th); Michael Ferrara (10 free, 34th; 50 free, 52nd); Kyle Gunderson (100 fly, 8th; 100 back, 9th); Tyler Hampton (100 free, 14th; 200 free, 24th); Kurt Jensen (200 free, 33rd); Chris Klein (100 breast, 29th; 200 IM, 29th); Nick LeVeque (500 free, 11th; 200 free, 37th); Scott Marlatt (100 free, 20th; 50 free, 28th); Kevin Muscott (500 free, 36th); Kevin Naud (200 free, 4th; 100 fly, 15th); Nick Nemetz (diving); Seiji Osawa (500 free, 1st; 200 IM, 10th); Renato Quelhas (500 free, 22nd); Karl Schwinghamer (100 breast, 27th); Kevin Smith (100 breast, 12th) and Chandler Spaid (100 back, 25th).

Relays: 200 medley (4th), 200 free (2nd) and 400 free (1st).

SALINE Individuals: David Boland (200 IM, 1st; 100 fly, 2nd); Connor Corcoran (500 free, 39th); Josh Ehrman (200 IM, 6th; 100 back, 15th); Jake Engelmeier (200 free, 7th; 100 fly, 14th); James Fisher (100 fly, 6th; 200 free, 13th); Mike Fisher (100 breast, 5th; 200 IM, 8th); R.J. Fisher (100 fly, 28th); Brad Frost (200 free, 16th; 100 free, 27th); Andy Jensen (100 free, 5th; 200 IM, 9th); Stefan Koberl (200 IM, 31st); Andrew Krieber (100 free, 23rd; 50 free, 45th); Adam Pummell (100 breast, 18th; 200 IM, 33rd); Hank Remenapp (diving); Matt Stevens (200 free, 20th; 500 free, 30th); Brian Thompson (50 free, 47th);Tom Walls (100 back, 34th); Seth Waits (50 free, 36th); Adam Whitener (200 free, 2nd; 100 free, 3rd).

Relays: 200 medley (2nd), 200 free (3rd); 400 free (2nd)

DIVISION 2 at Oakland University Washtenaw County qualifiers, with events and seeds in parenthesis.

DEXTER Individuals: Josh Boren (100 fly, 18th; 200 IM, 40th); Mark Brown (50 free, 22nd); Jake Claflin (500 free, 15th; 200 free, 20th); Austin Daugherty (200 IM, 47th); Liam Donevan (500 free, 28th); Kyle Franz (200 IM, 32nd); Nate Kilian (500 free, 13th; 200 free, 31st); Joey Pek (500 free, 18th); Stephen Sobczak (100 back, 2nd; 100 free, 6th); Ian Wilson (100 breast, 20th; 200 IM, 25th) and Jonathan Zofchak (500 free, 18th; 200 free, 21st).

Relays: 200 medley (4th); 200 free (11th) and 400 free (7th).

DIVISION 3 at Eastern Michigan University Washtenaw County qualifiers, with events and seeds in parenthesis.

CHELSEA Individuals: Nick Burris (50 free, 28th); Michael Heydlauff (diving); John Skidmore (100 breast, 37th); Andrew Wickens (100 fly, 38th) and Colby Wrathall (diving).

Relays: 200 medley (26th), 200 free (19th) and 400 free (24th).

GREENHILLS Individual: Ashwin Fujii (100 breast, 24th).

MILAN Individuals: Tyler Digesare (100 back, 6th); Tyler Fisher (100 fly, 4th; 200 IM, 18th); Aaron Marken (100 breast, 11th); Dylan Miller (100 free, 10th; 200 free, 14th); Dylan Shearer (100 breast, 2nd) and Colby Williams (diving).

Relays: 200 medley (5th), 200 free (13th) and 400 free (14th).

SKYLINE Individuals: Dennis Dahlmann (500 free, 24th); Gavin Feeney (100 breast, 34th); Ian Grosh (200 IM, 27th; 100 fly, 29th); Blair Majeske (200 IM, 33rd); Ben Merte (100 back, 29th; 500 free, 44th) and Gabe Solomon (500 free, 40th).

Relays: 200 medley (23rd), 200 free (22nd) and 400 free (29th).

Rich Rezler covers sports for AnnArbor.com. Contact him at 734-623-2553 or richrezler@annarbor.com.