Macomb County

Chippewa out-touches Ike; LCN, Romeo and Utica round out top five

By Jon Malavolti
C & G Sports Writer

Chippewa Valley’s girls swimming and diving team won its third straight Macomb County championship Oct. 6 at Macomb L’Anse Creuse North.

The Big Reds scored 307 points through 12 events against the best competition the county has to offer.

“That competition brings out the best out of them,” Chippewa coach Tony Grice said. “It definitely makes it exciting, and it pushes them to do even more.

“Overall, it’s definitely gotten a lot faster, and it’s been a young county meet for the past two years, so it’s going to continue to get faster. Macomb County swimming has definitely taken a step up.”

The meet featured an exciting finish, as the Big Reds’ 400-yard freestyle relay team finished in first place, setting a new county record in the process, and propelling the squad past Utica Eisenhower for the title. The Eagles finished third in the relay race and second place overall in the standings, with 302 total points.

“They were pretty confident, and they showed it in how fast they swam,” Grice said of the relay, which broke the record it had just set last year.

Following Chippewa and Ike in the final standings are L’Anse Creuse North (212 points), Romeo High (209), Utica High (188), Dakota (170), L’Anse Creuse (160), Utica Stevenson (143), St. Clair Shores Lakeview (134), Utica Ford II (129), Fraser High (116), Anchor Bay (83), Warren Regina (56), Center Line High (55), St. Clair Shores South Lake (25), St. Clair Shores Lake Shore (19) and Warren Mott (17).

Individual titles were won by Dakota’s Marah Pugh (200 IM and 100 butterfly), Chippewa’s Skyler Muzichuk (200 freestyle), Stevenson’s Rachel Morrow (50 freestyle), L’Anse Creuse North’s Taylor Zablocki (diving), Lakeview’s Megan Palazzolo (100 freestyle), Utica’s Allison Zalinski (500 freestyle), Center Line’s Andrea Okuly (100 backstroke) and Ike’s Katherine Svisco (100 breaststroke).

Chippewa’s squad of Muzichuk, Leah Galloway, Erika Wilson and Samantha Gray teamed up to win the 400 and 200 freestyle relays.

Ike’s Rachel Forsyth, Allison Kucharczyk, Ashlen Michalski and Jamie Svisco won the 200 medley relay.

Local swim teams will now set their sights on winning division titles and qualifying for the state finals.

The Macomb Area Conference division finals are Nov. 3, and the Catholic High School League meet is Nov. 10. Diving regionals are Nov. 13, and the MHSAA state finals are Nov. 17. Visit www.mhsaa.com for more details.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Jon Malavolti at jmalavolti@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1040. Follow Jon on Twitter.