Clarkston lurking in top-10 waters

FOR MORE SWIMMING COVERAGE, visit http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Swimming&x=5&y=14

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

CLARKSTON — Sometimes patience is hard to come by in the world of sports. Especially when a coach can look out in their own back yard and see success in every direction.

Clarkston’s Kenwyn Chock was in the position just a dozen years ago when she was hired to start the swimming and diving programs in the fall of 1999. It wasn’t easy to look around Oakland County and see all of the successful boys and girls swim programs. They were plentiful.

It took a few years for Clarkston to start to build some momentum. Now the Wolves are a top team in the state.

Clarkston enters this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 state finals at Eastern Michigan University ranked 10^th in the state — and for good reason. With a collection of talented swimmers, most of which are sophomores and freshmen, Clarkston has had quite a season in the pool and is ranked for the first time in its swimming and diving program’s 13-season history.

POOL SHARK: Clarkston freshman Megan Stelpflug is seeded in the top five in 500 freestyle and is one of the reasons why the Wolves could be a top-10 team at this weekend's Division 1 state meet. File Photo | Dan Stickradt

The Wolves have shattered many of the school records, placing an all-time best third at the Oakland County Championships in early October, scoring an impressive 206 points behind perennial powerhouse schools Farmington Hills Mercy and Birmingham Marian. They were also fifth (245 points) out of eight teams at the OAA Red Division league meet — a field that featured seven ranked schools.

“We might not have the depth yet for dual meets in our league, but we definitely have a state-meet team where we have a few girls that will score a lot of points,” offered Chock. “And we’re only brining one senior to the state meet and that’s for a relay. Most of our top girls are freshmen and sophomores. Next year we’ll have more depth. We have a few girls coming up that will help with depth and our top swimmers are all going to be back.”

Clarkston’s first state-meet points actually came in the diving event a decade ago, when Casey Bolton took ninth at the Class A state meet in 2001. Bolton collected 348.0 points that year to break into some unchartered waters for the Wolves.

Clarkston’s best all time finish at the state meet was 14^th in 2007, when the Wolves scored 63 points. Clarkston finished 16^th last season with 53 points and have scored at the state meet six straight years. This year, the Wolves are expected to score far more points and potentially break the top 10 in the team standings for the first time.

“We haven’t been any closer than (14^th),” recalled Chock of her team’s goal of reaching the top 10. “I think this team has a great chance to finish in the top 10. And we’ll be better next year. We’re not losing any of our top girls and we only have one senior even at the state meet.”

Clarkston is taking nine competitors to the state finals, by far its largest contingent. Sophomore Sami Stelpflug and freshman Megan Stelpflug, both Oakland County champions, are seeded in the top-five, while several others hold top-16 seeds.

IN THE LEAD: Clarkston sophomore Sami Stelpflug is seeded first in the 200 IM and also holds a top-five seed in the 100 breaststroke at this weekend's division 1 state meet. File Photo | Dan Stickradt

The top 16 finishers in the prelims advance to the second day and will be in position to score points.

Sophomores Kathryn Culver, Monica Gorgas and Natalie Vela will join the Stelpflug sisters as swimmers that could score points for the Wolves at the D-1 finals. Sophomore Amber Hallman, freshman Sydney Thon, junior Taylor Tekiele and senior Allison Garland also join the Wolves’ state-meet team.

Clarkston has never had a state champion in girls swimming. Chock believes that could happen with Sami Stelpflug seed first in the 200 IM and third in the 100 breaststroke. Megan Stelpflug also enters the meet with a fourth seed in the 500 free.

“I think we have a chance for an individual champ, if not this year then next year,” smiled Chock. “We have some girls that I now will score (high at the finals).”

STATE PERFORMANCES AT A GLANCE

A glance at Clarkston’s girls swimming and diving team at the MHSAA state finals. The Wolves launched their program in the fall of 1999.

CLARKSTON

2010: 16^th (53 pts.) D-1

2009: 37^th (3 pts.) D-1

2008: 35^th (3 pts.) D-1

2007: 14^th (63 pts.) D-1

2006: 24^th (26 pts.) D-1

2005: 42nd (2 pts.) D-1

2001: 25^th (10 pts.) D-1

Girls Swimming State Rankings

(By the coaches association)

Division 1 — 1. Farmington Hills Mercy; Saline; 3. Hudsonville; 4. Holland West Ottawa; 5. Rockford; 6. Birmingham Marian; 7. (tie) Ann Arbor Huron, South Lyon Unified; 9. Ann Arbor Skyline; 10. (tie) Clarkston, Zeeland Unified.

Honorable Mention — Novi, Northville, Lake Orion, Rochester Stoney Creek, Saginaw Heritage, Grandville, Jackson, Temperance Bedford, Livonia Stevenson, Plymouth, Plymouth Salem.

Division 2 — 1. Holland; 2.  Birmingham Seaholm; 3. Birmingham Groves; 4. Grosse Pointe South; 5. Farmington Harrison; 6. Midland Dow; 7. Rochester Adams; 8. Portage Central; 9. Milan; 10. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central.

Honorable Mention — Jenison, Dexter, Okemos, Fenton, Walled Lake Northern, Grand Rapids Northview, Bay City Western, Battle Creek Lakeview.

Division 3 — 1. East Grand Rapids; 2. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood; 3. Bloomfield Hills Lahser; 4. Hamilton; 5. Plainwell; 6. Holland Christian; 7. Alma; 8. Haslett; 9. Grand Rapids Christian; 10. (tie) Adrian, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.

Honorable Mention — Muskegon Catholic Central, Birmingham Detroit Country Day, Grosse Ile, Tecumseh, Dundee, Spring Lake, Trenton, Battle Creek .Harper Creek, Bay City John Glenn.

FOR MORE SWIMMING COVERAGE, visit http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Swimming&x=5&y=14

OAA RED DIVISION STATS: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/11/15/girls-swimming-%E2%80%94-oaa-red-division-results/

OAA WHITE DIVISION STATS: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/11/09/8245/

OAA BLUE DIVISION STATS: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/11/15/girls-swimming-%E2%80%94-oaa-blue-division-results/

PHOTO GALLERY: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/10/05/photo-gallery-2011-oakland-county-girls-swimming-and-diving-championships/

COUNTY MEET STATS: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/10/02/girls-swimming-oakland-county-girls-swimming-and-diving-championships/

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Tags: Clarkston Girls Swimming, featured, girls swimming, High School Girls Swimming, MHSAA Division 1 Girls Swimming, Prep Girls Swimming, swimming

Category: Clarkston, Featured Articles, High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps