The Eagles competed in the MHSAA Division 3 State Prelims on Friday and were looking to be in a position to have another top 10 finish in the state for the 16th season in a row.  In prelims the goal is to finish in the top 16 in order to score.  The top 8 finishers are locked in to scoring in the top 8 after prelims and cannot score less than 8th place for finals.  

Our first event didn't go as planned as we were disqualified in the 200 Yard Medley Relay.  We bounced back quickly with Evan Nelson in the 200 Yard Freestyle.  Evan went 1:48.20 and finished in 15th place, moving up 3 spots from where he was seeded.  Next event up for the Eagles was the 50 Yard Freestyle.  Tyler Stinton improved his season best by going 23.11 seconds and moving up 7 places from where he was seeded.  Mace Boender moved up 20 places to finish 17th with a personal best time of 22.46 seconds.  Max O'Grady moved up 1 spot to finish 11th with a time of 21.96 seconds.  Ben Sytsma held his postion as the top seeded swimmer in the event and broke his own school record with a time of 20.29 seconds.  The 100 Yard Freestyle was the next event and Emmett Vance went a personal best of 48.38 seconds and snagged a spot in the top 8 moving up 3 places.  Ben Sytsma broke another of his school records going a 44.29 while holding is position as the top seed.  Evan Nelson swam a personal best time of 4:56.33 in the 500 Yard Freestyle to place 14th.  The 200 Yard Freestyle Relay was up next and Emmett Vance, Max O'Grady, Evan Nelson, and Ben Sytsma moved up 1 place from where they were seeded to finish 2nd by .14 seconds with a time of 1:26.95.  Mace Boender swam personal best in the 100 Yard Backstroke going 57.55 seconds and moved up 4 places to finish 23rd.  Jack Israels moved up 6 places and finished with a time of 58.14 seconds.  Sawyer O'Grady swam the 100 Yard Breaststroke and finished 28th with a time of 1:04.76.  The last swim of the day was the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay, the group of Emmett Vance, Max O'Grady, Evan Nelson, and Ben Sytsma held spot in 2nd place and finished with a time of 3:11.77, just .07 seconds behind 1st place.  

Overall prelims went well, we were able to move on from an early setback and put ourselves in a great position to finish strong on Saturday at Finals.  

Prelims Results:

DQ - 200 Medley Relay (Emmett Vance, Sawyer O'Grady, Max O'Grady, Mace Boender)

15th - 200 Freestyle - Evan Nelson - 1:48.20 (Top 10 all-time in school history)

1st - 50 Freestyle - Ben Sytsma - 20.29 (NEW SCHOOL RECORD)

11th - 50 Freestyle - Max O'Grady - 21.96 (10th place in school history)

17th - 50 Freestyle - Mace Boender - 22.46 (24th place in school history)

36th (tied) - 50 Freestyle - Tyler Stinton - 23.11

1st - 100 Freestyle - Ben Sytsma - 44.29 (NEW SCHOOL RECORD)

8th - 100 Freestyle - Emmett Vance - 48.38 (12th place in school history)

14th - 500 Freestyle - Evan Nelson - 4:56.33 (8th place in school history)

2nd - 200 Freestyle Relay (Emmett Vance, Max O'Grady, Evan Nelson, Ben Sytsma) - 1:26.95 (2nd in school history)

23rd - 100 Backstroke - Mace Boender - 57.55 (14th place in school history)

31st - 100 Backstroke - Jack Israels - 58.14 (18th place in school history)

28th - 100 Breaststroke - Sawyer O'Grady - 1:04.76 (12th place in school history)

2nd - 400 Freestyle Relay (Emmett Vance, Max O'Grady, Evan Nelson, Ben Sytsma) - 3:11.77 (3rd in school history)