Traditionally, both individual swimmers and swim teams from Oakland County are among the best of the state, and there was no deviation from that this season.

Farmington Hills Mercy in Division 2 and Birmingham Marian in Division 3 each won state titles, while several swimmers claimed state championships either individually or as members of relay teams.

Those swimmers and more are on this year’s all-county girls swim team, which we now present starting with the first team as broken down by event.  

200 Medley Relay — Rachel Dekar (Sr.), Maeve McHugh (Jr.), Alex Miller (Soph.), Taylor Abbott (Sr.), Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood.

Not only did the quartet win the Division 3 state title in this event, but they set a meet record with their time of 1:45.47.

“We’re really blessed to have talented swimmers who can swim all four strokes,” Cranbrook head coach Scott Hedges said. “It was the first year we had so many options and so many girls pushing for those spots.”



200 Freestyle — Nikki Barczak (Soph.), Farmington Hills Mercy. Showing why she is one of the state’s best underclassmen, Barczak won the Division 2 state championship with a time of 1:52. She also was the county champion in this event.

“Her strength is that she’s probably the most competitive kid I’ve had the pleasure of coaching,” Mercy head coach Shannon Dunworth said. “She just really enjoys the race and that’s what makes her special.”



200 Individual Medley — Maria Bargardi (Soph.), Farmington Hills Mercy. There aren’t many in the area or state more versatile than Bargardi, who captured the Division 2 state championship with a meet record time of 2:05.78. With two more years to go, there could be plenty more records that fall.

“Maria is what every coach wants in a swimmer,” Dunworth said. “Her strength is her ability to suffer when the going gets rough in practice. That’s what makes her as good as she is.”



50 Freestyle — Katherine Carl (Sr.), Bloomfield Hills Lahser. Carl finished off her career in grand fashion at the Division 3 state meet, winning the 50 free in a meet record time of 23.24 in defending the title she won last season.



Diving — Carly Sevald (Sr.), Farmington Hills Mercy. Clearly the best diver in the county all season, Sevald won the county title and captured the Division 2 state title after accumulating 407.05 points.

“I’ve been able to watch Carly come as a beginner as a freshman to a ballerina in the air,” Dunworth said.



100 Butterfly — Molly Tyler (Sr.), Birmingham Groves. A veteran leader all season long for the Falcons, Tyler finished second at the Division 2 meet with a time of 57.86, a performance that helped Groves attain a fifth-place finish.

“We’re very happy for Molly that her hard work paid off,” Groves head coach Matt Watson said.



100 Freestyle — Lauren Nichols (Sr.), Birmingham Seaholm. Hard to imagine many having better high school careers than Nichols, who was a standout the last four years. She set a meet record in the 100 Free with a time of 50.85 in defending the title she won last year. Nichols finished with four individual state titles. She also won the 50 freestyle event in 2006 and 2007 before finishing second to Emily Bos of Holland this season.

“She’s probably the most talented swimmer I’ve coached and certainly one of the best Seaholm has ever had,” Seaholm head coach Karl Hodgson said.



500 Freestyle — Rachel Johnson (Jr.), Milford. 5:02.06. Johnson is following in the footsteps of older sister Liz, helping to put a program not known for swimming on the map. Johnson finished second in the 200 freestyle at the Division 1 meet before winning the 500 with a time of 5;02.06. She also was won the 500 free at the county and KLAA meets.

“She was definitely a team leader that did a great job of inspiring her teammates with her swims,” Milford head coach Heather Lutz said. “She is a hard worker and focused and we’re very lucky to have someone like that.”



200 Freestyle Relay — Taylor Steffl (Soph.), Nikki Barczak (Soph.), Megan Gegeskey (Sr.), Sato Kakihara (Fr.), Farmington Hills Mercy. As scary good as this team was this year, it should be even more so next year with only one senior in the foursome. In winning the state title at the Division 2 meet, this team also set a meet record time of 1:36.88.

“That was one of the real pleasant surprises of the year,” Dunworth said. “We kind of pride ourselves on trying to outwork our opponent. It was nice to have the four fastest kids in the state.”



100 Backstroke — Hayley Johnson (Soph.), Birmingham Marian. A valuable component of Marian’s Division 3 state championship team, Johnson established herself as a top swimmer this year. She was a member of Marian’s 200 IM and 400 freestyle relay teams and finished second in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.50.

“This season was a breakout season for her,” Marian head coach Bill Thompson said.  “She trained a lot better physically and from a mental aspect, challenged herself also. She really came along during the offseason and then during the season.”



100 Breaststroke — Rachel Dekar (Sr.), Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood. Dekar was another swimmer who defended a state title this year, as she followed her championship performance last year by winning the state crown at the Division 3 meet in a time of 1:03.58. Also a vital part of Cranbrook’s relay teams.

“She is just one of those posterchilds for great and successful swimming,” Hedges said. “She did a great job of holding the team together and leading her teammates.”



400 Freestyle Relay — Kaitlyn Jefferson (Sr.), Megan Gegeskey (Sr.), Maria Bargardi (Soph.), Nikki Barczak (Soph.), Farmington Hills Mercy. The foursome swam this event in a time of 3:29.2 at the Division 2 state meet, which was good enough for a second-place finish. Just like Mercy’s 200 medley relay, this team should only get better with only one senior being lost to graduation.

“We take great pride in that relay,” Dunworth said. We made all-American in that relay last year and were all-American again this year. We dropped significantly in time this year from last year.”



Head coach

Shannon Dunworth, Farmington Hills Mercy

The Marlins were a young team this year with a horde of freshman and sophomores, yet still were better than ever in winning another county meet and the Division 2 state meet.



Honorable mention (in alphabetical order)

Chelsea Abbott (Fr.), Birmingham Seaholm; Kerry Abel (Sr.), Novi; Sam Arnold (Soph.), Birmingham Seaholm; Stephanie Berg (Jr.), Birmingham Marian; Rebecca Berman (Soph.), Novi; Marissa Blumenthal (Jr.), Bloomfield Hills Lahser; Marina Borri (Fr.), Farmington Hills Harrison; Maggie Brabbins (Sr.), Birmingham Marian; Anna Brown (Sr.), Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood; Caroline Buck (Sr.), Birmingham Seaholm; Carson Burt, Stoney Creek; Lauren Burt, Stoney Creek; Ashley Bush (Sr.), Novi; Corinne Caldwell (Fr.), South Lyon; Meredith Cote (Jr.), Novi; Emma Craig (Soph.), Farmington Hills Mercy; Elise Dalley (Soph.), Birmingham Groves; Rachel Dickerman (Sr.), Birmingham Seaholm; Marissa Doepker (Sr.), Farmington Hills Harrison; Paige Drazga (Soph.), South Lyon; Kirsten Emerson (Jr.), Rochester Adams; Jenna Faletti (Sr.), South Lyon; Eileen Fredendall (Sr.), Farmington Hills Mercy; Emma Gaboury (Fr.), Birmingham Marian; Jayme Groth (Soph.), Bloomfield Hills Andover; Erin Grubbs (Sr.), Farmington Hills Harrison; Hannah Heebner (Sr.), North Farmington; Haley Hilt (Soph.), Milford; Kaitlyn Jefferson (Sr.), Farmington Hills Mercy; Lauren Kalinosky (Sr.), Novi; Julie Kapler (Jr.), South Lyon; Colleen Kill, Stoney Creek; Hannah Knapp, Stoney Creek; Kendra Krentz (Jr.), Bloomfield Hills Lahser; Annie Lazor (Fr.), Birmingham Groves; Zoe Lukas (Soph.), Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood; Mary Kate MacLean (Fr.), Birmingham Detroit Country Day; Ashley Mitson (Soph.), Birmingham Groves; Karly Moore (Sr.), West Bloomfield; Calley Murphy (Jr.), Birmingham Seaholm; Stephanie Nagel (Sr.), Bloomfield Hills Lahser; Olivia Rath (Fr.), Farmington Hills Harrison; Melanie Rogers (Jr.), Birmingham Seaholm; Nina Rusiewski, Stoney Creek; Olivia Samoray (Fr.), Farmington Hills Mercy; Molly Schaefer (Soph.), Birmingham Marian; Claire Schelske (Soph.), Birmingham Marian; Anna Schena (Jr.), Farmington Hills Mercy; Karianne Sophiea (Sr.), Ferndale; Megan Smith (Soph.), Birmingham Seaholm; Alex Swies (Sr.), Farmington Hills Mercy; Katie Pohlman (Jr.), Milford; Jaynie Pulte (Fr.), Birmingham Marian; Katie Pulte (Sr.), Birmingham Marian; Amy Wallace (Sr.), Milford; Charlotte Yaw (Fr.), Birmingham Seaholm