Novi Swimmers Qualify for Junior Olympics, State Championship Meets

—Submitted by South Lyon Aquatics

More than 470 swimmers arrived at South Lyon East High School Jan. 21-22 to compete in 100 USA Swimming sanctioned events. The 'Artic Blast' swim meet was hosted by the South Lyon Aquatics (SLA) swim team.

Several Novi swimmers qualified for the upcoming Junior Olympic and State Championship swim meets at the event.

Novi High School freshman Mallory Buha qualified for the upcoming State Championship swim meet in the 100 (1:00.89) and 200 (2:12.71) yard backstroke as well as Junior Olympics in the 400-yard individual medley (IM) (4:56.26).

Novi High juniors Kara Berg and Dana Morgan swam Junior Olympics qualifying times in a number of events.  Berg earned slots in the 50 (26.32), 100 (58.45) and 200 (2:03.23) freestyle, 100 (1:09.83) and 200 (2:47.79) butterfly and the 400 IM (4:56.26).  Morgan swam cuts in the 100 (1:08.52) and 200 (2:25.34) backstroke.

Ziyang Huang, a Novi High sophomore, earned cuts in the 100 (1:08.31) and 200 (2:25.34) back.  Chris Stefan, a Novi resident who is a sophomore at Walled Lake Western, captured a State Championship time in the 200 IM (2:15.70) and Junior Olympic slots in the 100 fly (59.47), 100 back (1:01.83) and 500 free (5:31.97).  

Sarah Wang, 8th grader at Novi Middle School, also qualified in the 100 fly (1:17.93).

Head coach Mark VanderMey said in a press release that he was excited to see how the far the swimmers have come since joining the new team in September and how well they all work together as a team.  He said he is very excited about the Championship meets coming up and expects that the swimmers are going to really do well.

The Junior Olympic meet will be held March 2-4 in East Lansing.  The 12 & Under State Championships will be held March 9-11 in Lake Orion and 13 & Older State Championships will be March 16-18 in Zeeland.