Cranbrook Makes It A Three-Peat At MHSAA Division 3 Meet

2025 MHSAA Division 3 State Meet

• March 14-15
• Ypsilanti, Mich. (Eastern Michigan University)
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results 

After winning four straight state titles from 2014-2017, there was a little bit of a lull for the Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood boys swim program when it came to state titles.

But there’s no doubt now that Cranbrook is back as the state’s top Division 3 program, as the Cranes won their third straight Michigan High School Athletic Association state title last weekend.

Cranbrook earned 357 points, well ahead of runner-up Holland Christian’s total of 282.5 points.

Division 3 is Michigan’s smallest classification in terms of school enrollment.

Leading the way for Cranbrook was junior A.J. Farner, who told the MHSAA that he has been battling mononucleosis for most of this season. 

Farner looked plenty fresh when it counted, first winning the 200 freestyle in a time of 1:40.15, which was his personal best by 5.28 seconds.

He later won the 100 backstroke in a time of 49.54, which was 1.07 seconds better than his personal best.

Farner was also a part of two winning relay teams, the first being the 200 medley relay team which won with a time of 1:33.78. Joseph Wiater, Ethan Xu and Calvin Mecker were the other team members.

Farner swam anchor for Cranbrook’s winning team in the 400 free relay, which won in a time of 3:07.95. Other team members were Sean Lu, Ryan VanDyke and Xu.

The other individual winner for Cranbrook was Wiater, a senior who won the 100 breaststroke in a time of 56.57, which was a personal best.

The Grand Rapids Christian team of Tyler Stinton, Evan Nelson, Sawyer O’Grady and Emmett Vance won the 200 free relay in a time of 1:27.26.

Other individual standouts were Otsego junior Liam Smith, a Florida commit, and Birmingham Detroit Country Day senior Jack Higgins.

Smith won the 200 individual medley in a time of 1:49.07 and the 100 butterfly in a time of 48.68, winning the latter event for a third straight year.

Higgins was the sprint freestyle king, winning the 50 free in a time of 21.01 and the 100 free in a time of 45.95. He was second in both events at last year’s state meet.

Holland Christian senior Parker Schut improved on a sixth-place finish from last year by winning the diving event with 511.95 points, while Plainwell junior Sam Harper won the 500 free in a time of 4:34.62, a personal best by 2.86 seconds.

Team Standings — Top 5

1. Cranbrook 357
2. Holland Christian 282.5
3. East Grand Rapids 264
4. Grand Rapids Christian 191
5. Hamilton 154