Sam Williams Demolishes Records at Michigan’s U.P. Champs

Full results (PDF)

The Marquette boys took the Michigan Upper Peninsula HS title last weekend, led by senior Sam Williams‘ two UP records.

Williams first dropped a 1:57.11 in the 200 IM, bringing the UP record under two minutes for the first time and winning by over sixteen seconds. In his second individual event of the meet, he dropped a 58.02 in the 100 breast to knock his own 2015 record by over two seconds.

In addition to his big titles, Williams led off Marquette’s victorious 200 and 400 free relays.

The most exciting race of the day might’ve come in the 100 back, where Marquette junior Andrew Kilpela and Gladstone junior Matthew LeClaire traded blows each 50. Kilpela was out faster, but LeClaire came back hard and out-swam him with a 54.33 to Kilpela’s 54.40. They were both under LeClaire’s old record.

Final Scores (boys)

1. Marquette 326
2. Houghton 208
3. Sault 205
4. Gladstone 175
5. Ishpeming-Negaunee 150

The Gladstone girls kicked off their title run with a 1:57.63 in the 200 medley relay, which is less than half a second away from the UP record. That relay was made up of two juniors, a sophomore, and a freshman, so they’ll get another serious chance at it next year.

Gladstone’s medley relay backstroker Katie Stephenson was a double winner, dropping a 25.72 in the 50 free and a 1:04.01 in the 100 back.

There were two other double winners last weekend, with Allison Halpin taking the 200 free (2:06.47) and the 100 fly (1:04.79) and Kingsford freshman Peyton Johnson winning the 100 free (54.09) and 200 IM (2:14.40). Johnson also had an impressive 53.69 anchor leg on Kingsford’s 400 free relay, but Gladstone came out on top of that event. This came after their medley breaststroker, freshman Sydney Herioux topped the field in the 100 breast (1:12.40).

Final Scores (girls)

1. Gladstone 281
2. Houghton 244
3. Marquette 241
4. Kingsford 175
5. Rudyard 141