Royal Oak Swimmers Compete in State Finals this Weekend

The varsity girls swim team will compete in the Division 2 state finals Friday and Saturday at the Holland Aquatic Center. 

Emily Heitchue has a good shot at earning all-state status for the Ravens.

The junior swam in the state finals last year when Royal Oak was in Division 1. She competed in the 100-yard breaststroke and finished in 39th place with a time of 1:11.92.

She’ll be competing in the 100-yard breaststroke again this year and qualified for the state finals with a time 2 seconds faster (1:09.36) than her time at the season’s final meet last year.

The top eight swimmers in each event are named all-state, and her qualifying time in Division 2 was the ninth-best headed into the weekend. Emma Shaw of Holland was the eighth seed with a time of 1:08.91.

Heitchue is also swimming in the 200-yard individual medley. She qualified with a time of 2:17.07. She will have to improve her time by around 5 seconds if she wants to finish in the top eight.

The top seed in both events in which Heitchue is swimming is Annie Lazor of Birmingham Groves. Lazor is the defending individual champion in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Heitchue was the only Royal Oak swimmer to qualify for an individual event, but the Ravens were able to qualify one team for the 200-yard medley relay. Heitchue will be joined by sophomore Julia Heenan, freshman Katie Ferrero and fellow junior Caroline Nielsen in that event.

The team just beat the Division 2 qualifying time of 1:59.99 with a 1:57.19. A team from Holland had the best qualifying time of 1:45.26.

Girls will swim the preliminary rounds starting at noon Friday. The finals start at the same time Saturday.

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