BLOOMFIELD HILLS — The Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood boys swim and dive team opened its season with three state qualifications in a tri-meet against Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett and Ann Arbor Greenhills on Monday.

Cranbrook won the meet where Matthew Liu, a sophomore, earned a state qualifying time in the 200 individual medley, and later joined junior Alex Hogan in qualifying for the 100 backstroke.

They are the first team members to secure attendance at the Division 3 state meet that will be held on March 11-12 in Holland.

Cranbrook head coach Tony Kurth took a moment to congratulate his team on the individual triumphs, and the meet victory, but quickly issued a new challenge: Qualify for the relay events.

“We had to wait until the last possible moment last year to qualify for our relays,” Kurth said. “Let's not repeat that. We need to get those times competitive soon.”

The 200 medley relay team is likely to achieve the coach's goal within the specified time period.

Sophomore Matthew Liu raced with juniors Drew Branigan, Alex Hogan and Stefan Withrow.

The group swam an exciting first effort at a time of 1:49:83, less than half a second short of the required 1:49:39.

Parent support for the Cranbrook Kingswood program was evident. All volunteer positions were fully staffed, in spite of the early start on a weekday.

Parents arrived from as far away as Plymouth and even Lansing to work at the first meet of the season.

The Cranes will travel to the University of Toledo for the Knight Invitational Meet on Saturday. Cranbrook Kingswood competes every year with Coach Kurth's alma mater, St. Francis de Sales High School in Toledo.

But this will be the first year they attend the invitational hosted by St. Francis.

 

 

Last Updated: 12/7/2010 3:16:59 PM EST