Despite losing multiple relay swimmers and a multi-time state champion to graduation, the Skyline Girls’ Swim and Dive Team might end up better off overall thanks to a strong group of returners bolstered by incoming freshmen. Relays look to be a key component if the Eagles are to bring home a team trophy (fourth place in overall points or better as a team) for the first time since 2017.
“The team is looking really strong this year,” says captain Allie Deininger (‘24), “and we have a lot of really good underclassmen which I’m super excited about.”
Since last season, MHSAA has adjusted the minimum times required to qualify for the state championship meet, making them all slower. “We will most likely have a larger state team this year with the cuts changing,” says captain Shannen Lee (‘24)
Key losses
Lily Cleason (‘23) graduated and is set to swim at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), the third of three Cleasons to do so. It is hard to overstate Cleason’s impact last year. Cleason set the Skyline record in the 100 backstroke and netted 35 points at the 2022 D2 States with a second-straight 100 backstroke title and fourth place in the 200 freestyle. She also was on the ninth-place 200 medley and sixth-place 400 freestyle relays.
Jorie Cho (‘23) dove in for the 11th-place 200 freestyle relay at States and swam fly on the 9th-place 200 medley relay. She also qualified for States and was Skyline’s fastest 100 butterflyer.
State Individual Scoring Returners
Annabelle Balazer (‘26) was a significant asset for the Eagles last season, scoring 28 points at the 2022 State Championship from a runner-up finish in the 500 freestyle and eighth in the 200 freestyle. She also swam as part of the 11th-place 200 and sixth-place 400 free relay. Since then, Balazar has made massive strides during club season, dropping 4.47 seconds in the 500 freestyle, 3.41 seconds in the 200 freestyle, and 1.35 seconds in the 100 freestyle. Her new 500 freestyle time puts her in the hunt for a title and her 100 free best time is a big deal for the 400 free relay.
Lee scored 12 points at the 2022 State Championship courtesy of her ninth-place finish in the 50 freestyle and 14th-place finish in the 100 backstroke. She competed on the sixth-place 400 freestyle and ninth-place 200 medley relay teams as well. If Lee can recreate her best times, she could earn all-state finishes in her prime events and further bolster the 400 freestyle relay.
Allie Deininger earned 5 points at the 2022 State Championship with a 12th-place finish in the 100 freestyle. Deininger was a member of the 11th-place 200 and sixth-place 400 free relay squads. Deininger enters the season with new best times in the 50 freestyle and 50 butterfly set over the summer. She appears set to be a relay regular as she was last season.
Other returners
In her first season for Skyline, Sofia Torres (‘25) qualified for the 2022 State Championship in the 100 and 200 freestyles where she finished 19th and 30th respectively, and part of the 200 freestyle relay team’s 11th-place finish.
Violet Schrag (‘24) is Skyline’s only returning the 2022 State Championship qualifier in diving. Schrag finished 28th and earned a score less than 10 points off of making the semifinals.
Ava Dawson (‘24) swam breaststroke on the 9th-place 200 medley relay. She was Skyline’s second-best 100 breaststroker.
Major Additions
Adrienne Schadler (‘27) enters with best times in the 50/100/200/500 freestyle, 100 butterfly, and 200 IM that could earn all-state. Her 500 free would have won 2022 states. Schadler could also play a major relay role.
Julianna Peoples (‘27) has times under the state cuts in the 100 backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly plus the 200 IM. She could be Skyline’s go-to breaststroker but Sophia Nielsen (‘24), who qualified for states in 2021, has a faster lifetime best.
“I am optimistic for the season,” said Sydney Sawyer (‘24), “everyone is working incredibly hard.”
Highlights schedule-wise for the team include a dual meet against 2022 Division 1 Champions and cross-town rival Pioneer on September 7th at home and senior night at home against Bedford on October 12th. The full team roster and schedule are found below.
