ERIE – David Mills, a junior at Erie Mason High School, delivered a standout performance at the Division 3 state swimming and diving finals held at the Holland Aquatic Center on March 13-14, securing fourth place in the 500-yard freestyle and fifth place finishes in both the 200-yard freestyle and two relay events.
What sets Mills’ achievements apart is the relatively limited time he dedicates to training. According to Coach Andy Mosley, Mills spends significantly less time in the pool compared to his competitors, yet consistently achieves top rankings.
The Erie Mason-Ida team as a whole achieved considerable success at the state finals, finishing in seventh place overall. This marked a significant improvement for the team, surpassing several Southeast Michigan Independent Swimming League rivals, including Riverview, whom they had previously been defeated by.
The state meet saw the breaking of four school records. Mills was instrumental in this success, eclipsing a longstanding record in the 400-yard freestyle relay, previously held by Randy Schardt since 1989, with a time of 3:14.97. He similarly broke the school record in the 500-yard freestyle, finishing in 4:46.77, and contributed to record-setting times in both the medley relay (1:39.58) and the 400-yard freestyle relay.
In addition to Mills’ individual accomplishments, Jared Tunison, Bowie Jacobs, Brandon Tross, Brenner Nelson, and Mason Reynolds also contributed to the team’s success. Tunison achieved an eighth-place finish in the individual medley (2:02.72), even as Nelson secured eighth place in the 100-yard freestyle (:48.67). Reynolds, Tross, Jacobs, and Nelson placed 11th in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
Coach Mosley, who himself holds a school record in the individual medley from 1995, described the first day of the competition as “emotional,” noting that the team qualified for the finals in all but one event. He emphasized the dedication and effort displayed by the swimmers, stating, “Everyone used everything they had.”
Erie Mason-Ida’s seventh-place finish placed them ahead of all other teams from Southeast Michigan, with the exception of Cranbrook Kingswood, who ultimately won the Division 3 championship.
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