WATERFORD — In Catholic League swimming circles, it might be easy to overlook Ella Dziobak.
She doesn’t swim for one of the traditional powerhouse schools such as Farmington Hills Mercy, Bloomfield Hills Marian or Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood. However, the Dearborn Divine Child senior has been able to earn serious accolades, both around the league and on a statewide level.
This weekend, Dziobak has a chance do something that has rarely been accomplished. If she wins the 500 freestyle, she will become a four-time individual state champion in that event.
Up to this point, she has touched the wall first in high school swimming’s longest race, going as fast as 5:02.61 in her sophomore year. So her goal is pretty obvious as the Falcons prepare to compete in this weekend’s MHSAA Division 3 state championships at the Holland Aquatic Center.
“I kind of have that personal pressure,” she said. “I want to hit that All-American time standard, but we’ll see. I have not hit it, but I’ve gotten close a couple of times. My PR (personal record) is 4:59, and I want to be a 4:57, maybe 4:56.”
Dziobak is equally as proud that Divine Child was able to qualify for the state finals in all three relays. Although Dziobak is unsure which ones she will swim (individuals are limited to two relays), it’s an indicator of how far the Falcons’ program has come since her freshman season.
“Swimming for the high school team is fun because it’s all girls my own age, and it’s just fun being able to race with them and represent the school,” she said. “Obviously everyone looks to Mercy, but I think Divine Child, over the next few years, is a place that you want to be if you want to swim at a high level.”
Any future Falcon swimmers who want to set school records will have to chase Dziobak’s times, as she tops Divine Child performance lists in several events. Besides the 500 and two relays, she will also compete in the 200 freestyle this weekend, an event in which she’s placed among the top three in the state each season.
When the Plymouth resident continues her career next year at Purdue University, the 500 will be at the short end of her repertoire, as collegiate distance events include the 1000 and the 1650. The 1650, informally known as “the mile,” is 66 lengths of the pool, instead of the 20 that swimmers cover in the 500-yard race.
Dziobak — rated by Swimcloud as the fourth-best college recruit in Michigan — made her commitment to the Boilermakers on Nov. 12 and plans to sign her national letter of intent on Dec. 3.
“When I went there (on a visit), I really fell in love with the team and the coaches were great,” she said. “It’s great academically as well, so it had a little bit of everything. I applied for biomedical health sciences, with a pre-dentistry concentration. I’ve always enjoyed my science classes, and I decided that’s what I want to do in college as well.”
Dziobak also considered the University of Akron, Miami University of Ohio, Ball State University, the University of Cincinnati and Oakland University. Although Purdue competes in the NCAA’s Division 1, a higher level than the other schools on her list, Dziobak said that wasn’t necessarily a factor in her decision.
Win or lose this Saturday, Dziobak can’t help but feel a bit sentimental when looking back over her high school career.
“I think it’s going to be a little bit sad,” she said. “I came in four years ago and didn’t really have high expectations, but to continue that in the 500 each year has been interesting, and it’s going to be sad to finish off racing with the team because we’ve been together the whole time.”
As a seasoned veteran, what advice would Dziobak give to her younger teammates?
“Everyone says it goes by fast, and it truly does,” she said. “It’s really easy to think, ‘I want to be done — I want to go to the next thing,’ but now that it’s ending, it’s kind of bittersweet.”
Business as usual for Mercy at Catholic League finals
After Dziobak graduates, who will be the Catholic League’s next swimming star? It could be Mercy’s Lyla Collins. The freshman won both the shortest and longest races — the 50 and 500 freestyle events (24.60 and 5:09.75) — and contributed to two winning relays at last weekend’s Catholic League finals.
“It was definitely hard going from the 50, where it’s a sprint, to the 500, which is long distance, but I think I powered through and it turned out alright,” she said. “I’m pretty happy with my times.”
And those weren’t Collins’ regular events. She normally specializes in the backstroke or the individual medley.
Many of the Mercy swimmers competed in “off events,” but the end result was the same. The Marlins won all but one of the 12 events and led the field with 577 points — well above Marian (406), Ann Arbor Greenhills (306), Cranbrook Kingswood (269), Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard (233), Madison Heights Bishop Foley (125), Divine Child (117) and Warren Regina (70).
“I heard that obviously we just needed to work our hardest,” Collins said after competing in her first CHSL championship. “I didn’t really hear that it was ‘our meet,’ but after watching the meet, it’s clear to see we absolutely killed it. I’m really proud of us.”
Avery Tack won the 200 free (1:49.56) and the breaststroke (1:05.29); Ella Hafner took first in the IM (2:06.14) and the butterfly (57.89); Leah Greaves won the 100 free (52.29) and joined the others on two of Mercy’s winning relays.
“Everybody works hard, but Avery Tack and Ella and Leah, I truly love watching them swim,” Collins said. “They work so hard, and it’s amazing. I would not rather look up to anyone else other than them.”
Teammate Sophia D’Orazio won the diving event with 358.90 points, and Fr. Gabriel Richard freshman Lucy Tribble became the only event winner not from Mercy when she placed first in the backstroke (57.72).
Mercy is ranked second in this weekend’s upcoming MHSAA Division 2 state final meet, hosted by Eastern Michigan University, and Collins, for one, can’t wait.
‘I’m just excited to represent Mercy with all my sisters,” she said. “I’m just excited to show everyone what Mercy is capable of. I’m excited to go through this experience with them.”
