Oxford High School freshman swimming sensation Haley Kornburger has had quite the year in the pool.
In addition to helping the Wildcats to a second place finish in the Oakland Activities Association blue division, she also had strong finishes in the Michigan 13 and over state swimming championships at Eastern Michigan University from March 18-20.
Facing the best swimmers in the state, Kornburger captured the 50 freestyle title in her age group with a time of 24.52.
‘I’m really happy that I won,? she said. ‘I have been working really hard with my coach and all that hard work has been paying off and it feels good to win and get first.?
‘I’m very proud of her,? Haley’s father Steve Kornburger said.
In addition, she competed in five other events during the state championship. She finished fifth in the 100 Butterfly with a time of 59.38, and posted sixth place finishes in the 100 Freestyle (53.97), 100 Backstroke (1:00.20) and 200 Backstroke (2:12.42).
She competed in the 200 Freestyle, finishing 21st with a time of 2:01.34.
Kornburger also qualified for the USA Swimming Speedo Champions Series Central Zone Sectional meet at Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis on Thursday, March 24 through Saturday, March 27.
Haley will swim the 50 Freestyle, 100 Fly, 100 Backstroke and 100 Freestyle while in Indianapolis.
‘That competition is another level. It’s more of a regional draw; people from all over the Midwest will come…a lot of these people at the meet are trying to make qualifying times for the Olympics,? Steve said.
Her best finish during the meet was a 17th place finish during the 400 Long Course (LC) Freestyle Relay. She posted a leg time of 1:01.93. Her team finished with a time of 4:04.19.
She finished 45th in the 50 LC Free, 64th in the 100 LC Butterfly, 121st in the 100 LC Backstroke, 103rd in the 100 LC Freestyle and 32nd in the 400 LC Medley Relay.
Kornburger’s presence has already been felt on the girl’s record board at OHS; she set two pool records and eight school records during her first varsity season.
She set the 200 Individual Medley (2:20.58) and 100 Backstroke (1:03.17) pool records, and owns the school records for the 200 Medley Relay (2:01.67 with Jenna Mallard, Laura Zorle and Anna Daves), 200 Individual Medley (2:18.40), 50 Freestyle (25.84), 100 Fly (1:00.49), 100 Freestyle (55.49) 200 Freestyle Relay (1:51.23 with Amanda delaPaz, Mallard and Sarah Skelton), 100 Backstroke (1:01.08) and the 400 Freestyle Relay (3:58.03 with Casey Keils, delaPaz and Mallard).
She also swims for the Lake Orion Liquid Lightning when she is not competing for OHS.
‘She basically just takes Christmas week off and a week off during the summer, but other than that, she’s all year round,? her father said.