Boys Finals: Hurdles Conquered
June 2, 2012
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
With the number of elite athletes Lake Orion, Auburn Hills Avondale and Lansing Catholic have featured over the last many years, it was somewhat surprising that none had won an MHSAA boys track and field championship.
All three can check that goal off the list after earning first-place trophies for the first time Saturday.
Here's our breakdown of the best from the Boys Finals meets. It's impossible to include every highlight, of course. But feel free to comment below and tell us what we missed.
Headliner
Lansing Catholic senior Zack Zingsheim gets the edge over Union City’s Chris Maye just as his team finished just ahead of Maye’s for the Division 3 championship. Zingsheim won the 800 in 1:55.97 and also ran on first-place 800, 1,600 and 3,200 relays as the Cougars finished with 68 points and their first MHSAA team championship. The Georgetown University recruit previously has been part of one MHSAA championship relay and also won the Division 3 cross country title in the fall.
Record setters
LP D2/Pole vault – Jaime Salisbury, Marine City – 16-1
(previous was 16-0.5, set by Fowlerville’s Max Babits in 2010)
LP D2/800 relay – Lansing Sexton (Kendall Jackson, Adrian Sanchez, David Washington, Anthony Goodman) – 1:27.99
(previous was 1:28.11, set by Auburn Hills Avondale in 2011)
LP D2/200 dash – Kassius Kelly, Livonia Clarenceville – 21.36
(previous was 21.70, set by Muskegon Orchard View’s Clinton Allen in 2005)
LP D4/Discus – Jacob Patrick, Litchfield – 190-0
(previous was 170-1, set by Maple City Glen Lake’s Andrew Kemp in 2004)
LP D4/Long jump – Adam Abbott, Detroit Cristo Rey – 22-3.75
(previous was 22-1, set by Centreville’s Kevin Singleton in 2000)
UP D1/300 hurdles – Kenner Broullire, Manistique – 39.74
(previous was 40.01 set by Menominee’s Jason Hofer in 2004)
UP D2/High jump – James Sutton, Newberry – 6-3.5
(previous was 6-3, set by Munising’s Rick St. Amour in 2001)
UP D3/Discus – Brett Branstrom, Rock Mid-Peninsula – 154-8
(previous was 149-1, set by Rapid River’s Richard Poma in 2003)
UP D3/1,600 relay – Crystal Falls Forest Park (Alex Takala, Mark Hallman, Jake Divine, Derek Aberly) – 3:36.32
(previous was 3:37.51, set by Rock Mid-Peninsula in 2007)
Tales of the Trophy
LP D1: Despite just one first place, in the 1,600 relay, Lake Orion held off Grand Blanc to win its first MHSAA team championship, with 50 points. Grand Blanc scored 44, with wins in two relays. Lake Orion also finished runner-up in two relays.
LP D2: Auburn Hills Avondale got wins from Kyle Redwine in the 100 and Nathan Chapman in the 400, plus a relay win, to edge Lansing Sexton 47-40 at the top of the standings despite two Big Reds relay wins.
LP D3: With five event wins, including three in relays, Lansing Catholic also won its first championship – but in commanding style. The Cougars scored 68 points, 23 more than runner-up Union City.
LP D4: After tying for the championship last season, Albion left no question with 49 points, 13 more than Muskegon Western Michigan Christian. Albion swept the relays, with Nolen Mitchell on three of them, and he also tied for first place in the 400.
UP D1: Marquette claimed its third straight championship, this time out-pacing Gladstone by 15 points. Marquette won only three events, but got points from 14 entries.
UP D2: St. Ignace continued its reign with a third-straight championship, putting up 112 points to Stephenson’s 85. Parker Simmons won both the 100 and 200, and the team also won three field events.
UP D3: Pickford has had streaks of dominance before, but won its first championship Saturday since 1992. Jordan Lavinge was part of both event wins, taking first in long jump and running on the 800 relay.
So long, seniors
Drake Johnson, Ann Arbor Pioneer – Won the LP Division 1 championship in the 110 hurdles for the third straight season.
Garret Zuk, White Lake Lakeland – His win in the 3,200 at the LP Division 1 Final was his first in track and field, but he also won the Division 1 cross country title in the fall.
Austin Sanders, Ypsilanti – Sanders had the top-seeded LP Division 1 times in both the 100 and 200, and made good by winning both.
Jake McFadden, Clare – Won both the 110 and 300 hurdles at the LP Division 3 Final to give him four championships total in his career.
Chris Maye, Union City – Carried his team to second place in the LP Division 3 Final with wins in the 100 and 200, a second in the long jump, and as a runner on the winning 400 relay. He won three titles as a junior.
Click for links to all results.
PHOTOS: (Top) Williamston's Austin Loewen (left), Alma's Chaz Bradshaw (center) and Niles' Brandon Partee were among those competing for the Division 2 championship at 110 hurdles. Loewen won the race. (Middle) Auburn Hills Avondale's Kyle Redwine won the 100 and his team won its first MHSAA championship. (Photos courtesy of RunMichigan.com. Click to see more.)
Preview: Team Title Races Could Highlight UP Boys Track & Field Finals
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 31, 2024
We’re guaranteed at least one new team champion at Saturday’s Upper Peninsula Boys Track & Field Finals, and that may be just the start of changes at the top of the podium to conclude this season.
All three team title races appear to have multiple strong contenders, and Division 2 especially will require frequent score updates as reigning champion Pickford is likely to receive a strong challenge from Munising, which won Division 3 a year ago but is competing in Division 2 this weekend.
We’re guaranteed at least one new team champion at Saturday’s Upper Peninsula Boys Track & Field Finals, and that may be just the start of changes at the top of the podium to conclude this season.
All three team title races appear to have multiple strong contenders, and Division 2 especially will require frequent score updates as reigning champion Pickford is likely to receive a strong challenge from Munising, which won Division 3 a year ago but is competing in Division 2 this weekend.
All three divisions will again be contested at Kingsford High School, with preliminaries leading off the day at 9 a.m. local (Central) time. Tickets cost $11 and are available digitally only via GoFan.
MHSAA.tv will live-stream the meets beginning at 9 a.m. (CDT)/10 a.m. (EDT), viewable with subscription. Check out the Boys Track & Field page for meet information and lists of all qualifiers. Those described as "seeded" below have received those seeds based on Regional performances.
Following is a glance at team contenders and individuals to watch in all three divisions:
Division 1
Team forecast: Marquette has won the last three championships and Kingsford has finished runner-up the last two seasons, last year separated by 20 points and Marquette prevailing by just one point in 2022. Sault Ste. Marie might be the strongest challenger for the Sentinels this time, able to mix contenders in sprints and challengers in the distance events where Marquette often stacks points.
Darrent Butler, Menominee sophomore: He gave Menominee its third-straight Division 1 high jump champion last season and could run the streak to four as the top seed with a jump (6-2) three inches higher than his winner last year.
Wyatt Demers, Manistique senior: He won the 100 in Division 2 last season and was on a relay champ as a sophomore, and will run the 100, 200 and on the top-seeded 1,600 relay (3:40.97) this weekend.
Michael Floriano, Kingsford senior: He won the 200 as a sophomore and the 100 last spring while also finishing second in the 200 and running on the championship 800 relay and runner-up 400 relay. He’s seeded second in the 200 (23.90), third in the 100 (11.59) and will run again on two relays.
Noah Johnson, Kingsford senior: The reigning discus champion and shot put runner-up is seeded first in both throws at 165-9 and 49-5½, respectively, and also will compete in long jump.
Gabe Litzner, Sault St. Marie sophomore: Already a two-time UPD1 cross country champion, Litzner was second in the 3,200 and third in the 1,600 at his first Track Finals and is seeded first in both this weekend at 9:45.65 and 4:33, respectively.
Rayce Rizzo, Sault Ste. Marie senior: The reigning pole vault champion enters Saturday as the top seed (13-6) and also will compete in long jump.
Ryver Ryckeghem, Sault Ste. Marie senior: He’s surged as a senior and enters the weekend as the top seed in the 100 (11.47) and 200 (23.77) and running on the 800 relay.
Garrett Veale, Kingsford senior: He won the shot put as a junior and is the second seed to teammate Johnson in that throw (45-11) and also among contenders in discus.
Division 2
Team forecast: Pickford won Division 3 in 2022 and then moved into Division 2 last year and claimed a second-straight team title by a commanding margin. Last year’s runner-up Manistique is in Division 1 this season, but 2023 Division 3 champ Munising is in Division 2 this time and could be the strongest challenger to a Pickford lineup that still has contenders across several events.
Matthew Colavecchi, Iron Mountain senior: After winning the 100 and 200 dashes and running on two championship relays in Division 2 as a sophomore, he finished third in the 100 in Division 1 last spring. He returns to Division 2 as the top seed in the 100 (11.51), 200 (23.87) and long jump (18-9½) and running on the top-seeded 400 relay (45.87).
Dan Goss, Munising junior: He could make a big jump after finishing third in the 3,200 and sixth in the 1,600 in Division 3 last year, entering this weekend seeded first in Division 2 in the 800 (2:08.24), 1,600 (4:43.65) and 3,200 (10:58.55).
Hayden Hagen, Pickford senior: Last season’s champ in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, and part of the runner-up in the 3,200 relay, Hagen is seeded third in the 400, second to Goss in the 800 (2:09.67) and 1,600 (4:47.88), and fifth in the 3,200.
Joe Kelley, Munising senior: He ran both hurdles races and on a fourth-place relay in Division 3 last season, but this time he’s the Division 2 top seed in the 110 (16.25) and 300 hurdles (41.92) and will run on the top-seeded 1,600 relay (3:46.98) and second-seeded 400 relay (46.90).
Brayden Martin, Ishpeming senior: The reigning discus champion and fourth-place finisher in the shot put, Martin is the second seed in the shot put (40-8) and third in the discus (111-8).
Division 3
Team forecast: The last two Division 3 team champions are competing in Division 2 this season, but 2023 runner-up Newberry was only 22.5 points off Munising’s pace last year and might be the favorite this time. St. Ignace also is back in Division 3 after finishing fourth in Division 2 last season and has a couple of potential high scorers in the mix.
Chris Hopson, Newberry senior: He won the 300 hurdles as a junior and will run that race and as part of the 1,600 relay.
Jonny Ingalls, St. Ignace senior: The Saints’ basketball star is the top seed this weekend in the 110 hurdles (16.85) and 300 hurdles (43.74) and running on the top-seeded 1,600 relay (3:48.07) and second-seeded 400 relay (46.30).
Matthew Jokela, Lake Linden-Hubbell senior: He’s expected to contribute significantly coming off fourth places last season in the 200 and 400 and this time seeded first in both at 23.85 and 52.17 seconds, respectively, plus third in the 100 and running on the second-seeded 800 relay.
Kalvin Kytta, Chassell junior: Last year’s 3,200 champ and 1,600 third-place finisher is seeded first in the 800 (2:08.80), 1,600 (4:45.47) and 3,200 (11:00.34).
Owen Lester, St. Ignace senior: He won the pole vault in Division 2 last season and is tied for the top seed in that event (11-6) and will run on three top-three relays including the favored 1,600 with Ingalls.
Matthew Rahilly, Newberry junior: He won long jump, was runner-up in high jump and ran on the winning 800 and runner-up 400 relays as a sophomore. He enters this time top-seeded in the long jump (19-4), tied for the top seed in the high jump (5-10) and running on the top-seeded 800 relay (1:37.81) and third-seeded 400 relay.
PHOTO Kingsford's Michael Floriano, center, edges Marquette's Jacob MacPhee in the 100 dash May 10 in Negaunee. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)