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.)

Marquette Caps Another Dominating Run as UPD1's Best

By John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com

June 6, 2021

KINGSFORD — The Marquette boys have been the track & field frontrunners in the Upper Peninsula all season.

They also finished the season that way by scoring 140 points in the Upper Peninsula Division 1 Finals on Saturday at Kingsford. Gladstone – which had won the last Finals in 2019 – followed with 93 points, and third-place Kingsford had 65.

“Hats off to Kingsford for putting on such a fine meet,” said Marquette coach Kyle Detmers. “We had some good performances and our seniors were good leaders. Kam Karp had a great day, and the Vanderschaaf brothers going 1-2 in the 1,600 was huge. Cullen Papin nearly won the 800, and Owen Beauchamp, Truman Langlois and Tyranon Dahlin had nice performances.”

Temperatures hovered in the low 90s with a heat index of 99, which is believed to be the hottest U.P. Finals on record.

Sophomore Colin Vanderschaaf took the 1,600-meter run in four minutes, 31.82 seconds, edging his twin brother Carson by nine hundredths of a second.

Carson Vanderschaaf then won the 3,200 (10:24.93), and Papin was clocked at 2:01.41 in the 800, just behind Escanaba senior Derek Douglas (2:00.68).

Menominee track“It was great,” said Carson Vanderschaaf said. “I was really happy with my 1,600. I took a more conservative approach because of the heat. The breeze helped a little on the home stretch, but it was still hot.

“I’m really excited for cross country this summer. With a summer full of training, I think I can improve.”

Karp won the 200 (23.24) and was runner-up to Calumet’s Dryden Nelson on a lean in the 100 (11.32) with Beauchamp third (11.44).

Nelson also took long jump at 20 feet, 6 inches with Dahlin runner-up (21-1½).

Lincoln Sager added a first for Marquette in the 400 (51.81), edging Houghton’s Donovan Dueweke by nine hundredths of a second.

Douglas’s effort on this hot and humid day was eight hundredths of a second better than his winning 800 time in Tuesday’s Northern Michigan Meet of Champions at Gaylord.

“It was a challenge trying to stay cool,” said Douglas, who will be running for St. Scholastica College in Duluth, Minn. next season. “I was sitting in front of a fan with icepacks on me, trying to stay cool.

“It feels great to get a U.P. Finals win. All the hard work I put in paid off.”

Gladstone trackMenominee junior Brady Schultz set the UP Division 1 Finals record and tied the school record in high jump at 6-8, edging Gladstone senior Ethan Milan who matched his own school record at 6-6. Dahlin placed third (5-10).

“It’s good to have that competition,” said Schultz. “We really help each other out. I was happy to get the U.P. record and tie the school record. It really helps to clear 6-8. I was tired when we got to 6-9.”

The previous UPD1 record (6-5) was set by Kingsford’s Jake Richmond in 2004.

Milam previously cleared 6-6 in a triangular meet at Gladstone on May 11.

“My friend Lucas Hughes told me to keep saying to myself ‘you’re going to make it,’” said Milam. “I’m definitely pleased with my season. I set multiple records. Taking a year off (due to COVID-19) made a big difference. I had a chance to take a break. It was definitely refreshing to get track back this year.”

Gladstone senior Blake Servant was a double champion, winning the discus (151-1) and 110 hurdles (15.53), while teammate Calvin Thibault edged Servant in the 300 hurdles (40.80).

Click for full results.

PHOTOS: (Top) Marquette's Colin Vanderschaaf (right) out-strides twin brother Carson in the 1,600 Saturday at Kingsford. (Middle) Menominee's Brady Schultz wins the high jump with a UPD1 record 6-8. (Below) Gladstone's Calvin Thibault, left, edges teammate Blake Servant in the 300 hurdles. (Photos by Cara Kamps. Click to see more at RunMichigan.com.)