Cooper Leads Munsing to Dominant Win
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 1, 2014
KINGSFORD — Prior to Saturday, 18 years had passed since the Munising boys last hoisted a trophy at the Upper Peninsula Track and Field Finals.
The Mustangs, who were competing in Class C at that time, earned their first Division 3 title on Saturday with 107½ points. They were followed by defending champ Felch North Dickinson with 68 and Rapid River at 60.
Munising junior Andy Cooper won high jump at 6 feet, the 110-meter hurdles in a school-record 16.11 seconds and the 300 (40.77) and 200 dash (23.89).
Four days earlier, Cooper captured high jump with a school-record leap of 6-5 in the Bark River-Harris Invitational.
“Andy had a great day,” said Munising coach Matt Mattson. “Two school records and four U.P. championships makes for a pretty good year.”
Sophomore Brett Hannah, who had a hip problem at BR-H, retained his 3,200 title (10:49.97), captured the 1,600 (4:41.62) and was runner-up in the 800 (2:08.7) on this sunny and hot day.
“I had a PR (personal record) in the 1,600,” said Hannah. “I’m pretty happy with that and had my best time in the 800. The 800 is a rough race, but I qualify in that. I can’t just scratch from it. The two-mile didn’t go as well. I think the heat may have drained me a little. The wind helped a little. It felt good on the home stretch.”
Junior Austin Kelto placed third in the 100 (11.9) and long jump at 18 feet, 7 inches, and Alex Hill added a third in high jump (5-10).
“We made Brett take two days off this week. It’s pretty hard to get him to do that,” Mattson said. “The cold weather earlier this season made it pretty tough to compete, but our kids handled it well. I think our boys and girls are going to be pretty good next year.”
North Dickinson senior Tim Hruska retained his 100 title (11.83) and was runner-up in the 110 hurdles on a lean (16.12) and second in the 300 (42.93).
“I like the warmer weather,” said Hruska. “The 100 went real well. I had a real good start, and the 110 hurdles were real close. He (Cooper) was good. This is the first time I ran against him. It was fun.”
Big Bay de Noc senior Cole Potvin repeated as 400 champion in a school-record 51.17 seconds and was runner-up to Cooper on a lean in the 200 (23.91).
“This is my last race of high school,” said Potvin. “You can’t save it. I knew I was going to go out harder than I normally do because there’s nothing to save it for. It’s hard to maintain the pace for the 400. You wait till you see your time because you don’t know if you ran the pace you wanted or not.”
Rapid River senior Jake Pearson, who suffered a hamstring injury at BR-H, swept the throwing events. He threw 46-10 in shot put and 130-10 in discus, and classmate Hayden Hardwich was runner-up in shot (45-11).
Sophomore teammate Dan Blair added a first in the 800 in a personal-best 2:05.71 and was runner-up in the 1,600 (4:46.08) and fifth in the 3,200 (11:27.68), and helped the Rockets place fifth in he 3,200 relay.
PHOTO: Munising's Andy Cooper (right) edges Felch North Dickinson's Tim Hruska in the 110 hurdles at the U.P. Division 3 Final on Saturday at Kingsford. (Click to see more from RunMichigan.com.)
Ishpeming Boys Go Distance Again
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 2, 2019
KINGSFORD – The Ishpeming boys continued their winning ways at Saturday's Upper Peninsula Track & Field Finals, retaining their Division 2 crown with 129 points.
This marked the fifth title in six years for the Hematites, who were followed by Newberry at 84 and Norway with 75 points.
Ishpeming, led by junior Jonah Broberg, scored 56 points in the distances.
Broberg won the 800-meter run in two minutes, 6.57 seconds and 1,600 (4:45.81), helped the winning 3,200 relay (8:44.13) and placed second in the 3,200 run (10:38.7). Senior Spencer Giroux was third in the 800 (2:09.43) and 1,600 (4:47.42).
Senior Coulton Prillwitz added firsts in the 300 hurdles in 44.25 and long jump at 19 feet. Classmate Gavin Sundberg took the 400 (52.22) and was runner-up in the 200 (23.73).
Manistique’s Alex Misniakiewicz earned his first title in the 3,200 (10:35.23) as D-1 and D-2 athletes ran together.
"I felt real good," said Misniakiewicz, who placed second in the 800 (2:07.4) and 1,600 (4:47.36). "I paced off Adam Bruce (D-1 champ) for 2-3 laps, and if it weren't for Jonah Broberg, I would have never been able to do this. With a couple laps to go somebody from the stands yelled out, 'You have to go. That's how champions are made!' I know that wasn't meant for me, but I just picked it up. In the last 200, I felt I had a pretty good chance to win it."
Newberry got its lone first in the 1,600 relay (3:45.25) and was runner-up in the 3,200 relay (8:50.49).
"We're pleased with our time," said senior Evan Griffis, who ran the second leg in the 3,200 relay. "We were close to Ishpeming for half of the race. Our fourth leg (sophomore Ephram Evans) ran exceptionally well and caught them, but he couldn't quite finish them off. We ran one of our better times, and this is the place to do it."
Norway senior Mitch Legrave captured the 100 (11.5) and 200 (23.56) and helped the Knights take the 400 relay (46.25).
St. Ignace junior Joe Kelly won shot put (46-2½) and was runner-up in discus (117-10).
"Our boys are coming along nicely," said Saints' coach Trudy Olsen. "They work hard. It's nice to see them have some success. Joe had already set the school record in shot (49-9) in our season opener. He missed by just a half inch last year. He was motivated."
Hancock sophomore Austin Salani, who was crowned Western Peninsula Athletic Conference pole vault champion with a school-record leap of 13 feet on May 22 in Houghton, took the U.P. title at 12 feet this time.
PHOTOS: (Top) Ishpeming’s Gavin Sundberg takes off during the 400 on Saturday. (Middle) Newberry’s Evan Griffis begins his leg of the 3,200 relay. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)