Field Events Push Gladstone Back To No. 1
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 2, 2013
KINGSFORD — The grandstand was nearly full at Kingsford's Flivver Field on Saturday. But probably not many people witnessed the work in the field events by the Gladstone boys during the Upper Peninsula Division 1 Track and Field Finals.
Gladstone, which scored 69 points in the field events, finished with 112 for its seventh U.P. championship in 10 years.
The Braves were followed by Menominee 80, Kingsford 73 and three-time defending champ Marquette 61.
"I couldn't be more proud of these kids," said Gladstone athletic director/assistant coach Matt Houle. "They were prepared, confident and ready to go. All the kids stepped up in the field events. We had to dominate those to win the meet. We took control in the field, and the guys in the running events took care of business."
Houle filled in for head coach Gary Whitmer, who suffered a broken sternum in an automobile accident Friday morning.
Senior Jared Vuksan set the U.P. D-1 shot put record at 55 feet, 11¼ inches, topping the previous best (52-1/2) by Braves' now-volunteer assistant coach Kent King three years ago.
Vuksan, who will play football at Northern Michigan University this fall, also won discus in a school--record toss of 153-2¾, placed fourth in long jump (18-4) and helped the Braves take third in the 400-meter relay.
"My release was a lot better today in disc," Vuksan said. "I evened out my throw, and the disc came out flatter.
"I got the U.P. record in shot on my last throw. I stayed low and my footwork was good. My first throw was 50-5 and I think that set the tone. I really got pumped for the last throw. That was a great way to finish."
Classmate Justin Pederson added firsts in high jump (6-3) and long jump (21-½) and was runner-up in the 100-meter dash in 11.31 seconds.
Kingsford junior Cole Tengesdahl won the 100 (11.26).
"I'm a little disappointed in my 100, although I have to take my hat off to Cole," said Pederson, who plans to run track at Michigan State as a walk-on next year. "In high jump, everyone went out after six feet and I kept going. There was a lot of pressure, but I seem to do better in that situation. After I cleared 6-3, I went up to 6-5 and nicked the bar on my way down.
"My goal in long jump was just to break 21. I just tried to stay consistent."
Junior Chris Sedenquist added a victory in the 400 at 51.39.
Menominee had a triple-winner in senior Bryan Hines, who took the 110 hurdles (15.96) and 300 (41.59) and helped the winning 400 relay.
Sault Ste. Marie freshman Parker Scott, hindered by a foot injury much of this season, won the 800 (2:00.9) and 1,600 (4:31.98). He was the U.P. cross country champion in his division last fall.
PHOTOS: (Top) Gladstone senior Justin Pederson completes a high jump on the way to finishing first with a leap of 6-3. (Middle) The Braves' Jared Vuksan added a fourth place in long jump to his championships in the discus and shot put. (Photos by Eric Thompson; click to see more Gladstone photos at www.ericthompson.smugmug.com.)
North Dickinson sprints, hurdles to first in D3
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 2, 2013
KINGSFORD — Hurdles and sprints have been major strengths for the Felch North Dickinson boys track and field team all season.
That continued at Saturday's Upper Peninsula Track Finals, as the Nordics gained their first Division 3 title in five years with 77 points.
Five points then separated the next five teams, with defending champ Pickford taking runner-up honors this time with 51. The Panthers were followed by St. Ignace with 48, Rapid River at 47 and Rock Mid-Peninsula and Bessemer with 46 apiece.
The Nordics, led by junior Tim Hruska, scored 32 points in field events to go with 28 in the sprints.
Hruska finished as a triple winner, taking the 100-meter dash in 11.53 seconds, 110 hurdles (16.17) and 300 in a personal-best 41.89.
"I just practiced a lot on hurdles," Hruska said. "I was hoping to get first in the hurdles, and the 100 was a bonus. This is awesome. Now that I know I can run these times, I hope to be faster next year."
Senior teammate Ken Pekarek grabbed third in the 110 hurdles (17.16) and junior Logan O'Neil took third in the 300 (43.46).
"This is really about the whole team," said Nordics' coach Mike Lindholm. "Everybody pushes each other. They've had confidence all year."
Mid-Peninsula senior Brett Branstrom was also a triple winner, including his personal-best leap of 6 feet, 1 inch in high jump. He also captured shot put (47-11½) and discus (153-9¼).
"I think just being here helped," said Branstrom, who will play basketball at Northern Michigan University next winter. "I didn't have my best throws in shot and disc, although going 3 for 3 is a nice way to end it. We had a perfect day for it. I just didn't perform as well as I liked."
Bessemer junior Alex Smith had a hand in two firsts, winning long jump (20-5) and helping the Speedboys take the 400 relay in a school-record 45.91 seconds.
"We were really pumped to come here," Smith said. "Our handoffs were working real well, and we really wanted to get the record for our school."
Cedarville senior Josh Hester won the 800 and 1,600 in season-best times of 2:03.63 and 4:37.79, respectively.
"The nice track and nice weather helped," said Hester, who plans to run cross country and track at Lake Superior State University next school year. "My training has gone well, and it paid off. We've been doing speed work the past couple weeks, and that also helped. I didn't want to go out too hard in the 1,600 because I didn't want to burn myself out in the first lap.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Three North Dickinson hurdlers (including eventual winner Tim Hruska, far right) made up nearly half the field of the 110 hurdles final. (Middle) Pickford won the 1,600 relay and finished second overall in U.P. Division 2. (Photo by Paul Gerard. Click to see more photo coverage from RunMichigan.com.)