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.

Click for full results.

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.)

Kalamazoo Central Headlines LPD1 Finals with 1st Championship since 1965

By Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com

June 2, 2024

KENTWOOD – Garrett Weeden figures that condensing a four-year dream to a single, all-or-nothing throw is not the easiest way to win a state championship.

But that was the unlikely storyline for Weeden in Saturday's shot put at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals at East Kentwood. With one throw left for him in the shot put, the Zeeland East senior was staring at a runner-up finish behind Walled Lake Central leader Tyler Marrogy, whose toss of 58 feet, 2 inches had topped the field.

What's worse is that Weeden freely admits there were past moments during his throwing career when he wouldn't have exactly – well, let's say – risen to the occasion.

All that was rushing through Weeden's mind before he stepped up with a last-ditch throw of 59 feet to win the event. Weeden has been in the hunt for a Finals title in the past, with a ninth place in the shot (and a sixth in the discus) a year ago, but the main prize had always eluded him. That is, until his last throw Saturday.

"I know I needed around a 58-4 and that I had thrown a 59-1 once at an indoor meet," said Weeden, whose previous outdoor best was a 57-7.  I wasn't thinking about technique or anything, I just got into it and threw. I just put it all out there.

"I used to be the kind of guy who didn't do well in situations like that. But I've gone to a lot of big meets that have given me confidence. I just knew I needed to step up and do it."

While Weeden's clutch throw was one of the best stories from the individual portion of the meet, Kalamazoo Central narrowly won a wild three-team race for first place. The Maroon Giants finished first with 41 points, just ahead of 39 by Clinton Township Chippewa Valley and 38 by Belleville. Grand Haven was fourth with 29 points, and Ann Arbor Huron had 26.

Kalamazoo Central coach Tyler Germain, whose team won its first Finals title since 1965, said he told his athletes the victory was possible.

"I told them maybe because I knew they could compete," he said. "I told them anything can happen, We just went out and competed; we ran real well. We weren't overconfident or anything, but we have a good, competitive group that I've seen grow up."

Northville’s Brendan Herger pulls away for the win in the 800. Kalamazoo Central wound up placing in six events, with a first by junior Jeremy Dixon in the 100 (10.72).

Four-year senior Latay'vion Braxton admitted that while his teammates listened closely to their coach's prediction, there was at least a trickle of doubt in the runners' minds at the start of the season.

"I don't think I felt like it was really in the plan," he said. "I don't know that we thought it would happen. But some of us grew up together, and we thought maybe this was the time to do it."

Among the most dominating showings in the meet were a pair of firsts in the 200 (21.36) and 400 (46.76) by Chippewa Valley's Shamar Heard. The University of Tennessee-bound Heard finishes an outstanding career with three Finals titles in the 200, two in the 400 and one in the 100. He also helped the 1,600 relay to a first (3:17.51) on Saturday.

"After my breakout year as a sophomore, I knew what I could do," he said. "I quit the 100, but still won as part of a (relay) team. It's been a challenge mentally and physically, but with repetition you learn to trust the process."

Among the other victories was a first place in the pole vault (15-3) by East Kentwood sophomore Reece Emeott, the son of Falcons coach Dave Emeott. Reese said he's been dreaming of a state championship in the pole vault since attending his father's offseason pole vault camp as a middle schooler.

"That's always been the goal; I've been working toward it since I was a little kid," he said. "I was the No. 1 seed, and I've been unbeaten the last couple months so I thought I'd have a chance. I just needed to be consistent. I knew I was good enough. I just had to execute."

Grand Haven senior Seth Norder won the 1,600 (4:03.01). He was the runner-up in that event two years ago and then spent more time in the 3,200 in 2023. Seven of the eight runners in the 1,600 ran personal bests, including Norder.

"I didn't like where my speed was so I worked on it," he said. "I knew this was a good field as the guys who finished second and third will be teammates with me at Michigan State next year. I thought I ran well."

Northville senior Brendan Herger gained a huge measure of satisfaction when he won the 800 (1:50.08). He finished runner-up in the event a year ago when he lagged down the stretch. This year Herger found himself in much the same situation, but lessons learned a year ago led to different results Saturday.

"I thought I had it last year, and it was a big disappointment," said Herger, who will compete in the upcoming New Balance nationals. "But that was only fuel for the fire this year. (Finishing second) actually helped me. This year I closed faster."

Relay winners on Saturday included Holland West Ottawa in the 800 (1:25.53) and 400 (41.35) and Northville in the 3,200 (7:44.52).

Individually, Schmar Gamble of Belleville won the 110 hurdles (13.85), Leonardo Peralta-Castro of Lincoln Park the 300 hurdles (37.93), Thomas Westphal of New Baltimore Anchor Bay the 3,200 (9:07.56), Isaac Quincy of Canton the long jump (23-3¾), Brock Fergison of Sturgis the high jump (6-10) and Clinton Allen of Grosse Pointe North the discus (177-3). Anchor Bay junior Luke Bowman won the adaptive 200, 400 and shot put events, and South Lyon freshman Owen Moerdyke won the adaptive 100 race.

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Kalamazoo Central celebrates its first Finals championship Saturday since 1965. (Middle) Northville’s Brendan Herger pulls away for the win in the 800. (Click for more from John Brabbs/RunMichigan.com.)