Houghton Teams Sweep at Invitational to Honor Longtime Coach, Teacher
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
May 31, 2024
HOUGHTON — Dan Juntilla more than likely would have enjoyed a day like this past Tuesday at Houghton High School.
Although the former Houghton boys track & field coach couldn’t be there in person, he was probably enjoying the sunny and seasonably cool afternoon in spirit during the third annual memorial invitational held in his honor.
“He was a special guy,” current Houghton boys head coach Erik Johnson said. “I had the privilege to coach with Dan, and this is something which would have been special to him. He was always there for everybody.”
The Gremlins dominated this year’s version of the Dan Juntila Memorial Invite with 250 points. They were followed by Negaunee with 86 and Dollar Bay with 74.
“Dan was such a nice guy,” Dollar Bay coach Ben Tampas said. “He wanted to see everybody do well. Even if his team won, Dan was quick to point out how well everybody did. During the coaches’ meetings, he always had a quick joke to lighten everything up. He wanted to keep everything from getting too serious. He was always willing to answer your questions. He never turned his back on anyone. He was always willing to help. He would have loved this, too.”
The Houghton girls also won with 118½ points. Calumet was runner-up at 104 and Negaunee, which brought a partial team, placed third with 86.
Juntilla, who died unexpectedly on Jan. 9, 2022, graduated in 1970 from Wakefield High School where he was class president and lettered in football, basketball, tennis and track.
He lettered in football at Michigan Tech and earned a master’s degree in social work, counseling and secondary education at Northern Michigan University.
Juntilla coached track and football for decades at Houghton, where he taught English and local history.
“Dan was my coach when I was a freshman,” Gremlins’ senior Brody Mattila said. “He had a lot of influence on our program. This is a real special day.”
Mattila, who will be attending the University of Michigan on an academic scholarship this fall, won the 110-meter hurdles in a school-record 15.26 seconds, long jump at 19 feet, 8½ inches, and anchored the winning 400 relay (45.74) in his final home meet.
“I was excited when I found out I got the record,” he said. “I’ve been shooting for this all year. We had perfect conditions, and my warm-ups went great. I’m looking forward to the U.P. (Division 1) Finals (Saturday at Kingsford).”
Mattila’s hurdles record was one of at least five set Tuesday.
“This was another good day for us,” Johnson said. “Our 3,200 relay has been strong all year, and Brody setting the record in the 110s helped set the tone. We’ve struggled in shot put and discus for many years, but this year we’ve been doing quite well. The field events have been coming through for us. Everybody was stepping up.”
Chassell junior Kalvin Kytta took the boys 3,200 in a school-record 10:08.69, and West Iron County senior Danica Shamion collected four victories, setting school records in three of her races.
“It has always been my goal to go under 10 minutes in the 3,200,” Kytta said. “This takes some of the pressure off for Saturday. Now I can just go after a sub-10.”
Shamion set records in the 200 (25.79), 400 (56.74) and high jump (5-5) and captured the 100 (12.75).
“Running in the 56s in the 400 was my goal since last year’s U.P. Finals,” she said. “This feels amazing. I had a Hancock girl (senior Brielle Kero) right beside me, and it was close all the way. She really pushed me. Getting the 200 record is also something I wanted to do for some time, and I’ve been working on high jump a lot. This takes a lot of the pressure off, but I still have one more high school meet left and I’m going to give it my all. I’m not done. I’m not stopping now.”
Kero was runner-up in the 200 (26.73) and 400 (58.92).
Juntilla also served as a Little League coach, hockey manager and a mentor to many and was recognized by the MHSAA for 40 years as a registered game official as he refereed basketball at the high school, middle school and elementary school levels.
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTO Houghton's Brody Mattila crosses the finish line during a downpour in the 400 relay at the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference championship meet May 22 in Ishpeming. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)
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."
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.
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.)