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.

Click to see full results.

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.)

Moment: Look Back at Boys Track's Yesteryear

April 24, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Today's look back at MHSAA Finals past provides a pair of opportunities to take a trip back in time to a recognizable place as it hosted some of the legendary champions in state boys track & field history.

This collection of clips from the 1965 and 1968 Lower Peninsula Class A Finals at Michigan State University were donated to the MHSAA archives by Roseville High School and includes a variety of races and pole vault from those meets.

The 1965 championship was won by Kalamazoo Central, while Battle Creek Central repeated in claiming the 1968 title. Also notable: That 1968 meet saw Flint Central finish team runner-up for the sixth-straight season.

Flint Central's Len Hatchett was among stars of the 1965 meet as he won both the 120 and 180-yard hurdles. Battle Creek Central's Arnie Williams was a repeat winner in the 100.

The 1968 Finals saw a pair of two-time winners – Flint Central's Herb Washington in the 100 and 220 and Pontiac Central's Robert Johnson in the two hurdles races. Washington had won both sprints in 1967 as well. He went on to earn All-America honors four times at Michigan State while tying or breaking world records multiple times. He also played briefly for MLB's Oakland A'S and was drafted by the NFL's Baltimore Colts.