Manistique Earns First Title Since 1960
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 2, 2013
KINGSFORD — John F. Kennedy was running for President and gasoline was selling for less than 30 cents a gallon when the Manistique boys last were crowned Upper Peninsula track champions.
The year was 1960, and the Emeralds earned their first Class A-B crown.
Manistique ended that drought Saturday by scoring 102 points to capture the Division 2 title. The Emeralds were followed by Ishpeming with 96 and West Iron County with 75.
The Emeralds held a 92-88 edge over Ishpeming heading into the 1,600 relay, which was delayed roughly an hour by a thunderstorm.
Manistique, however, placed an exclamation point at the end of its season by winning the day's final race. Ishpeming placed second and West Iron was third in the closing event.
"I was getting a little worried about having to come back and run after that long of a delay," said Emeralds' coach Mary Lou Lund. "But the guys found a way to get it done."
Manistique was trailing Ishpeming by approximately 20 yards when junior Ryan Ramey got the baton. He responded with a 48.2-second anchor leg, enabling the Emeralds to slip past the Hematites for the win.
"It feels great to finally win this (U.P. Finals)," said Manistique senior Kenner Broullire, who led off the 1,600 relay. "Ishpeming definitely wanted to run, and we wanted to run. We didn't want the last race to get cancelled. We wanted to win this meet fair and square. Ryan had a lot of ground to make up, but nobody will ever doubt Ryan. He just finds another gear."
Ramey also won the 200-meter dash in 23.82 seconds, the 400 in a school-record 51.12 and anchored the winning 3,200 relay.
Ishpeming sophomore Nate Meyer, who beat Ramey in the 400 in the Mid-Peninsula Conference meet May 23 at Norway, was runner-up this time (51.68).
"I slipped out of the blocks in the 200," Ramey said. "I knew I had to find another gear in the first 100 and use the home stretch for my kick. I also knew I had to take Meyer early in the 400. I was more relaxed and got out of the blocks faster than in the M-PCs."
Broullire, who will run track at West Point next season, set the U.P. meet record in the 300 hurdles (39.35), topping the previous mark (41.0) by Munising's Lee Denman run in 2004.
Broullire also won the 100 (11.37), followed by West Iron's Tyler Stafford (11.43).
"I didn't get a great start in the 100, but decided to go for it in about the final 15 meters," Broullire said. "I was hoping to run in the 38s in the 300 hurdles, but you can't complain about a title. I'm excited about our team winning. Deep down I knew we had the potential to win it. This is a great way to end a high school career."
Ishpeming took the 400 relay in a U.P. meet record 45.16, topping the previous mark (45.35) by St. Ignace in 2008.
Newberry senior James Sutton set the high jump record (6-4), an inch higher than the previous record holder Rick St. Amour of Munising from 2001.
"I seem to jump better in the cold," said Sutton, who cleared 6-8 in the Straits Area Conference meet at Sault Ste. Marie on Tuesday. "I'm happy with the U.P. record, but I'm a little disappointed I didn't go higher. I like this track and its nice, soft surface. Some of the kids said they didn't like the pits, but I didn't have a problem with it."
Iron Mountain senior Dan Kulas was a double winner, taking the 1,600 (4:42.03) and 3,200 (10:15.4).
St. Ignace, which won D-2 the past three seasons, competed in D-3 this year.
PHOTOS: (Top) Manistique's Kenner Broullire carries the baton for his team during a relay Saturday. (Middle) The Emeralds pose with their first MHSAA boys track and field championship trophy since 1960. (Photos courtesy of Manistique High School.)
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.)