Performance of the Week: Rochester Adams' Armon Howard

June 3, 2022

Rochester Adams trackArmon Howard ♦ Rochester Adams
Track & Field ♦ Senior

Howard won the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles and ran on champion 800 and 1,600-meter relays at the 63rd Oakland County Championships on May 27 at Clarkston. His 37.30-second time in the 300 was the fastest in that race in the state this season and tied for ninth-fastest 300 in state history according to MichTrack.org.

Howard’s best time in the 110 hurdles this season was 14.37 seconds heading into Saturday’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals, and it ranked third across all divisions this spring. He also entered this weekend undefeated in the 110 this season and with only one second place in the 300, coming in Adams’ first meet. His Oakland County-winning relays also included his twin brother Amarion, and the times – 1:28.96 in the 800 and 3:22.03 in the 1,600 – were the fastest Armon Howard had been part of this spring. (UPDATE: Armon Howard won the 300 hurdles [37.32] and was third in the 110 [14.66] at the June 4 LPD1 Finals.)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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2021-22 Honorees

May 27: Brock Porter, Orchard Lake St. Mary's baseball - Report
May 20:
Brady Schultz, Menominee track & field - Report
May 13:
Robert Burns, Flint Powers Catholic golf - Report
May 6:
Bo Lockwood, Hartland lacrosse - Report
April 28:
Nonah Waldron, Oak Park track & field - Report
April 21:
Theryn Hallock, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central soccer - Report
April 14: 
Kaitlyn Pallozzi, Farmington Hills Mercy softball - Report
April 7:
Mason Docks, Williamston basketball - Report
March 24:
Mya Petticord, Ypsilanti Arbor Prep basketball - Report
March 16:
Charley Bayer, East Grand Rapids diving - Report
March 9:
Ja'Marcus Smith, Detroit Mumford wrestling - Report
March 2:
David Schaberg, Holt bowling - Report
Feb. 24:
Adelaide McRoberts, Kingsford swimming - Report
Feb. 17:
Christopher Kavanaugh, Petoskey hockey - Report
Feb. 10:
Ira Jenkins, Whitehall wrestling - Report

Feb. 3: Emma Stewart, Salem gymnastics - Report
Jan. 28:
Tyler Ray, Pinckney swimming - Report
Jan. 21:
Elle Craven, Traverse City Central skiing - Report
Jan. 14:
Nevaeh Williams, Mount Clemens basketball - Report
Dec. 2:
Lucas Dunn, Chelsea football - Report
Nov. 25:
Riley Nugent, Plainwell swimming - Report
Nov. 18:
Harper Murray, Ann Arbor Skyline volleyball - Report
Nov. 11:
Abby VanderKooi, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian cross country - Report
Nov. 4:
Arianne Olson, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Oct. 28:
Jack Guggemos, Okemos soccer - Report
Oct. 21:
Sachiv Kumar, Northville tennis - Report
Oct. 14:
Kate Brody, Grand Blanc golf - Report
Oct. 7:
Lilly Nelson, Negaunee tennis - Report
Sept. 30:
Stella Chapman, Ann Arbor Pioneer swimming - Report
Sept. 23:
Riley Hough, Hartland cross country - Report
Sept. 16:
Josie Bloom, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep volleyball - Report

(Photos courtesy of Armon Howard and the Rochester Adams athletic department.)

VanderSchaaf Brothers Help Marquette Pull Away for UPD1 3-Peat

By Jason Juno
Special for MHSAA.com

June 4, 2023

KINGSFORD – The Marquette boys had a little more breathing room Saturday than last year.

They defeated Kingsford at the Upper Peninsula Track & Field Finals by just one point a year ago, but were 20 points better than the Flivvers this time around to claim a third-straight Division 1 championship.

Marquette finished with 134 points, Kingsford had 114, third-place Sault Ste. Marie 90 and fourth-place Gladstone scored 51.

Like the team, Marquette’s Carson VanderSchaaf won an event for the third straight year – the 3,200-meter run. He finished in 9:55.25, edging Sault Ste. Marie freshman Gabe Litzner by less than a second.

Kingsford's Michael Floriano, second from right, edges Sault Ste. Marie's Carter Oshelski in the 100.“I ran a little bit quicker last year, but (in) a little more favorable conditions,” VanderSchaaf said. “It’s pretty hot out, and I’m not quite feeling the best today.”

He might have had two U.P. titles Saturday, but his brother Colin, also a senior, gave Carson a runner-up finish in the 1,600 by less than two seconds.

“My brother outkicked me in the 1,600,” Carson said. 

Colin won it in 2021, Carson in 2022 and now Colin in 2023. 

Colin also won the 800 for Marquette on Saturday, edging teammate Cullen Papin by six hundredths of a second.

Marquette also won the 400 and 1,600 relays. Nate Benninger, Adam DuVall, Wyatt Lakenen and Kyler Sager made up the 400 relay team with Kai Chouinard, Ben Rayhorn, Papin and Colin VanderSchaaf on the 1,600 relay.

Sault Ste. Marie’s Carter Oshelski won two U.P. titles, in the 200 and 400 dashes. He outpaced runner-up Colin VanderSchaaf in the 400.

Iron Mountain's Will Fairchild, left, and Gladstone's Luke Bracket are step for step with each other in the 300 hurdles.“In the 400, I just tried to stick with the top guy and try to beat him down the stretch,” Oshelski said. “And then the 200, I sprinted it all.”

Kingsford won the 800 relay (Cole Myllyla, Jack Olson, Conor Quick and Michael Floriano) and Sault Ste. Marie placed first in 3,200 relay (Caleb Klier, Logan Haskins, Cody Aldridge and Litzner).

Iron Mountain’s Will Fairchild was also a double winner, taking both of the hurdles races. Floriano took first in the 100 dash.

The Flivvers were strong in the field events. Noah Johnson won the discus, tying the U.P. Division 1 Finals record at 160 feet, 5 inches (with Terry Martin of Manistique). Cardel Morton won the long jump and Garrett Veale the shot put. Darrent Butler claimed the high jump for Menominee’s only event win on the day, and Sault Ste. Marie’s Rayce Rizzo took the pole vault. 

In the Division 1 adaptive events, Marquette’s Jim Bennett won the 100, 200 and 400 and Sault Ste. Marie’s Johnny Osborn took first in the shot put.

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Marquette's Colin VanderSchaaf crosses the finish line first in the 1,600 relay Saturday. (Middle) Kingsford's Michael Floriano, second from right, edges Sault Ste. Marie's Carter Oshelski in the 100. (Below) Iron Mountain's Will Fairchild, left, and Gladstone's Luke Bracket are step for step with each other in the 300 hurdles. (Photos by Cara Kamps/RunMichigan.com.)