Preview: UP Boys Finals Loaded with Intriguing Opportunities
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 2, 2023
Saturday’s Upper Peninsula Boys Track & Field Finals can match storylines with any of the other events happening statewide on the busiest day of the school sports season.
The Division 1 meet will pit rivals returning after one point separated them a year ago, while Division 2 will see a pair of 2022 champions looking to win again.
Munising’s Micaiah Peramaki will compete in his last Finals after becoming the latest to win four individual events last spring, and Pickford’s David Kozisek will compete in his first and only Finals with a great possibility of becoming the next four-event champ.
All three divisions will again be contested at Kingsford High School, with preliminaries leading off the day at 9 a.m. local (Central) time. Tickets cost $11 and are available digitally only via GoFan.
MHSAA.tv will live-stream the meets beginning at 9 a.m. (CDT)/10 a.m. (EDT), viewable with subscription.
Following is a glance at team contenders and individuals to watch in all three divisions:
Division 1
Team forecast: Marquette owns a two-year championship streak, but claimed last season’s title by a mere point ahead of Kingsford. The Flivvers will pose another challenge Saturday with a pair of relay favorites and strong field events hoping to counter Marquette’s distance stars and overall depth. Sault Ste. Marie, boasting excellence in the distance events as well, could factor significantly.
Matthew Colavecchi, Iron Mountain junior: Last season’s 100 and 200 champion in UPD2 will run on a contending 400 relay and had the sixth-fastest UPD1 Regional time in the 100 (11.85).
Will Fairchild, Iron Mountain senior: He finished fifth both in the 110 and 300 hurdles and eighth in long jump in UPD2 last season, but heads into these UPD1 Finals with the top Regional times for his division in both races – 16.05 and 42.48, respectively.
Michael Floriano, Kingsford junior: Last season’s 200 and 400 relay champion and 100 dash runner-up will run on two favored relays this time and also enters with the third-fastest UPD1 Regional times in the 100 (11.56) and 200 (23.94).
Drew Hughes, Gladstone senior: After running a relay at last year’s Finals, he’s set to run two plus enters with the top UPD1 Regional time in the 800 (2:05.23) and fourth-fastest in the 1,600 (4:38.46).
Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie freshman: The UPD1 cross country champion in the fall enters his first Track Finals with the top UPD1 Regional times in the 1,600 (4:35.42) and 3,200 (9:58.36).
Cole Myllyla, Kingsford senior: He’s another returning relay champ and also won the long jump and was sixth in the high jump last season. He’ll run on two favored relays and had the third-best UPD1 Regional long jump (20-¼).
Carson VanderSchaaf, Marquette senior: He’s a two-time 3,200 champion and also won the 1,600 and as part of the 3,200 relay last spring, and he’ll enter Saturday with the second-fastest UPD1 Regional time in the 1,600 (4:37.21) and third-fastest in the 3,200 (10:02.40).
Colin VanderSchaaf, Marquette senior: He’s also won races the last two Finals, the 800 last year and 1,600 as a sophomore (finishing second to his brother last year), and enters this meet with the second-fastest UPD1 Regional times in the 400 (54.11) and 800 (2:06.68) and third-fastest in the 1,600 (4:37.28).
Division 2
Team forecast: Ishpeming has four won straight Division 2 titles (not counting canceled 2020), but Pickford – last season’s UPD3 champion – might be the favorite to continue its streak instead. The Panthers have contenders in several events and also will get help with a number of Bark River-Harris hopefuls slotting into possible high places as well. That said, the Hematites do have qualifiers in 16 events and depth to match anyone in the field.
Caden Awbrey, Pickford senior: He won the 300 hurdles in UPD3 and was second in the 110 last season, also running on championship and runner-up relays. He’ll run on two contending relays this weekend and enters with the UPD2 Regionals third-fastest 300 time (43.97) and fourth-fastest in the 110 (17.63).
Wyatt Demers, Manistique junior: He had a busy 2022 Finals with a relay championship, fifth places in the 100 and 400 and a third in the 200. He could top that as part of two contending relays and entering with the fastest UPD2 Regional times in the 100 (11.5) and 200 (23.24).
Tramon Gauthier, Ishpeming junior: He played a major role in last year’s team title with a win in the 110 hurdles, second in the 300 and fourth-place long jump, and this weekend he enters with the second-best UPD2 Regional long jump (19-3), second-fastest 110 (16.41) and 300 hurdles (43.34) times and fourth-fastest in the 100 (11.99).
Hayden Hagen, Pickford junior: After also running on a relay champ last year in UPD3 and finishing fourth in the 3,200 and ninth in the 1,600, he’s lined up for a huge meet entering with the top UPD2 Regional times in the 800 (2:14.15), 1,600 (5:03.16) and 3,200 (11:08.89).
David Kozisek, Pickford senior: He could cap his lone season of high school track with one of the most memorable as he enters with the top UPD2 Regional times in the 110 (15.39) and 300 hurdles (42.37) and top high jump (5-10) and long jump (20-7½) as well.
Owen Lester, St. Ignace junior: The reigning pole vault champion (and seventh-place finisher in the 300 hurdles) posted the top UPD2 Regional pole vault (11-6) by six inches.
Brayden Martin, Ishpeming junior: He had the farthest UPD2 shot put (43-8½) and second-longest discus toss (119-2) at Regionals, after finishing fourth in the shot put at last year’s Finals.
Division 3
Team forecast: There will be a new champion with Pickford in UPD2, with 2022 runner-up Munising coming off a Regional title after falling just nine points shy of catching the Panthers a year ago. The Mustangs have favorites in several events and contenders in most others. Newberry, fifth in UPD2 last season, also looks capable of making serious noise.
Joe Kelley, Munising junior: He finished fifth in the 300 and sixth in the 110 hurdles last season, but could play a massive part Saturday entering with the fastest UPD3 Regional 300 (44.81) and second-fastest time in the 110 (17.06).
Kalvin Kytta, Chassell sophomore: He finished seventh in both the 1,600 and 3,200 and 10th in the 800 as a freshman and also will be expected to score entering with the fastest UPD3 Regional times in the 1,600 (4:48.91) and 3,200 (10:56.07).
Seth Mills, Paradise Whitefish senior: He could become his school’s first Finals champion in this sport as he enters with the top UPD3 Regional discus throw (149-4) by more than 21 feet – and with that toss nearly 40 better than his fifth-place finish in the event a year ago. He also enters with the sixth-best UPD3 Regional shot put (38-5).
Josiah Peramaki, Munising senior: The reigning pole vault champion also was third in the long jump and fifth in the 200 last season, and he’ll enter this weekend tied with the top UPD3 Regional pole vault (12-0) and also competing on a relay and in the long jump and 100, having posted the third-fastest time (11.73) in the sprint.
Micaiah Peramaki, Munising senior: He became the eighth boys four-time Finals individual champion last year winning the 100, 200, 400 and discus. He could add three more individual titles entering Saturday with UPD3 Regional bests in the 100 (11.24), 200 (23.47) and 400 (53.05) while also running on a contending relay.
Matthew Rahilly, Newberry sophomore: He was fifth in the long jump and ran on two scoring relays in UPD2 as a freshman, and enters this Finals with the best UPD3 Regional long jump (19-9) and tied for the second-best high jump (5-8).
Ian Sundling, Rapid River senior: The reigning long jump champ also finished seventh in high jump last season and will compete in both plus two relays, entering with the third-best UPD3 Regional long jump (19-1).
PHOTO Iron Mountain's Matthew Colavecchi (3) edges Pickford's David Kozisek (2) and Powers North Central's Luke Gorzinski (4) in a 200 heat at the April 17 Superior Dome Invitational. (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.)