Preview: Boys Title Contenders Abound
May 30, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
This MHSAA boys track and field season has been unpredictable, thanks in large part to the wild weather that has marked this spring.
But it served as a sign for this weekend’s seven Finals to be run in the Grand Rapids area and Kingsford High School, as team championships could be up for grabs among a number of teams in at least five of the seven meets.
See below for some of the teams and individuals who could be standing on the podium when their events are done. Click for meet information including all qualifiers and come back Saturday night for results as they come in, and check out MHSAA.TV for live streaming of running events from both peninsulas, available with subscription.
LP DIVISION 1 at Rockford
Top Regional scores: 1. East Kentwood 231, 2. Saline 160.4, 3. Warren DeLaSalle 137.
East Kentwood: The Falcons have won four of the last five Division 1 titles and are the reigning champions. They are bringing 19 entries – including all four relays – to Rockford, with the 400 and 1,600 relays carrying the fastest Regional seed times in the meet. Seniors Devin McKinney and Antoine Lloyd also earned the fastest 110 hurdles times and could score big between them in the hurdles races and 200.
Saline: The Hornets could get into the team title mix with points coming in the middle distance and distance races and relays. Junior Logan Wetzel is a contender in the 1,600 and 800 and senior Ryan Wilkie is among favorites in the latter. They also team up on a pair of relays seeded third.
Oak Park: Seniors Maurice Allen and Eli Minor have the chance to earn 30 points in the 100, 200 and 400 combined if their can repeat their Regional times. A pair of relays also are seeded among the top two in those events.
Lincoln Park’s Robert Atwater: The high-flying senior finished second at his Regional in the high jump, but won the event at the 2013 Final and jumped 7-0 at a coaches association meet last weekend – a height which would be good enough to set the LP Division 1 Final record if he can repeat Saturday. He also had the fourth-longest Regional long jump, 22-1¼ inches.
Birmingham Groves’ Ross Williams: The reigning champion in the 300 hurdles enters his final MHSAA meet with the fastest Regional time (38.56 seconds) in that race this season, plus the fourth-fastest in the 110 hurdles race.
Grand Blanc's Grant Fisher: He helped his team to a runner-up finish last season by winning the 3,200 and enters this weekend with the top Regional time in both that race (9:26.09) and the 1,600 (4:12.48).
LP DIVISION 2 at Grand Rapids Houseman Stadium
Top Regional scores: 1. St. Joseph 210.34, 2. Sturgis 162. 3. Melvindale 136.
Auburn Hills Avondale: After a season at Division 1, the 2012 Division 2 champion is back and with a combination of sprinters and throwers that should make an impact. Junior Joshuwa Holloman won the 100 in LP Division 1 last season and has the top seed in that event after running a 10.83 at his Regional; he also enters with the sixth-seeded 200 time of 22.87. Senior Zachary Purcilly enters with the second-best Regional shot put (53-9) and discus (155-8) tosses. The 400 relay (43.81) also is second-seeded.
Byron Center: The 2010 champion enters with two top-four seeded relays plus a distance runner and thrower expected to score big points. Senior Al Lake had the third-farthest shot put (52-5¼) and farthest discus (175-7) toss at Regionals, while senior John Sattler enters with the fastest 1,600 seed (4:15.2) and second-fastest in the 800 (1:56).
Zeeland West: The Dux have entries in eight individual events plus three relays, and many are seeded to score well. Senior Danny Bauder has the second-fastest 100 (10.99) and fastest 200 (22.51) times coming in, with senior Jason Tran ranking first in 110 hurdles (14.7) and second in the 300 (39.75). The 400 relay team (43.58) including both also owns a top seed.
Allendale’s Nate Couturier: The fifth-place finisher in 300 hurdles in 2013 enters with the top seed (39.12) in that race, the second-fastest in the 110 (14.96) and as a member of two top-eight relays.
Coldwater’s Logan Targgart: The sixth-place finisher in discus last season, he should be in the hunt for both throws with the third-best discus (151-1) and fourth-best shot put (52-4) tosses at Regionals.
Saginaw Swan Valley’s Alex Grace: One of the top-gaining running backs in MHSAA history, Grace’s speed should earn points this weekend as he enters with the second-fastest 200 (22.58) and 12th-fastest 100 (11.24); he also is running on the sixth-seeded 400 relay.
LP DIVISION 3 at Comstock Park
Top Regional scores: 1. Watervliet 189, 2. Macomb Lutheran North 157, 3. Grand Rapids West Catholic 156.
Hillsdale: The Hornets are seeded among the top eight in three relays and also should get points from a number of individuals. Senior Zach Hardway is the top seed in the 800 (1:57.52) and seventh in the 1,600 (4:30.9), while sophomore Brock Eves is seventh in the 3,200 (9:51.29), junior Austin Hawkins in fifth in the long jump (20-10½) and junior Jimmy Felske is tied for fourth in the 100 (11.16).
Sanford Meridian: The Mustangs could approach meet records in both the 400 and 1,600 relays; the LP D3 400 record is 43.25 and Meridian ran 43.52 at its Regional, and the 1,600 record is 3:22.37 and Meridian ran 3:24.37 to earn the top seed. The Mustangs also enter with the top-seeded 800 relay (1:31.53), senior Kevin Scheibert the top seed in the 400 (50.08) and senior Jacob Ham the second seed in the 200 (22.82). Senior Jacob Wenzlick should contend in long jump after posting the third-farthest Regional leap of 21-1½.
Standish-Sterling: The Panthers placed third last season and should make a run at the title with senior Clay Walderzak the returning champion in shot put and top seeded in both that throw (56-7½) and the discus (170-5). The 400, 1,600 and 3,200 relays all are seeded among the top six, as are senior Jim Cousins in the 400 (50.99) and senior Matt Crawford in the 300 hurdles (41.09).
Lansing Catholic’s Keenan Rebera: A junior and last season’s 3,200 champion also earned a cross country title in the fall and enters with the fourth seed in the 3,200 (9:47.94) and top seed in the 1,600 (4:25.73).
Mason County Central’s Chase Barnett: The reigning champion in the 800 and 1,600 can finish his career Saturday with four more titles; he’s seeded only 15th in the 1,600 (4:38) but second in the 800 (1:57.99) and fifth in the 3,200 (9:48.74), plus will run on the 3,200 relay.
Saginaw Nouvel’s Tyler Hendricks: After winning the 200 last season, Hendricks will look to finish his high school career with a repeat in that race entering with a seed time of 23.36 and tied for fourth-fastest in the 100 (11.16).
LP DIVISION 4 at Hudsonville Middle School
Top Regional scores: 1. Lutheran Westland 307, Southfield Christian 280, Concord 186.
Concord: The Yellow Jackets are seeking their first team title since 2010 and have the mix of standout sprinters and distance runners to appear the likely favorite. Senior Nolen Bright-Mitchell is the reigning champion in the 200 and could approach meet records in the 100 (10.77) and 200 (22.18); his Regional times converted from hand timing were 10.84 and 22.24, respectively, and he’s also seeded third in the 400 (51.34). Junior Jesse Hersha is a two-time MHSAA cross country champion and enters with the third-fastest 1,600 (4:29.34) seed time and fastest in the 3,200 (9:50.84). Two relays are top-seeded, with a third the third seed and a fourth relay seeded eighth.
Saugatuck: The reigning champion could dominate relays and middle distance and distance races. The 3,200 relay (8:17.67) and 1,600 relay (3:31.42) are both seeded first, with the 800 relay (1:34.13) seeded fourth. Junior Jacob Pettinga has the fourth seeds in the 1,600 (4:33.4) and 3,200 (10:05.04), senior Andrew Poolman has the top seed in the 400 (50.8), freshman Blake Dunn has the fourth in the 300 hurdles (41.87), senior Clayton Springer has the third in the 3,200 (10:02.3), and senior Wes Webbert (2:01.26) and junior Joe Brown (2:01.87) have the fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 800.
Southfield Christian: The Eagles are positioned to push the contenders. Junior Blake Washington is seeded third in the 200 (23.25) and seventh in the 100 (11.36) and runs on 800 (1:33.97) and 400 (45.38) relays both seeded among the top three. Senior Donald Parker enters as the sixth seed in the 200 (23.53).
Evart’s Max Hodges: The returning champ in the 800 is seeded third in that race (2:01.08) and also will run the 1,600 and on a relay.
Genesee’s Damertrius Nelson: The reigning long jump champion tied for eighth-longest Regional jump (20-1) and is seeded fifth in the 100 (11.35).
Homer’s Gavin Towery: After winning the pole vault last season, he must again contend with North Muskegon’s Jacob Walton, who Towery beat in the tie-breaker to claim the title.
Kalamazoo Christian’s Clayton Meldrum: The reigning 300 hurdles champion is seeded fifth in that race (42.07) and ninth in the 100 hurdles (16.07) and also will run the 200.
Marion’s Tyrell Hall: The senior finished only sixth in long jump last season, but his Regional jump this month of 23-0¼ would break the LP D4 Finals record by more than eight inches. He also will run the 100 and 200.
UP DIVISION 1 at Kingsford
Top Regional scores: 1. Kingsford 80, Negaunee 56, Marquette 50.
Gladstone: The reigning champion returns 400 winner Chris Sedenquist, who is seeded first in that race (53.14) and third in the 200 (23.79), plus top thrower Cody Malanowski; he’s seeded first in shot put (45-3) and second in discus (121-11). The 800 relay (1:36.15) is seeded first and the 400 relay (3:44.14) is seeded third.
Marquette: The Redmen are seeking their fourth team title in five seasons, keyed by four relays seeded third or higher including the top-seeded 1,600 (3:40.34). Sophomore Lance Rambo is seeded second in the 3,200 (10:11.84) and 1,600 (4:35.05), and junior Andrew Banitt is the top seed in the 800 (2:04.77) with two more teammates among the top four in that race.
Escanaba’s Eric Cousineau: The junior won the 3,200 last season and is seeded fifth in that race (10:24.57) and will also run on the 3,200 relay.
Kingsford’s Cole Tengesdahl: The senior is the reigning champion in the 100 (12.41) and also will run the 200 (24.24) and on two relays seeded fourth or higher.
Negaunee’s Austin Caya: The reigning pole vault champion had the highest Regional vault in this division (12-0) and also will run on the 400 relay.
Sault Ste. Marie’s Parker Scott: The reigning champ in the 800 and 1,600 continues to dominate as a sophomore; he’s the top seed in the 1,600 (4:34.96) and 3,200 (10:10.36) and the third seed in the 800 (2:09.41). He also will run on the 3,200 relay.
UP DIVISION 2 at Kingsford
Top Regional scores: 1. Ishpeming 57, 2. Manistique 74, 3. St. Ignace 47.5.
Ishpeming: Last season’s runner-up should contend again for its first MHSAA Finals title since 2003 with a significant boost from field events. Senior Bobby Zhulkie is the second-seeded shot putter (41-9) and high jumper (5-8), and senior Noah Olgren is the top-seeded pole vaulter (12-0). The 1,600 relay (3:46.94) also is top-seeded, and the 800 relay (1:39.44) is second. Senior Derek Decaire (second in the 100 at 11.84), junior Tommy Potter (fourth in the 1,600 at 5:08.04, second in the 800 at 2:13.54 and fourth in the 3,200 at 11:35.74) and junior Nate Meyer (second in the 400 at 55.34, fourth in the 200 at 24.14) are among individuals who should score well.
Manistique: The Emeralds claimed the title last season, their first since 1960. Reigning 200 and 400 champion Ryan Ramey is arguably the top returning standout at this meet, and he’s seeded first in the 400 (54.64) and seventh in the 200 (24.54). Senior Tyler Kangas (tied for second in high jump at 5-8, fourth in discus at 113-6) should provide a boost, and the 3,200 relay (9:21.84) is seeded first.
Hancock’s Jacob Jarvis: He finished third in the 110 hurdles last season as a junior, but could approach the meet record of 15.4 seconds in this race after running a converted hand time of 15.64 at his Regional. He’s also the top seed in the 300 (42.34) and runs on the top-seeded 800 relay (1:38.84).
Hancock’s Gage Hawthorne: The reigning discus champion could repeat and claim shot put as well; he’s the top seed in discus (140-0) by more than 20 feet and also top in shot put (48-3) by more than six feet.
Ishpeming Westwood’s Vincente Carlson: The returning champion in the 110 hurdles is seeded second to Jarvis in that race (15.84) and second to Jarvis as well in the 300 (44.64). Carlson also will run on the 1,600 relay.
UP DIVISION 3 at Kingsford
Top Regional scores: 1. Pickford 90.75, 2. Munising 74, T-3. Rapid River 63, T-3. Felch North Dickinson 63.
Pickford: No school in MHSAA history has won even half as many team titles as Pickford, which has 34 and is seeking its second in three seasons. The Panthers don’t have a top seed at this meet, but are represented in every event led by second-seeded long jumper Jared Hatfield (18-1½).
Munising: The Mustangs are seeking their first team title since 1996 and will rely heavily on standouts Brett Hannah and Andy Cooper. Hannah is the reigning champion in the 3,200 and enters with the second seed in that race (11:15.54) and the 1,600 (4:51.84) and the fifth in the 800 (2:17.54). Cooper is tied for the top seed in high jump (6-0) with teammate Alex Hill, and also is top-seeded in the 110 (16.34) and 300 hurdles (42.54) and second in the 200 (23.94).
Cooks Big Bay de Noc’s Cole Potvin: After winning the 400 in 2013, he could add three more titles with the top seeds in that race (53.94) and the 200 (23.84) and the third-best (tied) in the high jump (5-6).
Felch North Dickinson’s Tim Hruska: With titles in the 110 and 300 hurdles and the 100, the senior scored nearly half of North Dickinson’s points as his team won last season’s overall championship. He’s the second seed in the 110 (16.70) and 300 (44.24), the fifth in the 100 (12.04) and the eighth in the 200 (25.24).
PHOTO: Saginaw Nouvel's Tyler Hendricks claimed last season's LP Division 3 200 championship and should contend in that race and the 100 this weekend. (Click to see more at HighSchoolsSportsScene.com.)
Meridian Speedsters Find Home on Track
May 20, 2016
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
SANFORD — Nobody had to talk Christian Petre into playing baseball or persuade Hailey Stockford that playing softball might be fun.
Both fell in love with those respective sports early on.
But track and field? THAT took some lobbying from others to get the two sprint stars at Sanford Meridian on the oval.
Both added more titles to championship careers Friday, as each won the 100 and 200-meter sprints at the Lower Peninsula Division 3 Regional at Clare to qualify for the MHSAA Finals on June 4 at Comstock Park. Petre also ran on two winning relays, while Stockford ran on a relay that finished runner-up.
Petre was a freshman when his older brother, Mic, tried to talk him into running track.
"He saw me run during my football games and said he really wanted me to run track," Petre said. "He put some pressure on me. At first, I wasn't really sure, because the only thing I knew was baseball back then. I wasn't really sure about track. I didn't think it was a good idea. I told him 'no,' at first. Eventually, I changed my mind. I said, 'I might as well try it. I don't know where this could lead.'"
In Petre's case, it led to an MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 100-meter championship among four all-state finishes last spring while he also played on a Sanford Meridian baseball team that was ranked No. 2 in the state before getting upset in the District Semifinals.
For Stockford, there was a similar reward for adding track and field to her plate in the spring. In her first year on the track, the former softball center fielder won the Division 3 championship in the 100 and 200.
Her speed became apparent when she was faster than many of the boys on the football team in a 40-yard dash in gym class. The instructor for that class was Mike Bilina, who is Meridian's varsity football and boys track and field coach.
"My time was really good," Stockford recalls. "He kept telling me I should join the track team. I'm like, 'No, I'm playing softball; I don't think that's for me.' I ended up changing my mind. I guess at the time I was thinking I wanted to dedicate everything to softball. I thought it would be best to focus on one sport."
Stockford finally came out for track one week into the season last year as a junior. She quickly caught on, winning the 100 in 12.07 seconds and the 200 in 25.11 seconds at the Division 3 Finals, just 45 days after competing in the first meet of her life.
Both became champions while juggling two sports — their first loves and their new loves. Neither has been beaten in the sprints this season as they attempt to close out their high school careers with more championships.
"The coaches are pretty understandable and communicate well with each other on what day I'd be doing what," Petre said. "It's not that difficult for me, really. I put a lot of work in over the offseason. I try to get ahead of the game before the season actually starts, so when the season comes around I can just go about it normally and not have to stress about going back and forth with each sport."
Being able to do two sports in the same season not only benefits student-athletes who are capable of handling the workload, but it benefits the teams at Sanford Meridian, which has an enrollment of 408.
"Because we're so small, if we didn't have dual sports, we'd lose a lot of athletes from one sport to the next," girls track and field coach Jenny Nosakowski said. "We're pretty open. We try to work with the coaches. We've had a lot of kids come over from baseball this year. We try to work it so both of our teams, baseball and track, will benefit."
Running in his first MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Finals, Petre cracked the top four in all four of his events to help Meridian place fourth as a team. He won the 100-meter dash in come-from-behind fashion with a time of 11.13 seconds. He anchored the fourth-place 800 relay team and third-place 400 relay team before finishing third in the 200 in 22.72 seconds.
Petre is convinced that the competition he's experienced in other sports helped him cope with the pressure of track and field Finals.
"Especially since I was on varsity as a freshman in football and baseball," he said. "Just playing on a bigger stage at only 14 years old really helped me. I was really nervous at state last year. I had a lot of adrenaline pumping. I didn't know what to expect. I feel like the past experience really did help. I wasn't as nervous as I could have been."
Running at a high level all day may have caught up with Petre in the 200, his final event. He had the fastest time in the preliminaries (22.44) before taking third.
"I don't want to make any excuses," he said. "I had a long day with prelims and relays. I guess I didn't train my body as well as I could have last year, so I got a little fatigued and came up a little bit short. I didn't run the race I expected in the 200."
Coming up short in the 200 wasn't the biggest disappointment on that day for Petre. In the middle of the meet, he learned that his baseball teammates were upset, 13-8, by Beaverton in the District Semifinals. The Mustangs had a 29-6 record going into that game.
"I was really hoping to come back after states and play with my team," Petre said. "It did kind of put a little downer on the day, but it was what it was."
Petre made a different decision the previous year, opting to play in the baseball Districts rather than run in the track and field Finals. He helped the Mustangs win the District championship before they lost in the Regional Semifinals, 3-2 to Cass City. The track and field team, meanwhile, won the MHSAA Division 3 title.
"It was tough, because at that point I was still new to track," Petre said. "I didn't really know what was going on. Back then, I always said baseball would be first; that's what I decided on that day."
There is a chance that Petre could compete for two MHSAA championship teams this spring. The baseball team has a 25-1 record and is ranked No. 3 in Division 3. The track and field team has been in the top four at the MHSAA Finals the last two years.
"We've talked about it ever since the beginning of both seasons," Petre said. "It's crazy to think that could happen. As of right now, we have to keep working on the little things and keep moving forward, so when it comes time to do this, we're ready to compete."
Petre's speed was also put to good use as Meridian's starting quarterback the last four years. Petre led Meridian to a school-record 10 victories last fall. The Mustangs won their first 10 games before losing to eventual Division 6 champion Ithaca in the second round. He had a 30-10 record as Meridian's quarterback, having been promoted from the junior varsity early in his freshman year.
"I was the head JV coach," Bilina said. "He was taken from me in Week 2. We knew he was a special athlete early on. He was just faster than everyone as a freshman. He was forced into a position where he had to go up a little bit quicker. He handled it very well. He's the winningest quarterback in Meridian history. He's received a lot of individual and team honors. He's in the history books here at Meridian, that's for sure."
Petre, a center fielder and pitcher, isn't sure which sport he'll play in college.
"I have a preferred walk-on to Northwood for football," he said. "Davenport has offered me for track. Saginaw Valley is still talking to me for track. I'm going to see how the summer plays out for baseball."
Petre legged out four triples in a doubleheader sweep of Gladwin on Tuesday, including two in the first inning of the opening game. For the season, Petre is hitting .541 with six triples, a homer, 22 RBI and 40 runs.
As one could imagine, stealing bases was a big part of Stockford's game on the softball diamond.
"A lot of teams we play pretty much expect it," said Stockford, who was a center fielder.
Stockford also played volleyball at Sanford Meridian, but softball had always been her favorite sport.
"I played since I was little in T-ball," she said. "My dad was a really good baseball player, so it was just in the family. My brother and sister also played."
Another family member, cousin Sarah Stockford, helped close the deal in getting Hailey to run track last season.
"A week into the season, I just got the urge to run it," Hailey said. "My cousin was on the team, and I'm really close with her. I figured it'd be a good year to try it if I was going to. I had been told I was fast. I knew I was fast based on stealing in softball."
Less than seven weeks after getting started in the sport, Stockford found herself on the track at Comstock Park as a championship contender in both sprint events.
"You never know what to expect, especially it being my first year running, but that's obviously the outcome I was hoping for," Stockford said. "I just wanted to go in there and see what I could do.
"It's a great atmosphere. It could be overwhelming. There are a lot of schools there. You know how important the meet was. It was a different experience, but it was fun. In every other sport I played, you relied on your teammates. Being there in an individual sport in such an important meet was different for me."
Stockford has never been beaten in the 100 in her high school career, losing in the finals of the 200 only three times. Her talent caught the eye of Saginaw Valley State University, which offered her a track and field scholarship. So, the girl who thought of herself primarily as a softball player will be competing in a different sport on the college level.
"I had coaches talk to me about playing softball in college, but I see potential in myself in track," Stockford said. "I've done good so far. I'm hoping to get better and see how I can do. I thought it would be something I might regret if I didn't try it."
Bill Khan served as a sportswriter at The Flint Journal from 1981-2011 and currently contributes to the State Champs! Sports Network. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Sanford Meridian's Christian Petre leads the pack during a sprint at Beaverton on April 27. (Middle) Meridian's Hailey Stockford takes off from the blocks, also during the Beaverton meet. (Photos courtesy of the Sanford Meridian athletic department.)