Preview: History Awaits Next Contenders
June 2, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Hundreds of Michigan's top high school athletes will compete Saturday at seven MHSAA Track & Field championship meets taking place either in the Grand Rapids area or Kingsford in the Upper Peninsula.
While some of the favorites in the boys meets are familiar past stars, many more contenders than in recent years will be attempting to write their championship stories for the first time.
See below for some of the teams and individuals who should be among those in the championship mix at Saturday's boys meets. 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 Hudsonville Baldwin Middle School
Top Regional scores: Rockford 165½, Macomb Dakota 148½, East Kentwood 140.
Rockford: If the Rams are going to improve from 32nd last season and win their first MHSAA title, the points will come from a solid pair of distance runners in sophomore Cole Johnson – seeded first in the 1,600 (4:17.59) and second in the 800 (1:55.20) – and senior Isaac Harding, who is seeded second in the 3,200 (9:18.54). Those two also run on the fifth-seeded 3,200 relay (7:58.07), and Rockford also could get a nice points boost from senior pole vaulter Jonny De Haan (14-0).
Macomb Dakota: The Cougars also are seeking their first MHSAA title and tied for 44th a year ago, but should get a jump on the pack in field events with junior pole vaulter Cale Snyder (14-0) and senior long jumper De’Shon Collier (21-10½) in the mix for top places. Collier also is a contender in the 100 (10.96) and 200 (22.21) and as part of the fifth-seeded 400 relay (42.86).
East Kentwood: The Falcons fell back to second place last season but have won this meet five of the last seven and are the likely favorite again. Junior Khance Meyers ran the fastest 100 (10.58) at any Division 1 Regional by 15 hundredths of a second and has the fourth-fastest seed time in the 200 (21.69) and third-fastest in the 400 (49.32). He also runs on the top-seeded 800 relay (1:27.40). Junior Andre Welch is another contender, entering with the fourth-best Regional long jump (22-4½), and senior Isaiah Ledesma is in the mix for a high place in shot put (50-7¾).
Oxford’s Connor Bandel: The reigning shot put and discus champion should make a run at all-Finals records in both throws (64-½ in shot put and 210-1 in discus); he’s thrown 67 and 204, respectively.
Wayne Memorial’s Montel Hood: He finished fourth in the 400 as a junior but enters Saturday with the top seed in that race (47.42) with a time only 42 hundredths of a second off the LP Division 1 record of 47.0 run by East Kentwood’s Ricco Hall in 2011.
Jackson’s Anthony Owens: He missed the championship in long jump as a junior last season by four inches, but his Regional leap of 24 feet was the best in LP Division 1 by nearly a foot and only an inch shy of the all-Finals record of 24-1 jumped by Flushing’s Jeff Kline in 2009 – and Owens has gone 24-8.
East Lansing’s Kentre Patterson: The Trojans’ junior has launched into the elite this spring, posting the top Regional times in the 110 hurdles (13.94) and 300 hurdles (38.68).
Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Terius Wheatley: The son of Dearborn Heights Robichaud legend Tyrone can finish his high school career on the MHSAA champions list as well, entering with the top seed in high jump (6-8) and second (23-½) in long jump.
Southfield’s Delan Wynn: The Bluejays’ senior had a nice meet in 2015 with an eighth place in the 300 hurdles and a third as part of the 400 relay, but enters this weekend with the top seed in the 200 (21.49) and second in the 300 (38.84).
LP Division 2 at Zeeland
Top Regional scores: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 172, Grand Rapids Christian 152 2/3, Chelsea 150.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s: The reigning champion is loaded with sprint speed; junior Kahlee Hamler has the top seed in the 100 (10.78) and junior Richard Bowens ranks third in that race (10.95) and fourth in the 300 hurdles (39.29). Junior Shermond Dabney is seeded third in the 300 (39.24) and second in the 110 hurdles (14.55), and senior Tyler Cochran is fifth in the 400 (50.06). Hamler is part of the top-seeded 400 relay (43.41) and with Bowens on the top-seeded 800 relay (1:28.67), and Bowens and Cochran are on the fourth-seeded 1,600 relay (3:26.03). Bowens won the 300 hurdles last season.
Chelsea: Senior Bailey Edwards is seeded among the top four in both the 100 (10.98) and 200 (21.91 – seeded first), and senior Noah Van Reesema is seeded among the top eight in both hurdles races including second in the 300 (38.45). Sophomore Tom Oates should also score coming in fifth in the 1,600 (4:24.60), and all four relays qualified led by the sixth-seeded 400, eighth-seeded 1,600 and second-seeded 800 (1:29.72).
Zeeland East: The Chix, last season’s runners-up, should contend again with plenty of scoring power and after also winning a Regional. Junior thrower Jonathan Berghorst is seeded among the top seven in both discus and shot put, while sophomore Corbin DeJonge could reach the podium in both hurdles races. Junior John Groendyk and sophomore Dan Cramer give East two contenders in the 800, and both join DeJonge and Khylin Barton on the top-seeded 1,600 relay (3:23.61). Barton, Cramer and Groendyk also run on the fifth-seeded 3,200 relay (8:10.34).
Algonac’s Morgan Beadlescomb: The senior distance star is expected to add at least one more MHSAA title to the 1,600 championship won last season; Beadlescomb is seeded first in both the 1,600 (4:13.12) and 3,200 (9:25.54).
Lake Odessa Lakewood’s Noah Caudy: The reigning champion in the 110 hurdles, now a junior, is seeded sixth in that race (14.7) and the 300 (39.67).
Corunna’s Noah Jacobs: The Cavaliers’ junior is coming off the 3,200 championship in 2015 and has the second seed to Beadlescomb in that race (9:30.77) and third seed in the 1,600 (4:21.72).
St. Johns’ Steven Linton: After winning the 400 last season, the Redwings senior is pursuing two more titles seeded fifth in the 100 (11.01) and sixth in the 200 (22.40) to go with his top seed in the 400 (49.69).
Mason’s Justin Scavarda: The Bulldogs senior thrower won discus a year ago and was third in shot put, and comes in with the longest Regional tosses in both this time at 180-3 and 61-8, respectively.
Freeland’s Nathan Whitting: The reigning high jump champion tied for the third longest Regional jump, 6-5, and also runs on a relay.
Fruitport’s 3,200 relay: Seniors Kody Brooks, Seth Glover and Noah Hendricks and sophomore Cameron Oleen ran a Regional time of 7:56.24, which was more than nine seconds faster than the rest of the division and only six seconds off the meet record run by Zeeland East last season.
LP Division 3 at Comstock Park
Top Regional scores: Frankenmuth 145½, Clinton Township Clintondale 144, Dundee 143½.
Frankenmuth: The champion as recently as 2011, Frankenmuth tied for 29th a year ago but could have enough individual contenders to make a run led by junior Dan Stone, seeded second in discus (160-10) and third in shot put (55-2). Junior Grant Bronner also will need to be significant; he’s tied for fourth in the high jump (6-4), seeded 10th in the 110 hurdles (15.53) and 13th in the 300 hurdles (41.8), one spot behind senior teammate Jonathan Worden (41.5)
Hillsdale: The Hornets, runners-up last season, also had one of the top Regional winning scores two weeks ago and have competitors in 12 events. Among those who could be key are sophomore Devin Van Dusen, who is seeded fourth in the 100 (11.1) and 200 (22.6), and senior Brock Eves, who is fifth in the 1,600 (4:24.03) and also qualified in the 3,200. Van Dusen also runs on the third-seeded 1,600 relay (3:29.32).
Sanford Meridian: The 2014 champion was fourth last year and should be able to score in bunches led by Christian Petre, who is seeded second in the 100 (11.06) and first in the 200 (22.40) and runs on the top-seeded 400 relay (43.79) and third-seeded 800 relay (1:31.67). He’s the reigning champ in the 100. Senior Monte Petre also has top-10 seeds in the sprints and runs on the eighth-seeded 1,600 relay.
Grand Rapids West Catholic’s Carl Myers: The reigning shot put champion is seeded first in both throws as a senior with a 164-6 in the discus and 61-8½ in the shot put; he could approach the meet record in the shot put of 63-9½ set by Allendale’s Zach Hill in 2009.
Hesperia’s Nate McKeown: The reigning champion in the high jump went 6-10 at his Regional and could take a shot at the meet record of 7-0 set by Frankenmuth’s Andrew Dodson in 2005; McKeown also has the top seed in the long jump at 21-3 after finishing fifth in that event last season.
Reed City’s Nate Fasbender: After winning pole vault last season as a junior at 14-0, Fasbender went 15-0 at his Regional, three inches higher than the next best competitor in the division.
St. Louis’ Evan Goodell: He placed eighth in the 3,200 a year ago, but enters with the fastest Regional times in that race (9:36.87) and the 1,600 (4:19.86).
Macomb Lutheran North’s Zach Stadnika: The reigning 110 hurdles champion placed in three events in 2015 and will compete in a different combination of three Saturday; he’s seeded ninth in the 110 (14.83) and first in the long jump (22-3) and also will compete in high jump.
Grandville Calvin Christian’s Abe Visser: The reigning 3,200 champ is seeded third both in that race (9:44.46) and the 1,600 (4:21.22).
LP Division 4 at Grand Rapids Houseman Stadium
Top Regional scores: Saugatuck 215, Ubly 155, Marcellus 153.
Saugatuck: The Indians are going for their second straight title and third in four seasons after tying with Concord for first in 2015. Junior Blake Dunn is one of the top all-around athletes in Michigan and a reigning champion in the 300 hurdles; he’s seeded first in that race (39.49) as well as the 110 (14.94) and runs on two relays. Junior Xavier Cardona has top-seven seeds in both throws, and a strong group of distance runners should help carry the load. Freshman Corey Gorgas, sophomore Keegan Seifert and junior Zachary Pettinga have the second, third and fourth seeds, respectively, in the 3,200, and Pettinga also is seeded sixth in the 1,600. The 3,200 relay is seeded fourth.
Concord: The other reigning co-champion has competitors in nine events, led by junior Montez Brewer; he’s seeded first in the 100 (10.98) and runs on top-five-seeded 400 and 800 relays. Senior Chase Hinkle is seeded ninth in the 200, and senior Kamron McDonald and junior Jacob Randall are both tied for fourth in the high jump (6-1).
Saginaw Nouvel: After tying for 40th in Division 3 last season, Nouvel could make a move on its first boys track & field title since 1989. Senior Jacob Gray is seeded fourth in discus (139-1) and seventh in shot put (47-4½), and junior Robi Stuart is second in shot put (52-3½). Junior Matt Bartels also could pick up some points, seeded third in the 1,600 (4:36.95) and fifth in the 3,200 (10:15.47). The 400 and 800 relays are seeded fourth and eighth, respectively.
Merrill's Jacob Kulhanek: The reigning pole vault champion, now a senior, qualified with a 13-3, fifth highest in Division 4 but only three inches below four competitors tied for the top height.
Evart’s Santana Scott: He was sixth in the 1,600 and second in the 3,200 as a junior, and both races will have new champions Saturday; he has the top seeds in both at 4:27.93 and 9:59.92, respectively.
UP Division 1 at Kingsford
Top Regional scores: Marquette 93, Houghton 73, Negaunee 44.
Marquette: The Redmen returned to the top last season with their fourth title in six seasons but after two without finishing first. They have to be the favorite again paced by reigning 1,600 and 3,200 champion Lance Rambo; he’s seeded first in the 1,600 (4:23.42), 3,200 (10:03.46) and 800 (1:59.90). Senior Patrick Burmeister is seeded first in the 100 (11.51) and second in the 200 (23.48), and senior Payton Muljo is first in the shot put (48-7). Marquette’s 1,600 relay (3:37.64) and 3,200 relay (8:21.47) also carry top seeds. Muljo won shot put last season.
Houghton: The top-seeded 800 relay (1:34.81) and strong field events should put Houghton into the mix. Senior Brad Ohtonen is seeded first in the discus (129-1¾) and second in shot put (44-7), and senior Hunter Richards is tied for first in high jump (6-0) and fourth in long jump (19-1½). Junior Casey Lentowich in the 110 hurdles (16.30) and sophomore Clayton Sayen in the 400 (52.21) also bring top seeds. Ohtonen won discus last season.
Kingsford’s Trevor Roberts: The standout junior won the long jump and 100 last year; he’s seeded fourth in the 100 (11.68), sixth in the 200 (32.91) and runs on two seeded relays including the favored 400 relay (45.49).
Kingsford’s Brandon Kowalkowski: Last season’s high jump champion is two inches off the top Regional performers at 5-10 and also runs on the 400 and 800 relays.
UP Division 2 at Kingsford
Top Regional scores: Ishpeming 97½, Iron Mountain 56, Iron River West Iron County 48.
Ishpeming: The Hematites have competitors in 16 events, including top-seeded senior Andrew Poirier in the 300 hurdles (46.61) and the top-seeded 800 relay (1:38.72). The 3,200 relay (9:46.91), 400 relay (47.36) and 1,600 relay (3:49.72) all are seeded second, as are senior Nick Coment in long jump (18-6½), junior Isaac Olson in the 200 (24.72) and junior Daren Guichin in the 1,600 (4:53.86).
Iron Mountain: Senior Nate Carey could lead the Mountaineers to their first title since 2000; he’s part of the top-seeded 3,200 relay (9:19.39) and is top-seeded in the 1,600 (4:52.88) and 3,200 (10:47.2). Junior Aaron Bolo had the top Regional high jump at 5-11, and senior Tanner Huotari has the top seed in the 800 (2:11.7).
Ironwood’s Isaac Aukee: The reigning pole vault champion, now a senior, comes in at 8-6 but went 11-6 last season.
UP Division 3 at Kingsford
Top Regional scores: Rapid River 76, Powers North Central 71, Pickford 67.
Powers North Central: The Jets look like a possibility for a first title since 2005 with a number of top seeds; senior Brendan Gatien is tops in shot put (47-2) as is senior Morgan Cox in the high jump (6-0, tied) and both the 400 (46.91) and 1,600 relays (3:40.73). Senior Bryce Holle, the reigning champion in the 400, is seeded second in that race (52.65) and also qualified in the 800.
Rapid River: The reigning runner-up has competitors in 14 events and enough high seeds to make a run at a first title since 2003. Senior Dan Blair is top-seeded in both the 800 (2:07.24) and 1,600 (4:37.24).
Munising’s Brett Hannah: One of two who starred in leading Munising to the title last year, Hannah is the reigning champ in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. He will run all three plus the 400 (52.44), the only race in which he’s seeded first.
Crystal Falls Forest Park’s Billy Ragio: Last season’s pole vault champion set the meet record at 13-3½ as a junior and two weeks ago had the top Regional vault in the division at 12-6; he’ll also run the 100.
PHOTO: Orchard Lake St. Mary's celebrates its championship last season in Lower Peninsula Division 2.
Robichaud 3-Sport Legend Wheatley Selected to National High School Hall of Fame
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 11, 2024
The playing career of 1991 Dearborn Heights Robichaud graduate Tyrone Wheatley remains one of the most storied in Michigan high school sports history. His prestige gained during that early stage of his athletic stardom has been recognized nationally as well, as Wheatley was one of 12 honorees announced today as this year’s inductees into the National High School Hall of Fame by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
Wheatley – who grew up in Inkster and is currently the head football coach at Wayne State University – will be inducted as one of 11 honorees selected for the 41st Hall of Fame class at a ceremony during the NFHS summer meeting July 1 in Boston. The rest of the class is made up of three more athletes, four coaches, two former state association administrators and a game official. Wheatley was nominated by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
Wheatley will become the Hall of Fame’s 10th inductee from Michigan, joining the MHSAA’s first full-time Executive Director Charles E. Forsythe (inducted 1983), River Rouge boys basketball coach Lofton Greene (1986), Warren Regina athletic director, softball and basketball coach Diane Laffey (2000), Fennville basketball and baseball standout Richie Jordan (2001), Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett boys and girls tennis coach Bob Wood (2005), Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook hockey standout Jim Johnson (2007), Owosso football, basketball and baseball all-stater Brad Van Pelt (2011); Vermontville Maple Valley baseball national record holder Ken Beardslee (2016) and retired MHSAA Executive Director John E. “Jack” Roberts (2022).
To the greater public, Wheatley surely is best known as a star running back for University of Michigan who went on to play 10 seasons in the NFL for the New York Giants and Oakland Raiders. However, he is arguably most glorified in Michigan high school athletics for his accomplishments on the track, where as a junior in 1990 he became the first (of still only two) athletes to win four individual events at an MHSAA Lower Peninsula Finals – placing first in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, 110-meter hurdles and long jump. He led Robichaud to the Class B team title that day, scoring 40 of its 49 points. Wheatley completed his high school career in 1991 with three more Class B individual track & field championships and nine total over his final three seasons; he was injured in the 100 during that senior-year meet and could not run his final race to attempt another four-title day.
Wheatley’s meet records of 13.7 seconds in the 100 at the 1991 LP Class B Final and 23-10¾ in long jump in 1989 still stood when the four-Class track & field format was retired after the 1999 season. He also remains the only athlete to win the 100 three times at the prestigious Mehock Relays in Mansfield, Ohio, also finishing first in the 110 hurdles and 200 and runner-up in the long jump at that meet in 1991.
Wheatley was similarly accomplished on the high school football field, leading his team to a state championship in 1990 and earning a Parade All-America honor. Over three varsity seasons total he ran for a combined 4,257 yards and 67 touchdowns, including 2,010 yards and 33 scores on 208 carries as a senior in 1990 – the latter despite playing quarterback half of that season (and throwing five touchdown passes). He played quarterback, running back, defensive back, punter, kicker and returned kicks, and he scored 252 points over 13 games as a senior and 484 over 38 career games.
Wheatley also was a standout on the basketball court for Robichaud, averaging 14 points and 16 rebounds per game as a senior in earning all-state recognition in that sport as well.
“My city where I come from, Inkster, means the world to me. I grew up in an incredible era of sports in Michigan (with successful University of Michigan and Detroit pro teams) … but if you ask me who my idols were, they were the guys I grew up with playing on the playground,” Wheatley said. “After you come from a basketball game where you see Jarvis Walker drop 30, or Earl Jones running the last 200 of a race backwards … you hear people talk about them, you hear their reverence about them, and I just wanted to be put in the conversation of the best to come out of Inkster, forget the state. I can tell you this for sure: I’m not the best athlete to come out of Inkster, just the person who got the recognition. And my foundation was built watching, taking notes, preparing, working out and just trying to be one of the guys.
“(Robichaud was) the step. Because without Robichaud … Michigan, the NFL, me coming back to coach, it doesn’t happen,” Wheatley said. “Without the Robert Yaucks (his football coach at Robichaud), the Coach (Leit) Jones (his Robichaud track coach), the Coach (Mercer) Brysons, the (coach) Wade Cooks, the (coach Jeff) Flounorys, the Millie Hursins (his academic advisor) of the world, this doesn’t happen. Without my high school teammates, none of this happens. So it’s not just a step. What’s the saying – the first impression is the lasting and best impression? Robichaud was it.”
Wheatley returned to Robichaud as its varsity football coach in 2007 and led that team to a 9-2 record and the MHSAA Playoffs for the first time since 1994 – after Robichaud had finished 0-9 the previous season. He has served as an assistant football coach at four college programs including U-M and Syracuse, and with the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Broncos.
He also served as Morgan State University's head coach from 2019-21 and just completed his first season as head coach at Wayne State, which finished 3-8 – an improvement of two wins from 2022 and the program’s best record since 2019.
Wheatley graduated from University of Michigan in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. He and wife Kimberly have five children: Tyrone Jr., Terius, Tyrique, Tiana and Tamari. Tyrone Jr., an offensive tackle, played this past season for the New England Patriots.
“Many of us who grew up in Michigan grew up as fans of Tyrone Wheatley because of what he accomplished at the college level – but his legendary story begins at Dearborn Heights Robichaud, where his outsized athletic ability was on full display in every sport he played,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “Michigan has produced several professional athletes in a variety of sports and nearly 50 Olympians in track & field alone, and what Tyrone Wheatley achieved as a high school athlete remains a standard few have approached. We are ecstatic that he will deservedly take his place among the all-time elite high school athletes nationally as well.”
The National High School Hall of Fame was started in 1982 by the NFHS. The 11 individuals were chosen after a two-level selection process involving a screening committee composed of active high school state association administrators, coaches and officials, and a final selection committee composed of coaches, former athletes, state association officials, media representatives and educational leaders. Nominations were made through NFHS member associations. Also chosen for this class were athletes Joe Mauer (Minnesota), Takeo Spikes (Georgia) and Dot Ford Burrow (Mississippi); sport coaches Paula Kirkland (South Carolina), Gary Rankin (Tennessee), Roy Snyder (Pennsylvania) and Ronald Vincent (North Carolina); former state association administrators Mike Colbrese (Washington) and Marie Ishida (California), and baseball/football game official David Core (Oklahoma).
For more on this year’s Hall of Fame class, visit the NFHS Website.
PHOTO Tyrone Wheatley crosses the finish line first during one of his nine MHSAA Finals track & field championship victories. (MHSAA file photo.)