Bark River-Harris Lands 3-Peat, Shamion Joins Elite 4-Event Winners Club
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 2, 2024
KINGSFORD — The Bark River-Harris girls completed their season-long mission here Saturday, earning their third straight Upper Peninsula Division 2 track & field championship with 127½ points.
West Iron County brought home the runner-up trophy with 82, and third-place Ishpeming had 71.
“The girls have been working hard for this,” BR-H coach Jason Lockwood said. “Three U.P. titles under their belt is incredible. Everybody contributed, which is instrumental in putting up that many points.”
BR-H senior and Bay College basketball recruit Lauren Zawada captured the 100-meter hurdles in 17.74 seconds and 300s (50.92) and helped the Broncos win the 1,600 relay at 4 minutes, 24.4 seconds.
“My starts are what helped me this time,” she said. “That was my first individual U.P. title, which gives me a pretty good feeling. I’m pretty excited.”
Fellow senior and Bay College basketball recruit Mckenzie Hoffmeyer won long jump at 16 feet, ½ inch, helped the Broncos win the 800 relay (1:49.92) and placed second in the 100 (13.03) and 200 in a personal-best 26.52.
“Even though I didn’t win the 100 or 200, I still got points for the team,” she said. “It feels pretty awesome for us to come together and win this three times in a row.”
Hoffmeyer was runner-up to West Iron County senior Danica Shamion, who took high jump with a record 5-1, the 100 at 12.65 and also set U.P. records in the 200 (26.17) and 400 (56.94). She’s one of just nine girls to win four individual events at a Track & Field Finals.
Shamion’s U.P. records took place four days after she set school records in the 200 (25.79) and 400 (56.74) and high jump (5-5) at Houghton.
“I went out with a bang, which is something I wanted to do as a freshman,” she said. “I kept thinking, ‘Take it one step at a time.’ The high jump runway was a little slippery (during brief rainfall). It was hard to get your grip.”
BR-H junior Marissa Ives, also part of the 800 relay, took third in the 200 (27.42) and fourth in the 100 (13.5).
“I think we did pretty good for having a young team (in the 800 relay),” she said. “The rain felt good during the race. It makes it a little harder coming out of the blocks, but it cools you off.”
Senior Julia Olson, who helped the Broncos win the 1,600 relay, set school records while taking fourth in the 400 (1:00.54) and 800 (2:29.2).
“This is honestly rewarding,” Olson said. “Part of this is due to our training in the weight room during the offseason. It really paid off. It’s also good to know I had good competition on top of it.”
Pickford sophomore Talya Schreiber won the 1,600 (5:19.16) and 3,200 (11:49.86) and was runner-up in the 800 (2:27.88).
“Lola (Korpi) is a great runner,” she said. “It definitely helps to have her here to push me. This feels really good. I’m happy to be here for our team. The atmosphere is awesome. Everyone is so nice.”
Ishpeming senior and Northern Michigan University recruit Korpi won the 800 (2:26.36) and placed second in the 1,600 (in a school-record 5:20.19) and 3,200 (12:12.63).
“I let her creep away from me a little too much and I couldn’t quite catch her in the 1,600,” said Korpi, who capped her career with 10 individual Track Finals titles. “She started her kick, too.
“I’m obviously happy with another school record. I feel I left my mark. I’m also happy for Talya. She worked so hard and helped me get my PR. Second place isn’t bad. I’m happy where I am.”
Sophomore Mya Hemmer added a first for Ishpeming in discus (114-6) and second in shot put (33-5¼), and Ironwood sophomore Emma Wardon took first in shot (34-5).
PHOTOS (Top) Bark River-Harris's Carli Erickson crosses the finish line far ahead of her competition in the 800 Relay. Other members of the winning team were Mckenzie Hoffmeyer, Julia Nault, and Marissa Ives. (Middle) West Iron County's Danica Shamion starts the 400, which she eventually wins. (Click for more from Cara Kamps/RunMichigan.com.)
Ross Emerges from Running Family to Earn Historic Finals Accomplishment
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
June 5, 2024
Emmry Ross had some assistance Saturday when she won four individual events at the Lower Peninsula Division 3 Finals.
Her late grandfather, Phil Six, was with her every step of the way.
“Every time I run I think of his presence,” said the Onsted junior. “He helps me get through the harder times of my races.”
Ross won the 400, 800, 1,600, and 3,200, scoring 40 points by herself, good enough to put Onsted in second place as a team.
She was just the third Lower Peninsula girls track & field athlete and seventh in state history to win four events at an MHSAA Finals.
The stunning performance wasn’t all that stunning to Ross.
“It feels amazing, it was such a perfect day, and it turned out exactly as I was hoping, and better,” she said. “It was a very great feeling after I processed what happened, and it was so exciting to share that with all my family and coaches behind me supporting me.”
Ross has been an outstanding runner for the Wildcats since middle school. Her training, she said, set her up for the historic performance.
The daughter of Daryl and Alicia Ross said once she glided past the finish line to win the 1,600, she gained even more confidence. She maintained that level of confidence throughout the day.
“After I ran so good in my 1,600, and felt so good in that race, I definitely thought I could do it,” Emmry Ross said. “I think that was part of the reason I did it. I was ready to do it in my head, and had a positive attitude the whole day.”
Ross always has drawn inspiration from her family, which has a significant sports background.
Her grandfather was an Onsted record holder in the 400 for decades. Her parents were high school athletes. Her older sister Rayne and younger sisters Hadley and Stylar participated in multiple sports, including track. Hadley and Stylar also are on the track team at Onsted.
They are close and push each other. Rayne and Emmry earned all-state honors two years ago together on a relay.
“I set such high goals for myself because I believe the sky is the limit, and there is no limit if you set your mind to it,” Emmry said.
Ross hesitated to pick which race was most difficult Saturday because they all went relatively smoothly.
“They all came with some things that I wasn’t expecting,” she said. “I might have to say the 800, mainly for the fact that the first 200 meters I was nervous because I got boxed in for a split second, but I got out of it, and finished really strong.”
Ross has earned seven individual first-place finishes and ran on a winning relay over her three MHSAA Finals. She isn’t worried about an encore yet.
“I have thought a little bit into next year, and I think it would be awesome to do it again,” she said. “But with MITCA (Champion of Champions Festival) and nationals coming up, I’ve been pretty focused on that and doing the best I can there before I look into next year.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTO Emmry Ross (far left) leads a pack during one of her championship races Saturday at Kent City. (Click for more from Mary Wilson/RunMichigan.com.)