Grosse Ile's Molnar Wins Title in 2nd Sport, EGR Top Team for 2nd-Straight Year
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
June 3, 2023
ADA – The only common denominator that Kaitlyn Molnar can think of between her two sports is that brief feeling of pure freedom as she soars through the air.
The big difference, of course, is that one comes in a swimming pool and the other while hurling herself along a long jump pit.
The Grosse Ile junior added a state long jump title to a state diving championship at Saturday's Lower Peninsula Division 2 Track & Field Finals at Forest Hills Eastern. The long jump win came after Molnar won a Division 3 diving title in the fall and followed a fifth-place finish in the long jump as a sophomore.
While the necessary talents for both sports may seem incompatible, Molnar sees one significant similarity.
"I just love that feeling of being in the air," she said after a jump of 18-feet, 5 inches. "You just take off and go as high as possible. It takes a lot of focus, but I love the long jump.
"It was kind of a surprise, but it was nice to pull it off. (Jumping and diving) are about foot placement and keeping your head up."
While Molnar's individual exploits were impressive, East Grand Rapids successfully defended its team title with 50 points, 16 better than runner-up Sturgis. Mason, New Boston Huron and Otsego tied for third with 26 points. Tecumseh was sixth with 24.
EGR coach Mike Dykstra said the loss of four major point scorers from last season was overcome by depth and young talent stepping up to fill in gaps. But if you had asked the 19-year coach two months ago if the Pioneers had a realistic shot a back-to-back titles, he would have hedged.
"Maybe," he said. "We had some good competitors back and a lot of talented young kids trying to fill in spots. Today, I think the (90-plus degree) weather was helpful in a way because it made us focus on the weather as the enemy. It helped us focus on ourselves. It was kind of a blessing in a way."
Among the Pioneers champions was the 3,200 relay team (9:28.17) and the 1,600 relay (3:58.18), while junior Drew Muller repeated in the 1,600 (4:56.01) and senior Camryn Bodine won the 800 (2:11.53).
"There definitely was more pressure this year," she said. "People look out for me just as I look for them. There was awesome competition both years, but I'm happy because I had better times this year. It took a lot of work behind the scenes."
New Boston Huron senior Elizabeth Anderson had a big day that included winning the 400 (55.38). She also was second in both the 100 and 200 and part of the 1,600 relay team. Anderson followed last season's championships in the 200 and 400 and runner-up in the 100. But by at least one measurement, this season was an improvement, she said.
"It was better this year because my times were better," said Anderson, who will run track at Michigan State next season. "I just felt heathier and wanted to finish my season strong. I really wanted to win the 400 because it's my favorite event. That was my goal the whole year. I trained all year to do it."
Other LPD2 champs included Keyanna O'Tey of Sturgis, who won the 100 (11.84). O'Tey said winning the Regional made her realize she could become a Finals champ.
"It's a mindset; I have confidence in myself," she said. There's a lot going on with me right now, but the right people said they have confidence in me and that gave me a positive mindset."
Saginaw Swan Valley's Lyberty Brandt won the high jump in 5 feet, 5 inches. Brandt was second as a junior with a leap of 5-3.
"This was a chance to redeem myself," said Brandt, who swept every high jump event she entered this season. "My dad said this was going to be the year and I just said, 'whatever.' When I went 5-4 in my first event this year ,I thought maybe I could do this. I just trusted myself, the confidence just came."
Marysville junior Janae Hudson won the shot put with a toss of 42 feet, 7 inches. That followed a 10th in the shot and a third in the discus a year ago. Hudson said the improvement was a matter of fine-tuning technique. She compares throwing the shot to golf in that even the smallest changes can result in a large reward.
"There were very few days when I wasn't working on that," she said. "It was a lot of little things in technique. You fix one little thing and you're better. You have to have the determination to have a good season."
Other champs were the Cadillac 800 relay (1:44.76) and the 400 relay of Berrien Springs (49.32).
Ella Jenkins of Warren Regina won the 100 hurdles (14.64), and Annabelle Densmore of Charlotte the 300 hurdles (45.06). Natalie VanOtteren of Grand Rapids Christian won the 3,200 (10:57.20), Allison Shelton of Ortonville Brandon the pole vault (12 feet) and Haley Guerrant of Otsego the discus (136-11). Sturgis' Jillian Romanyk competed in the adaptive 100 (30.53) and shot put (13-7).
PHOTOS (Top) East Grand Rapids closes in on the 1,600 relay championship Saturday. (Middle) New Boston Huron's Elizabeth Anderson leads the field in the 400. (Below) The Pioneers celebrate their championship. (Photos by Dave McCauley/RunMichigan.com.)
Negaunee Out-Throws, Out-Races Expectations to Reign in UPD1
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 5, 2022
KINGSFORD — The Negaunee girls were ranked third coming into the Upper Peninsula Division 1 Track & Field Finals here Saturday.
Apparently, the Miners didn’t pay much attention to that as they captured their first title in four years with 119½ points. They were followed by two-time reigning champion Marquette with 98 and Sault Ste. Marie at 86.
“They outperformed their ranking,” said Negaunee coach Vickie Paupore. “Every single girl stepped up. I’m so proud of their grit and determination. Endla (Harris) was ranked eighth and placed second in the 1,600 (5:43.82) and Madison Pekrul winning the 100 hurdles (17.35) and taking second in the 300s (50.32) is an example of a freshman stepping up. We have good senior leaders, and they got the job done today. I appreciate the effort of all the assistant coaches. They make my job so much easier.”
In the weight events, Negaunee grabbed the top three places in shot put and senior Alyssa Hill, who plans to continue her track & field career at Bemidji (Minn.) State University, won discus at 120 feet.
“I had hoped to throw a little farther in disc,” said Hill, who set the school record at 123-4 in the Regional at Negaunee on May 19. “There was a little bit of wind, and I probably started thinking about it a little too much. I thought I had pretty good technique.
“A lot of girls on our team had PRs (personal records) today. Our 3,200 relay had its best time by about 30 seconds, and Natalie Bell had a PR in shot. We were ranked 1-2-7-8 in shot and got 1-2-3-5. We moved up a little.”
Junior Eliana Juchemich took shot put with a personal-best throw of 36-3¼. Hill was runner-up (32-5½) and Bell took third (31-6½).
“This is awesome,” she said. “I think my speed was pretty good in the circle, but I had to fix my angle before my release. You want to go with a 45-degree angle. You want to get good enough elevation and yet not too much. If you throw too high, you might not get the distance you want. That was an awesome thing today because everybody wants to win. Our team is real good. We push each other in practice, and it showed today.”
Aubrey Johnson provided Negaunee with an additional first in the 800-meter run (2:30.44).
Marquette showed its speed with Beax Truckey and Julia Ott placing 1-2 in the 100 and 200.
Truckey took the 100 (12.98) and 200 (26.51) and Ott was clocked at 13.01 and 26.59, respectively. The Redettes also captured the 400 (51.99) and 800 relays (1:48.37).
Sault Ste. Marie’s Claire Erickson won the 300 hurdles (49.55) and Cassandra Gallagher took the 3,200 (12:36.83).
Houghton senior and Michigan Tech recruit Ingrid Seagren, who led the entire 3,200 until the final home stretch, was runner-up (12:37).
“This is a real heartbreaker,” said Seagren, who helped the Gremlins win the 3,200 relay (10:19.08). “I’m disappointed in my finish.
“(But) we ran a decent time in our relay. I’m proud of our team.”
Escanaba senior Ciara Ostrenga won the 400 in a personal-best 1:00.22 and helped the winning 1,600 relay (4:16.27).
“After we got fourth in the 3,200 relay, I just wanted to work hard and try to leave here with an individual medal,” she said. “I think our relay did pretty good. All the girls worked and tried hard.”
Houghton's Maria Velat competed in the first-time adaptive events in the 100 (26.56), 200 (51.15), 400 (1:35.96) and shot put (10-0).
PHOTOS (Top) Negaunee’s Aubrey Johnson charges toward the finish on the way to winning the 800 on Saturday. (Middle) Marquette’s Julia Ott (5) and Baux Truckey (4) have a close finish in the 200, with Truckey edging her teammate by eight hundredths of a second. (Click for more from Cara Kamps/Run Michigan.)