Hovey Leads Hart to Historic 3-Peat, Onsted's Ross Joins Prestigious 4-Win Group
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
June 1, 2024
KENT CITY – Addison Hovey was a dual threat Saturday for the Hart girls track & field team.
The junior standout used blazing speed, combined with remarkable leaping ability, to help spark the Pirates to a third-straight title at the Lower Peninsula Division 3 Finals, held at Kent City High School.
Hovey captured wins in the 100 and 200, while also winning the high jump for a second straight year.
“Winning high jump was my main priority, and then top eight in the 100 and 200,” Hovey said. “But I’m honestly so surprised because I knew there were really good girls in those two events.
“I’m just really proud of how much work I’ve put in this season, and it showed today and paid off.”
Hart became the first Division 3 girls team to win three consecutive championships. The Pirates finished with 53 points, while Onsted (40) was runner-up and Olivet (38) took third.
“It means the world to me and my team,” Hovey said. “No team in Division 3 had won three years in a row, so that’s huge. We lost one of our really good athletes, and she was a big part for us, so we knew there was going to be some pressure coming into this. I’m really proud of my teammates. The girls stepped up and helped me.”
Last season’s 3,200 winner, Jessica Jazwinski, was unable to compete for most of this season.
“I really didn't expect this part way through the season,” Hart coach Calvin Ackley said. “Especially because a couple distance runners, one went out, and one was coming back from injury. Traditionally, we’ve been distance, distance at Hart. I never thought I’d see the day we would be dominating in sprints. That’s been exciting, and my coaches are fantastic.”
Hovey out-jumped Kalamazoo Christian’s Ellie VanDusen by eclipsing 5-foot-6 to tie the LPD3 Finals record. Hovey also recorded a personal-best time of 12.27 in the 100 and ended her day with an impressive 25.60 in the 200.
“I was so tired, but I just gave it my all,” Hovey said. “It was the last event of my last meet. Hopefully I feel better tomorrow.”
Ackley said Hovey’s improvement over the past few years has been remarkable.
“Absolutely amazing day,” he said. “She’s come a long way from a freshman kind of unsure of herself to an absolute beast.
“She’s an amazing athlete and has a great attitude. She doesn't worry about the little things that don't matter. She just focuses on what she needs to do, and she carried the team today. She just keeps progressing, and she’s a great basketball player, but a fantastic track athlete.”
Junior Emmry Ross also shined, winning all four of her events to single-handedly place Onsted second as a team. She racked up repeat victories in the 400 and 800, while also claiming titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 – becoming just the seventh girl all-time (and third in the Lower Peninsula) to win four events at an MHSAA Finals.
“Honestly, I went into today pretty nervous,” Ross said. “I was more nervous last night than I was today because today I just went in with the mindset of, ‘Do my best. You got here. You deserve this.’ I worked really hard this season, and I just went in and had confidence. It turned out to be a really good day, and it was fun because I got to run in the rain.”
Ross said running four events wasn’t grueling because of her preparation.
“I train for it,” she said. “I ran those four (events) at Regionals and two other meets before that, so I was used to it. It wasn’t a challenge because I’ve done it before.”
While those two combined to win the majority of Saturday’s individual running events, Kalamazoo Christian freshman Elli VanDusen (110 hurdles) and Olivet sophomore Emily Peters (300 hurdles) claimed titles as well. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (400), Olivet (800) and Jackson Lumen Christi (1,600 and 3,200) won the relays. Montrose freshman Addyson Stiverson (shot put) and Grayling senior Rylan Finstrom (discus) were first in the throws, Wyoming Potter’s House Christian junior Sohanny Gonzalez-Castillo won the long jump and Homer junior Emma Wildt won the pole vault.
PHOTOS (Top) Hart celebrates its third-straight Division 3 championship Saturday at Kent City. (Middle) Onsted’s Emmry Ross crosses the finish line for one of her four individual victories. (Click for more from Jamie McNinch/RunMichigan.com.)
Ishpeming Finds Right Combination in D2
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 5, 2016
KINGSFORD — The Ishpeming girls carried a heavy workload this season and were rewarded with their second straight Division 2 title at Saturday’s Upper Peninsula Finals.
Ishpeming scored 127 points, followed by Hancock with 104 and St. Ignace 81.
“The girls got more points than I thought they would,” said Ishpeming coach P.J. Pruett. “When we started the season in the (Superior) Dome meet, we got beat by West Iron County and Hancock. We were able to put kids in the right spots, which was huge. We didn’t have a lot of girls come out for track. Most of them were doing four events.”
Junior Khora Swanson retained her 800-meter title in 2 minutes, 34.15 seconds and won the 1,600 (6:02.99) and 3,200 (13:21.21). She also helped the Hematites take the 3,200 relay (11:09.24).
“The weather was kind of tough early in the meet, and it effected my breathing,” Swanson said. “Although it’s the same for everybody. I think running with the D-1 kids (in the 1,600 and 3,200; both divisions ran together) may have thrown me off a little.
“We’re excited about being U.P. champions again. We’ve all been working hard. St. Ignace kind of hung with us in the Regional. We’re always worried about them.”
Hancock’s Madisyn Wright was runner-up in the 1,600 (6:08.81) and 3,200 (13:33.96).
“Khora used to anchor our 1,600 relay, then we moved her to the (open) 3,200 for points,” said Pruett. “This was the second two-mile race she ran all year.”
Ishpeming junior Marissa Maino repeated as champion in discus with a school-record toss of 115 feet, 5 inches and shot put at 35 feet. Teammate Libbie Doney won pole vault for the second time in three years with a leap of 8-6.
The Hematites also won the 400 relay (55.64) and took second in the 800 (1:55.8) and 1,600 (4:33.59).
Hancock senior Mary Jarvis defended her crowns in the 100 hurdles (16.74) and 300s (48.85) and helped the winning 800 relay (1:54.89). Teammate Julie Heinonen was runner-up in the 100s (16.97).
St. Ignace sophomore Linnee Gustafson was a repeat winner in high jump (5-0, she won Division 3 last season) and helped the Saints take third in the 800 relay (2:00.24).
The Saints captured the 1,600 relay in a season-best 4:27.18.
“All of our handoffs were good,” said freshman Emily Coveyou, who placed second in the 400 (1:04.75) and third in the 200 (27.97). “We’re just happy we won the last race. Unfortunately, I false started in the 100. But this kind of takes the sting out of that.”
Gwinn sophomore Emlly McDonald set the U.P. meet record in long jump (16-10), topping the previous best (16-8¼) by Dani Gagne of Norway in 2011.
West Iron County had a triple-winner in junior Emmy Kinner, who captured the 400 (1:02.76) for the third consecutive year, retained her 100 (13.33) and 200 (27.53) titles and placed third in long jump (15-3).
“The girl from Gwinn is good,” Kinner said. “She really gets high in the air. After taking third in long jump, taking first in my other three events was nice. My starts weren’t bad, but your legs aren’t as loose when you run in the rain. It takes longer to get warmed up.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Ishpeming’s Khora Swanson carries the baton during the 3,200 relay. (Middle) The Hematites’ Anna Terres stretches across the finish at the end of the 400 relay. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)