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.)
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.)