Preview: Anticipating New Title Possibilities
June 1, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
With power programs shifting into different divisions and the next contenders emerging, Saturday’s MHSAA Girls Track & Field Finals appear full of opportunities to shake up the standings and watch a new batch of champions shine.
Below is a look at some of the teams and individuals to watch at Saturday’s girls meets. All events begin at 9 a.m. local time on both peninsulas.
Click for meet information including all qualifiers. Check out MHSAA.TV for live streaming of running events from both peninsulas, available with subscription, and come back Saturday night for results as they come in and coverage of all seven meets on Second Half.
The MHSAA Track & Field Finals are presented by the Michigan Army National Guard. (All times/measurements referenced below were achieved during Regional competition.)
LP Division 1 at East Kentwood
Top Regional scores: 1. Rockford 204, 2. East Kentwood 190 2/3, 3. Northville 177.
Oak Park won three straight LPD1 titles from 2014-16 and finished runner-up four points back a year ago. Lansing Waverly won the last two LPD2 championships but moved into LPD1 this season. East Kentwood was third and Rockford fourth a year ago, and both figure to be in the mix again this weekend as well.
Lansing Waverly: Senior Malin Smith and sophomore Priscilla Trainor provide plenty of star power for the Warriors. Smith is seeded second in both the shot put (46-8½) and discus (135-9), and Trainor is seeded second (tied) in the 100 (12.15), first in the 200 (24.77) and fifth in the 400 (57.35).
Oak Park: The Knights have the top-seeded 800 (1:38.6), 1,600 (3:56.7) and 3,200 (9:23.2) relays, plus the second-seeded 400 relay (47.68). Oak Park won the 400, 800 and 1,600 relays at last year’s Finals. Senior Miyah Brooks (57.06) and freshman Jada Rountree (57.08) ran the two fastest 400 Regional times in the division, and senior Doriann Coleman posted the second-fastest in the 800 (2:13.52) and won that race at the 2016 Finals. Sophomore Aasia Laurencin is seeded second in the 100 hurdles (14.28) and 200 (24.87).
Rockford: The Rams’ power will come in distance and relay events. Junior Ericka VanderLende is seeded first in the 1,600 (4:45.85) and 3,200 (10:29.10). The 800 relay (1:42.4) is seeded third, the 1,600 relay (4:00.6) fourth and the 3,200 relay (9:23.3) second and only a tenth of a second behind Oak Park.
East Kentwood’s Corinne Jemison: The reigning champion in the discus is seeded first in both that event (151-9) and the shot put (46-10½) as a senior.
Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Anne Forsyth: Entering her last Finals, the Pioneers’ senior is seeded third in the 1,600 (4:57.01) after winning that event a year ago and second in the 3,200 (10:32.75) after coming in runner-up in that race in 2017.
White Lake Lakeland’s Grace Stark: Another senior star will look to improve on last year’s runner-up finishes in the 100 hurdles and dash; she’s seeded first in both at 13.58 and 12.12 seconds, respectively.
LP Division 2 at Zeeland
Top Regional scores: 1. Dearborn Divine Child 212, 2. South Lyon East 119, 3. Frankenmuth 118½.
The championship is open with two-time reigning winner Waverly in LPD1 this weekend. Divine Child will look to return to the top for the first time since winning three in four seasons in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Zeeland East finished only a point behind Waverly a year ago and might be the favorite. Detroit Country Day and Holland Christian should be able to ride relay successes into the hunt.
Detroit Country Day: The Yellowjackets tied for sixth last season and are keyed by senior sprinter Alexis Officer, who is seeded fourth in the 100 (12.59) and third in the 200 (25.92), and sophomore Ahvon Mitchell, who has the top seed in the 100 hurdles (14.71). Country Day also carries the top seeds in the 400 (49.68) and 800 (1:47.1) relays.
Holland Christian: Last season’s third-place team has the top seeds in the other two relays – 4:04.9 in the 1,600 and 9:24.4 in the 3,200 – and one of the state’s best distance runners in senior Kayla Windemuller. She’s seeded first in the 1,600 (4:54.6), third in the 3,200 (11:07.3) and sixth in the 800 (2:18.2).
Zeeland East: The Chix should have one of the day’s biggest stars in any division – senior Suenomi Norinh has the top seeds in both the high jump (5-5) and long jump (18-0¼) and won the former the last two seasons, and also is seeded second in the 100 hurdles (14.99) and third (tied) in the 300 (46.08). The throws also will be big; junior Aliyah Boeve is the top seed in discus (138-6) and fifth in shot put (38-8¾), and junior Taylor Waterway is the fourth seed in the discus (128-3).
Grand Rapids South Christian’s Mariel Bruxvoort: The reigning champion in both hurdles races will try for two more titles in her final high school meet, seeded fourth in the 100 hurdles (15.08), first in the 300 (44.44) by a second and also fifth in the 200 (26.07).
Lansing Catholic’s Olivia Theis: The Cougars’ senior has risen to national prominence this year for her cross country times, and she also won the 1,600 and 3,200 in LPD3 a year ago; she’s seeded second in the 1,600 this weekend (5:04.6) to Windemuller, second in the 3,200 (10:58.6) to sophomore sister Jaden and fourth (tied) in the 800 (2:17.6).
Bridgeport’s Payten Williams: After finishing fourth in the 100 and 200 a year ago, Williams is set to move up as a junior seeded first in the 100 (12.27) and tied for first in the 200 (25.80).
LP Division 3 at Comstock Park
Top Regional scores: 1. Ida 194, 2. Pewamo-Westphalia 186, 3. Saugatuck 149.
Adrian Madison went from runner-up in 2016 to champion last spring, and Pewamo-Westphalia has won two titles and finished runner-up once over the last five seasons. Ida is in the mix after competing in LPD2 last year, and Hillsdale, Shepherd and Onsted are other hopefuls in what could be a wide-open meet.
Adrian Madison: The Trojans still have their share of standouts after winning last season by 15½ points. Junior Kaiya Wall is seeded third (tied) in high jump (5-2) and fourth in the 100 hurdles (15.69), and won the latter in 2016. Senior Kiarah Horn is third-seeded in pole vault (10-6), and freshman Carly Anschuetz also is among those seeded in high jump at 5-2. The team’s 1,600 relay (4:08.9) is seeded second and was the champion a year ago.
Onsted: The Wildcats should make a big jump from 10th a year ago, based solely on their possible relay successes. The 400 relay (51.18) is seeded third, the 800 relay (1:47.7) is seeded second and the 1,600 relay (407.6) is seeded first. Senior Harlie Sweet is seeded first as well in long jump (17-9½), and sophomore McKenna Russell is seeded second in 300 hurdles (47.41).
Pewamo-Westphalia: The Pirates tied for fifth last season and have potential scorers all over the lineup, led by the top-seeded 800 relay (1:47.3). Senior Grace Trierweiler is seeded fourth in pole vault (10-4) and junior Amelia Thelen is tied for fifth (10-0), and sophomore thrower Katie Lehman is seeded fourth in discus (115-9) and could make a run at a top-eight placing in shot put as well.
Shepherd’s Amber Gall: The champion in the 800 last season as a sophomore, she’s seeded first in that race (2:16.9) and fourth in the 1,600 (5:10.7).
Grass Lake’s Ella Suliman: She will look to repeat in the long jump as a senior and is seeded second in that event (17-4¾), third in the 200 (26.27) and fifth in the 400 (59.96).
Clinton’s Amanda Schaare: The reigning discus champion enters her final high school meet as the top seed in that event (144-6) by nearly 25 feet; she’s also seeded second in shot put (40-7).
Parchment’s Shiyon Taylor: She won the 100 and 200 last season as a junior and will run those races one more time, seeded first in the 100 (12.58) and fourth in the 200 (26.52).
LP Division 4 at Hudsonville
Top Regional scores: 1. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest 185, 2. Deckerville 175, 3. Lutheran Westland 174.
Fowler is a regular at the top with recent championships in 2011, 2012 and 2016 and runner-up finishes in 2015 and last spring. Pittsford could be a strong challenger as it goes for its first title after finishing fourth last season. After that, it’s a tougher call with lots of individual standouts that could carry teams in the standings. Hillsdale Academy is an intriguing possibility to contend.
Fowler: The Eagles are all over this meet again, starting with top-seeded relays in the 400 (50.90), 1,600 (4:13.43) and 3,200 (10:14.12) and second-seeded 800 relay (1:49.29). Junior Alyssa Vandegriff is the top seed at high jump (5-3) after taking first a year ago, and senior Ciara Weber is the top seed at pole vault (10-0); both run hurdles as well, Vandegriff seeded second in the 100 and third in the 300. Junior Morgan Goerge brings another high seed, third in the 800 (2:24.66).
Hillsdale Academy: The Colts have a handful of individual qualifiers, most notably junior Katie Vanhavel seeded fourth in long jump (16-7½). But the key will be the fourth-seeded 800 relay (1:51.23) and second-seeded 1,600 (4:17.26) and 3,200 (10:14.61) relays.
Pittsford: The Wildcats may have enough to topple Fowler with a combination of high seeds individually and in relays. Starting with the latter, Pittsford is seeded first in the 800 relay (1:47:57), second in the 400 (52.11) and fourth in the 3,200 (10:24.11). Junior Alison Toner is seeded fourth in the 100 hurdles (16.14) and second in the 300 (46.77). Sophomore Rachael Patterson leads three contenders in the pole vault, seeded second (9-9).
Southfield Christian’s Chika Amene: As a junior, she played the biggest part in Southfield Christian’s team title with wins in the 100, 200 and 400; she’s seeded first in the 100 (12.56), fifth in the 200 (26.68) and second in the 400 (59.67).
Ubly’s Haili Gusa: The reigning champion in the 800 is seeded fourth (2:26.80) in that race.
Addison’s Ally McLouth: The long jump champion last year as a freshman is seeded first (17-1) in that event and fourth in the 300 hurdles (47.63).
Concord’s Samantha Saenz: The senior is the reigning champion in the 1,600 and seeded first in that race (5:10.37), the 800 (222.28) and second in the 3,200 (11:36.29).
UP Division 1 at Kingsford
Top Regional scores: 1. Negaunee 71, 2. Marquette 57½, 3. Sault Ste. Marie 57.
Marquette has won seven straight U.P. Division 1 championships, last year’s by 27 points ahead of runner-up Negaunee. Negaunee won its Regional two weeks ago, but Marquette was at a different site – where it barely fended off Sault Ste. Marie.
Marquette: Junior Ahnika Puskala is the reigning champion in the 100 hurdles and is seeded fifth in that race (17.75). The Redettes have the top seeds in two more events but a host of other competitors who should keep the team running for another title.
Negaunee: Senior Clara Johnson won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 and ran on the winning 3,200 relay last season. That 3,200 relay is seeded first (10:26.21), while she’s seeded second in the 800 (2:26.43) and 1,600 (5:30.03) both times to sophomore teammate Emily Paupore (2:22.43 and 5:18.69, respectively). Johnson is seeded third in the 3,200 (12:11.44), where Paupore is again seeded first (11:29.76).
Houghton’s Kendra Monette: She’s the reigning champion in the 100 and seeded first (13.29) in her final meet, while also seeded first in shot put (37-1½) and fourth in the 200 (28.6).
Kingsford’s Olivia Allen: The reigning champion the 200 and 400 is now a junior and seeded second in the 100 (13.52), first in the 200 (27.77) and second in the 400 (1:01.79).
UP Division 2 at Kingsford
Top Regional scores: 1. St. Ignace 98, Iron Mountain 74, Ishpeming 49½.
St. Ignace broke Ishpeming’s two-year hold on Division 2 last season with its sixth championship over the last eight years. Iron Mountain is competing for its first team title since 2004. Together have the top seeds in all but two events.
St. Ignace: Reigning individual champions Linnie Gustafson and Libby Becker are back for the Saints. Gustafson, a senior, is seeded first in high jump (4-9), while the junior Becker is seeded first in the 800 (2:22.45), 1,600 (5:13.86) and 3,200 (12:38.13). St. Ignace has six other top seeds.
Iron Mountain: The Mountaineers were seventh in UPD1 last season. They have the top seeds in five events, with two standouts earning two apiece: senior Taylor Talerico in the 100 dash (13.35) and 300 hurdles (50.09) and senior Olivia Berutti in the 100 hurdles (17.12) and 200 (27.82).
UP Division 3 at Kingsford
Top Regional scores: 1. Lake Linden-Hubbell 94, 2. Brimley 61½, 3. Felch North Dickinson 54.
Coming off its first MHSAA championship in this sport since 1994, Lake Linden-Hubbell is undefeated this season and dominated its Regional. Additionally, nine athletes who won a combined 11 individual titles last year also will be back Saturday.
Lake Linden-Hubbell: The Lakes are loaded, led by three-time individual and two-time relay champion Laura Lyons. She’s seeded second in the long jump (15-3¾), fifth in the 100 (13.9), fifth in the 200 (28.69) and second in the 400 (1:04.48) after winning long jump and the 200 in 2017. Jamie Hendrickson is the reigning champion in the high jump and seeded first (5-0), Sienna Anderson the reigning champion in the 100 hurdles and seeded first in that race (17.78), and Mariah Willmer is the reigning champion in the 800 and also seeded first for her repeat attempt (2:32.99).
Engadine’s Ashtyn Buss: The shot put champion the last two seasons is seeded first in that event (36-6) and third in discus (96-5) as a senior.
Pickford’s Clare Cottle: Last season’s pole vault champion is among eight who vaulted 7-0 or better at their Regionals; she was a winner at hers.
Cedarville’s Mackenzie Barr: She won the discus last spring and is seeded sixth in that event (88-0) and ninth in shot put (29-9).
Bark River-Harris’ Hailee Demers: The reigning champion in the 100 dash and 300 hurdles will run both hurdles races this time as a junior, seeded sixth in that 100 (18.56) and first in the 300 (51.58).
Chassell’s Lela Rautiola: She won the 3,200 last season as a sophomore but Saturday will run the 400 and potentially on the top-seeded 3,200 relay.
PHOTO: Negaunee's Clara Johnson, right, here running during her Regional, was a three-time Finals champion in 2017 and will compete again Saturday. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)
Northern Hopefuls Chase Dream Finishes
June 2, 2017
By Dennis Chase
Special for Second Half
TRAVERSE CITY – Can Gaylord’s Casey Korte, despite missing three weeks in May with shin splints, defend her MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 title in the long jump?
Can Benzie Central’s ironman, Brayden Huddleston, medal and earn all-state honors in four Division 3 distance races?
Can Harbor Springs sophomore Jeremy Kloss – the top seed in the 1,600 and 3,200, along with his teammates in the 3,200 relay – pull off a trifecta in Division 4?
Can the Traverse City West 400-meter relay team win the school’s first boys MHSAA Finals title in a running event?
In northern Michigan, those four storylines will be among the most compelling Saturday at the MHSAA track & field championships.
Casey Korte
The 17-year-old multi-sport athlete has been battling nagging leg injuries the last two seasons, but still won the long jump last June with a leap of 18-0¼.
Shin splints forced Korte to take three weeks off last month. She returned for the Regional and kicked off the rust by winning the long jump (17-01.25) and helping the 800-meter relay team qualify for the MHSAA Finals.
“It’s good,” she said of her health.
Her distance in the long jump was third best among state Regional performers.
“Usually my goal every meet is to be in the mid-17s,” she said. “Nobody was close to it (17-1¼) at the Regional so I was good with it.”
Korte had an interesting warmup Tuesday at Gaylord’s Meet of Champions. She won the 100, high jump and was on the victorious 800-meter relay, but took second in the long jump at 15-5½.
“Usually I don’t do the long jump last,” she said. “I do it second. But the way the meet was set up I did it after all my other events, and after it had rained and gotten cold and windy. My legs wouldn’t let me take off and jump.”
Korte does not expect similar problems Saturday.
“My goal is to double as a state champion,” she said. “Last year, during long jump, all the factors came together. I was feeling good, the high jump was going well, the wind was perfect. Everything went well. I’m hoping it happens again.”
Korte finished fourth in the high jump at last year’s Finals, but did not qualify in that event this year.
Nonetheless, it’s been a banner senior year for Korte. She was the team Most Valuable Player and an all-region pick in volleyball, then followed it up with a first-team all-state campaign in basketball, averaging 19.8 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game. Korte signed to attend and play basketball at Cornerstone University.
But her focus now is on the track. And what would it mean to her if she could repeat in the long jump?
“It would show that my hard work paid off,” she said. “A state championship isn’t just handed to you. You have to work hard for it. It would be awesome to know I did that. It’s still surreal that I was the state champion last year. There are times I still can’t believe it.”
Brayden Huddleston
Huddleston is preparing for an event-filled day at the Division 3 Finals. The senior is seeded second in the 800, seventh in the 1,600 and eighth in the 3,200. He also runs a leg on Benzie’s 3,200-meter relay, which is seeded third.
His goal? Medal in all four.
His goal? A podium finish in all four events.
“It’s pretty rare (to run four distance races at the Finals), especially if you’re a kid that has a shot to potentially win,” Benzie Central coach Asa Kelly said. “We talked. I said, ‘You’ve got to be a little crazy to do this.’ He said, ‘I want to.’
“He’s one of those exceptional kids that when he does something, he does it really well. He’s a 4.0 student, a salutatorian. I said, ‘You could be one of those rare kids that could be all-state in four distance races.’ That doesn’t happen too often. He’s committed 100 percent to this. It’s going to take a lot of careful planning (Saturday), as far as warming up, cooling down, diet, fluids. I think he’s going to do great.”
Huddleston, who will run at Bradley University, said he’s ready.
“They say it’s crazy to do (four distance races) at state finals, but I like that challenge,” he said. “I’m ready to put forth my best effort and see what I can do.’
Huddleston said he’s most concerned about the quick turnaround between the 800 and 3,200.
“I’m most nervous about that,” he said. “I think there’s only one heat in the girls two-mile at state finals so the turnaround will be quick. But I think I’m in good shape. This is the most fit I’ve ever felt.”
Huddleston won the Ryan Shay 1,600 meters in a season-best 4:19.84 at Tuesday’s Traverse City Record-Eagle Honor Roll meet. That time ranks second to St. Louis’ Evan Goodell’s 4:18.18 in LP Division 3 this year.
“I was shooting to see how close I could get to the school record of 4:14.7 by Jake Flynn,” Huddleston said. “I fell a little short, but I was running by myself, and running into a wind for half the lap. You take those things away and it puts me right in the ballpark. I was happy with my effort. It’s good to be rolling into the state finals.”
Huddleston smiles when he talks about a second seed in the 800.
“I’ve always looked at myself as a distance runner,” he said. “The two mile has been my best event. But this year I ran a couple open 800s, and I fell in love with it. It’s a strategic race.”
The 3,200 will be his last race of the day.
“He knows going in there will be guys who will be fresh,” Kelly said. “What a badge of honor if he could go out there and say, ‘This is my fourth event and I’m going to try and be all-state and beat some guys who haven’t run at all today.’”
Jeremy Kloss
Kloss will toe the line in three Division 4 distance races. His Regional times of 4:26.71 in the 1,600 and 9:49.52 in the 3,200 were best in the division. The Rams also had the top 3,200 relay time of 8:20.69.
Kloss, who was second in the LP Division 4 Cross Country Final, said he’s peaking at the right time.
“With the state meet coming up, it was time to kick it into gear, get motivated, get serious,” he said.
Kloss, who is coached by his father Mike, said he would like to achieve some goals he set at the beginning of the season – to run in the high 9:30s in the 3,200 and low 4:20s in the 1,600.
“I think I can,” he said.
Jeremy is the youngest of four brothers to run for the Rams. His mother, Emily, coaches the girls team.
“I was born in early October and wasn’t even a month old when I went to my first state finals cross country meet,” he said.
His brother Jake ran on the school’s LP Division 4 cross country championship teams in 2002 and 2003.
Jeremy Kloss was sixth in the 1,600 and 3,200 as a freshman. He said the 1,600 is his favorite event because it combines the speed of the 800 with the endurance of the 3,200.
“It’s the perfect medium,” he said.
And has he received any advice from his older brothers – Jake, Ben and Scott – who will all be in attendance Saturday?
“No, other than ‘Why aren’t you running faster?’” he said with a laugh.
Kloss would like the last laugh tomorrow.
“I’m very excited for it,” he said.
TC West 400-meter relay
In Division 1, Traverse City West enters the 400-meter relay seeded second to Rockford (42.57) with a time of 42.63 seconds.
“First is obviously a goal,” senior Dalton Michael said. “It’s there, but we’ll see.”
Twins Donovan and Dalton Michael lead off the relay, followed by Lukas Sawusch and Erik LaBonte. Dalton Michael was the state’s Mr. Soccer in the fall.
“We’re all multi-sport athletes,” LaBonte said. “We’ve been working together the whole (spring). We’re getting better.”
The Titans placed seventh in the relay a year ago, but Donovan Michael is the only returnee. Dalton missed his junior season of track with a dislocated knee. LaBonte was bothered by a hip injury.
But that’s in the past.
“We’re coming into (Saturday) knowing we’re a good team,” Donovan Michael said. “If we have a good day, we could do really well.”
Coach Tom Brown said the Titans will need a school record-breaking performance to be in the hunt. The 42.63 in the Regional tied the school mark.
“I think we’ll have to run in the 41s,” Brown said. “That’s something Rockford did (41.6 at the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association state team meet last weekend).”
Detroit Cass Tech, led by three Big Ten football recruits, won the 400 relay last June in 42.26.
“I think we can go faster,” Sawusch said. “Our handoffs haven’t been great, so we need to work on that this week.”
Focusing on the exchange zone has been a point of emphasis in practice.
“The 4X1 is all about handoffs,” Brown said.
The Titans believe they have the speed.
“We’ve had 22 kids in school history run sub-11.3 – 18 different kids in the last seven years,” assistant coach Jason Morrow said. “The kids have worked hard at it.”
LaBonte, who also plays football, is the lone underclassmen in the group. Sawusch is headed to Spring Arbor to run track. The Michaels will play soccer at Western Michigan University. Dalton, who earned All-American honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association, became the second Titan to win Mr. Soccer, after Casey Townsend earned the honor in 2006 and 2007. Dalton had 29 goals and eight assists this past fall for West. Donovan added 20 goals and 20 assists.
What would it be like to add a Division 1 championship medal in track to his Mr. Soccer award?
“It would be a dream come true,” Dalton Michael said. “It would be one to remember.”
Dennis Chase worked 32 years as a sportswriter at the Traverse City Record-Eagle, including as sports editor from 2000-14. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Harbor Springs’ Jeremy Kloss carries the baton during a relay this season. (Middle top) Gaylord’s Casey Korte lands a long jump. (Middle below) Benzie Central’s Braydon Huddleston. (Below) Traverse City West’s 400 relay, from left: Dalton Michael, Lukas Sawusch, Erik LaBonte, Donovan Michael. (Top photo courtesy of the Kloss family, middle top photo courtesy of the Gaylord Herald Times.)