Preview: Watch These Stars Shine Again
June 3, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
With so many athletes competing at each of the five sites of Saturday's MHSAA Track & Field Finals, it's easy to lose track of who is competing where until they reach the starting blocks.
But fans will want to be sure to focus on a number of familiar standouts who could dominate girls meets this weekend.
Read on for some of the teams and individuals to watch at Saturday's girls meets. Click for meet information including all qualifiers and come back Saturday night for results as they come in, and check out MHSAA.TV for live streaming of running events from both peninsulas, available with subscription.
LP Division 1 at Hudsonville Baldwin Middle School
Top Regional scores: Grosse Pointe South 195½, East Kentwood 176, Ann Arbor Pioneer 164½.
East Kentwood: The Falcons have never won an MHSAA title in girls track & field, but did finish second last season to Oak Park. East Kentwood could trim the margin significantly if not eliminate it this time. Senior Sekayi Bracey is the reigning champion in the long jump, 100 and 200 and total has won eight individual titles over her first three seasons; she’s seeded third in long jump (17-9¾) second in the 100 (12.0) and sixth in the 200 (24.84) plus runs on the third-seeded 400 relay (48.47). She’ll have help especially in the field events from sophomore Corrinne Jemison, who is third in discus (133-6) and also will toss shot put, and junior Gabriela Leon is second-seeded in pole vault (12-6).
Oak Park: The two-time reigning champion will say good-bye to one of Michigan’s top talents of this decade with senior Anna Jefferson running her last high school races and looking to add to two individual and four relay championships. She’s seeded second in the 100 hurdles (14.10) and 400 (55.15). Junior Tamea McKelvy is seeded first in the 100 and 200 dashes (11.89 and 23.97), and another outstanding senior, Brianna Holloway, is third in the 100 hurdles (14.37) and first in the 300 (43.84) after winning the latter last season. The 400 relay (47.15) also is seeded first, and sophomore Dorriann Coleman is seeded third in the 800 (2:15.53).
Ann Arbor Pioneer: The Pioneers have the kind of star power necessary to win this meet, led by sophomore Britten Bowen. She’s seeded first in the 100 hurdles (14.02) and second in the 300 (44.56) and runs on the second-seeded 400 relay (47.87) and top-seeded 800 relay (1:39.99). Another sophomore, Anne Forsyth, is seeded first in the 1,600 (4:56.30) and second in the 3,200 (10:43.94), and junior teammate Alice Hill is seeded first in the 800 (2:10.45); both also run on the top-seeded 3,200 relay (9:03.86). Senior Torisa Johnson has top-four seeds in the 100 and 200 and also will be key.
Grosse Pointe South’s Kayli Johnson: After taking fifth in shot put as a junior, she enters as the fourth seed in that event (39-9) but top seed in the discus (136-8) and also runs on the 400 relay.
Farmington’s Maddy Trevisan: She took fifth in the 3,200 last season as a junior and has the top seed (10:38.62) by more than five seconds this time, as well as the sixth seed in the 1,600 (5:01.82).
LP Division 2 at Zeeland
Top Regional scores: Dearborn Divine Child 182½, Ada Forest Hills Eastern 146½, Detroit Country Day 124½.
Flint Powers Catholic: Only 36 points won this meet a year ago, which makes someone like reigning shot put champion Nikole Sargent even more valuable; she’s seeded first in the shot put (47-7¼) and discus (137-4). Senior Tyra Hunter could score as the sixth seed in the 100 hurdles (15.3), as could junior Lyndsey Braman coming in as the fourth seed in the 800 (2:19.52) and junior Julia Vanitvelt running the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 and being seeded seventh in the 1,600 (5:14.41). She and Braman run on a 3,200 relay seeded third (9:32.77).
Lansing Waverly: The Warriors tied for ninth last season and would get a huge boost by justifying their top seeds in the 400 (49.38) and 800 (1:45.31) relays. Sophomore Tra’chele Roberts runs on both and also is seeded third in the 100 (12.44) and 14th in the 200 (26.42). Junior Teaghan Thomas runs on both relays as well and is tied for sixth in high jump (5-2). Sophomore Malin Smith also could contribute big points in field events, entering seeded third in shot put (43-1½) and seventh in discus (121-3).
Detroit Country Day: The Yellowjackets are seeking their first title since sharing in 2012. Junior Michaiah Thomas is the reigning champ in the 100 hurdles and seeded first in that race (14.42), second in the 300 (45.23), seventh in the 100 dash (12.68) and fourth in the 200 (25.80). She alone could put Country Day into contention.
Battle Creek Harper Creek’s Charley Andrews: The reigning high jump champ is seeded first in that event (5-8) and also will run on the 3,200 relay after helping it to an eighth-place finish a year ago as a sophomore.
Carleton Airport’s Zoe Eby: She took first in the 200 and third in the 400 in 2015 as a sophomore, and this season is seeded first in the 200 (25.02), second in the 100 (12.25) and also will long jump.
Saginaw Swan Valley’s Lauren Huebner: After winning the 300 hurdles as a junior, Huebner is seeded fourth in that race (45.65) and third in the 100 hurdles (15.0) and also will run on the fifth-seeded 800 and sixth-seeded 1,600 relays.
Spring Lake’s Gabriella LeRoux: She won pole vault as a sophomore and is seeded first by four inches at 12-3; she’ll also run the 100 and on the 400 relay.
Ada Forest Hills Eastern’s Camron Nelson: The reigning 100 champion is seeded 11th in that race (12.76) and 15th in the 200, and also will run on the second-seeded 400 relay (49.78).
Grand Rapids South Christian’s Abbie Porter: She’s the fourth seed as a senior in the 400 (58.32) after winning the race last season and also runs on the top-seeded 1,600 relay (4:01.46).
LP Division 3 at Comstock Park
Top Regional scores: Hopkins 154, Pewamo-Westphalia 153, Ithaca 150.
Ithaca: The Yellowjackets have never won an MHSAA title in this sport but were fourth last season and on relays alone should be in the mix. The 400 relay is seeded third (51.26), the 800 fourth (1:48.31), the 1,600 also fourth (4:10.32) and the 3,200 relay second (9:34.12). Senior Erica Sheahan is perhaps most valuable among individual contributors; she’s the top seed in long jump (17-11¾) after winning last season, ninth in the 100 and second in the 200 (25.99). Junior Emily Foster comes in sixth-seeded in the 300 hurdles, and junior Courtney Allen enters third in the 800 (2:19.14) and also will run the 1,600.
Pewamo-Westphalia: The reigning champion Pirates are seeking their third title in four seasons and finished runner-up the off year. The talent is spread across a number of events; all four relays qualified for Saturday, with the 400 relay top-seeded (50.83), the 800 relay seeded seventh and the 3,200 relay seeded fourth. Senior Emma Schafer is seeded first in the 100 hurdles (15.53) and fourth in the 300 (47.11), and junior Emma Wirth has top-11 seeds in the 200 and 400 after taking fourth in the 100, second in the 400 and third in the 200 in 2015. Schafer also should help on the field event side, entering with the second-seeded shot put (38-1), while sophomore Claudia Heckman is seeded ninth in long jump.
Traverse City St. Francis: While the Gladiators don’t have a qualifier in field events, they do have senior Holly Bullough, a two-time runner-up last season who is seeded first in the 800 (2:17.36) and 1,600 (4:56.61) and also runs on the top-seeded 1,600 (4:06.43) and 3,200 (9:31.18) relays. Junior Emmalyne Tarsa also could provide a boost; she’s seeded eighth in the 100 hurdles (16.23) and fourth in the 400 (1:00.03).
Manistee’s Emma Burns: The reigning high jump champion went 5-3 to win last season and is among a large group that cleared 5 feet at Regionals.
Byron’s Jessica Marvin: She won discus last season and is third-seeded in that event (123-4) and top-seeded in the shot put (38-5).
Adrian Madison’s Megan Rosales: She’s seeded third in the 300 hurdles (47.07) and runs on the eighth-seeded 800 relay and third-seeded 1,600 relay (4:09.89) after winning the 400 and coming in second in the 300 last season.
Sanford Meridian’s Hailey Stockford: The reigning champion in the 100 and 200 will look to cap her career with a couple repeats entering second-seeded in the 100 (12.54) and tops in the 200 (25.83).
LP Division 4 at Grand Rapids Houseman Stadium
Top Regional scores: Saugatuck 242, Fowler 187½, Deckerville 152½.
Saugatuck: The Indians finished 14th a year ago and have never won an MHSAA title in this sport, but have a chance to make history with strong relays leading the way. All four qualified, with the 1,600 seeded third, the 400 and 3,200 fifth and the 800 relay seeded sixth. Sophomore Paisley Sipes could add points seeded second in the 3,200 (11:42.34), sixth in the 1,600 (5:21.93) and tied for 11th in the pole vault. A strong group of freshmen including Thea Johnson (800) and Lily Francis (300 hurdles) also could factor in.
Fowler: Last season’s runner-up would love to add a third title in six seasons and first since 2012. Their relays are ranked even higher than Saugatuck’s as a group, with the 800 (1:48.75) seeded first, the 1,600 second, 400 third and 3,200 seeded fourth. Seniors Julie Thelen (800) and Madison Koenigsknecht (400) in races and freshman Alyssa Vandegriff (high jump) and sophomore Ciera Weber (pole vault) in field events are among a large group of others who could contribute.
Reading: The Rangers were fourth last season and return with all four relays and competitors in nine individual events. The 800 relay is seeded third and the 3,200 second (9:51.73), and senior Teddi Zimmerman has top-six seeds in both hurdles races among a number of individuals on the cusp of scoring territory based on their Regional performances.
Lawrence’s Mara Carter: The reigning shot put champion enters seeded second in that event (40-9) and fourth in the discus (115-0).
Pittsford’s Maddie Clark: She won discus last season and is seeded second in that event (126-4) this time.
Waterford Our Lady’s Tessa Fornari: She’ll be looking for a repeat in the 1,600 and 3,200 while seeded seventh (5:22.31) and third (11:48.73), respectively, in those races.
Custer Mason County Eastern’s Jordan Goodman: Last year’s winner in the 100 finished sixth or higher in four events and this time will compete in the long jump (16-4), where she’s seeded third and came in sixth in 2015.
Petersburg-Summerfield’s Ashley Herrmann: The reigning high jump champion is seeded first in that event (5-4) as a senior but also third in the 100 hurdles (16.19) and fourth in the 300 hurdles (48.07).
Concord’s Lindsey Lehman: One of the fastest sprinters last season winning the 200 and coming in second in the 100, she’ll try to finish her career with four more titles seeded fourth in the 100 (12.45), first in the 200 (26.57) and running on the seventh-seeded 400 and sixth-seeded 1,600 relays.
Mesick’s Sierra King: She nearly swept the hurdles in 2015, winning the 100 and finishing second in the 300, and she enters second-seeded in the 100 hurdles (15.49), third in the 300 (48.01) and also will compete in long jump.
UP Division 1 at Kingsford
Top Regional scores: Marquette 85, Houghton 53½, Negaunee 53.
Marquette: The Redettes doubled up the field last season in winning their sixth straight Division 1 championship. This will be the last high school run for stellar seniors Lindsey Rudden and Holly Blowers; Rudden is seeded first in the 1,600 (4:56.80) and 800 (2:14.58), runs on the top-seeded 1,600 (4:12.22) and 3,200 (10:15.88) relays and owns seven individual Finals championships in track. Blowers is seeded second in the 1,600 (5:16.66) and 800 (2:22.34), runs on the same relays and owns three previous individual titles. Junior Amber Huebner won the 3,200 last season and is seeded first in that race (12:00.28), third in the 1,600 and also runs those relays. Junior Hannah Detmers is the reigning 300 hurdles champion and is seeded fourth in that race, but also runs on the 1,600 relay and the second-seeded 800 relay.
Escanaba’s Jenny Brandt: Last season’s discus champion enters with the second-longest throw from the Regionals (99-2).
Escanaba’s Sunny Martineau: She’s seeded second in the 100 hurdles (16.38) and third in the 300 (48.51) after winning the 100 and finishing second in the 300 in 2015.
Houghton’s Kendra Monette: The reigning shot put champion also finished sixth in the 100 last season as a freshman; she’s seeded first in shot put (37-2), fifth in the 100 (13.47) and runs on the top-seeded 800 relay (1:50.78) and second-seeded 400 relay.
Calumet’s Hailey Wickstrom: The high jump champion last year at 4-10 is the top seed as a junior at 5-3¼.
UP Division 2 at Kingsford
Top Regional scores: Ishpeming 78, Hancock 73, St. Ignace 58½.
Ishpeming: The Hematites will go for a repeat with three top-seeded relays, strong field events and a title winner leading the way. Junior Khora Swanson is the reigning champion in the 800 and runner-up in the 1,600, and she’s seeded first in the 1,600 (5:54.26) and 800 (2:28.85), fourth in the 3,200 and runs on the top-seeded 3,200 relay (10:54.66). The 800 (1:56.01) and 400 (54.71) relays are both also seeded first, as are senior Libbie Doney in the pole vault (9-0) and junior Marissa Maino in the shot put (35-10). Maino won shot put and discus last season and is second-seeded in the discus this time.
Hancock: The Bulldogs own one MHSAA title in this sport, from 1983, but could move up from fifth a year ago. Distance running and hurdles are definitely the team’s strengths; senior Mary Jarvis is seeded first in the 100 hurdles (16.52) and 300 hurdles (48.45) and third in the 100 dash, and senior Julie Heinonen is seeded second in the 100 hurdles (17.29) and runs on two relays. Jarvis won both hurdles races last season.
St. Ignace's Linnie Gustafson: She won high jump last season in Division 3 at 5-1 and is top-seeded in the event at 5-2 while also running two relays.
Ironwood’s Rachel Hudaceck: The reigning high jump champ in this division at 5-0 is seeded second at 4-9 and also will run on two relays.
Iron River West Iron County’s Emmy Kinner: As a sophomore Kinner won the 100, 200 and 400; as a junior, she seeded first in all three races (13.27/27.22/1:02.30) and tied for second in long jump as well (15-6½).
UP Division 3 at Kingsford
Top Regional scores: Munising 78, Lake Linden-Hubbell 65, Stephenson 57.
Munising: The Mustangs are seeking their first championship since 2009 after finishing fifth but only 19 points back a year ago. They have competitors in 13 events and two top seeds: Madeleine Peramaki is seeded first in the 800 (2:28.31) while also doing long jump and running on the 1,600 relay, and junior Michaela Peramaki is seeded first in the pole vault (8-6, tied) while also running the 100 and on the 400 relay.
Newberry: The reigning champion returns its one-two punch from last season’s Final, where Taylor Bryant won the 100 and was fourth in the 300 hurdles, and Natalie Beaulieu won the 800 and 1,600. Bryant is seeded first in the 100 hurdles (17.14) and 300 hurdles (49.34) and also will run the 100 and on the second-seeded 400 relay. Beaulieu has top-five seeds in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 and will run on the 3,200 relay.
Ontonagon’s Paige Blake: The reigning long jump and 400 champion placed in four events total last season, and she’s seeded first in the 400 (1:03.04), third in the 200 (28.64), second in the long jump (14-9) and also will run the 100.
Cedarville’s Emma Bohn: She’s the top seed in the 1,600 (5:25.24), second in the 3,200 (12:18.84) and also will run the 800 and on the top-seeded 3,200 relay (10:44.74) after winning the 3,200 last season.
Brimley’s Alyssa Hyvarinen: She won discus and shot put in leading Brimley to a runner-up finish in 2015, and this time she’s top-seeded in the discus (103-10) and second in the shot put (35-3).
PHOTO: Ishpeming's Khora Swanson is among many standouts returning to MHSAA Finals on Saturday. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)
Madison Loaded for Another Title Pursuit
By
Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half
April 13, 2017
By Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half
ADRIAN – Depth is a big thing at Adrian Madison and for its successful girls track & field team.
The Trojans return nearly all of its top performers from last year's runner-up finish in the Lower Peninsula Division 3 meet – when they finished just 3.5 points behind champion Ithaca.
They boast a deep coaching staff that features five event coaches in addition to head coach Josh Powers and strength and conditioning coach Bill Wilharms.
And Adrian Madison is deep in versatility. Many of the track athletes competed on successful teams in cross country, basketball, volleyball and cheerleading – and some of them are doing the dual-sport thing this spring by playing softball as well.
Unlike some coaches at various schools around the state, Powers embraces the dual-sport status of his student-athletes.
“We've had dual-sports here as long as we've had sports here,” Powers said. “It's all about the kids. It happens at many, many schools, and you have to have a little patience and flexibility within the coaches, but it's whatever is best for the kids.
“If the kids can handle it and get their grades, if they are good enough of an athlete, they should be allowed to do both.”
Instead of looking at it like he is sharing his athletes with other coaches, Powers sees the benefits of dual-sport athletes.
“The speed that we are working on should transfer over to a softball player,” he said. “They're running the bases, and we're helping them get faster. And they are learning things over there that should benefit us, like how to keep cool and how to be prepared and focused as you're waiting on a pitch. That should transfer over, too.”
Whatever the reason, it has worked. Madison has won 10 consecutive conference championships in girls track, and last year its depth showed with MHSAA Finals championships in two relay events. The Trojans bagged a third event title with freshman Kaiya Wall in the 100 hurdles.
With all of those champions back except one member of a relay team, there is plenty of optimism at Madison this spring.
“We have some areas to improve on, but we have great depth from the 100, 200, 400 and up to 800 with good field events, and they are quality kids, too,” Powers said. “But our division gets a whole lot tougher this year with the addition of New Lothrop and Saugatuck. I think they were third and fourth in Division 4 last year, and basically they have everybody back this year, so it's going to be a whole lot tougher.”
Leadership and laurels
Every season, Powers has meetings with his captains, who are selected by the athletes on the team. And there is a list of values that are expected of the team captains.
“We have 10 values on a wall, and we go through that with the whole team,” Powers said. “It is what we're looking for and what the captain should be. It's not just who's the coolest or the prettiest. We discuss that with the kids, and we have expectations of the culture and the values that we want to express to people.”
This season, seniors Corie Marion, Soneida Rodriguez, Megan Rosales and Delaney Stersic were elected captains.
“We talk to the captains and go through leadership roles,” Powers said. “We talk with them about it all the time; how to lead by example and how to bring others alongside instead of barking out orders and to be a line of communication between the team and the coaches. We go over that stuff all the time.
“Our captains are great kids, both athletically and academically.”
Stersic said the transition has been pretty smooth.
“We encourage the team and have little pep talks,” she said. “It's really fun because I remember when I was a freshmen and looked up to the captains, so I think they are looking up to us and thinking they can be a captain one day. It's nice.”
Rosales, Stersic and Sierra Hernandez ran on both MHSAA championship relays last spring: the 800 and 1,600, and that trio ran on the 1,600 relay team that won the Division 3 title in 2015. Benedetta Vianello, an exchange student last school year, also ran on the 800, and she is the only champion from last season that is not back. Chelsea Short also ran on the winning 1,600 relay team.
Rosales also was second in the 300 hurdles last year for the second year in a row, and she won the 400 Finals title as a sophomore in 2015.
“Two years ago, she did back-to-back 400 and 300 hurdles,” Powers said. “Last year, she had a little injury and only ran three events in the state meet. She's back to full strength now, and we're hoping she can make that double again.”
Rosales is one of the many track athletes who compete in other sports.
“I do cross country and basketball,” she said. “Cross country helps me a lot to get in shape and build up my endurance for track. It really helps for the 400 and the 800.”
The other reigning Finals champion for Madison is Wall, who won the 100 hurdles and finished second in the 300 hurdles in 2016.
“She didn't run the high hurdles in middle school, so it was a whole learning experience for her to learn how to three-step and how to do the process of learning the high hurdles,' Powers said. “She picked it up pretty quickly, and she had a great time for a freshman at the state meet.
“It was a great race. She was about fourth or fifth about halfway through the race and came on at the end and had a perfect race.”
Wall said it was sheer will power that pushed her to the Finals win.
“I was just thinking in my head that this was the event that I could win, so I just had to do it,” she said. “It was pretty incredible. It was so overwhelming because at the beginning of the race I was behind. When I crossed the finish line I thought I was second, but they announced that I won, so that was pretty cool.”
Wall also finished second in the high jump.
“She is very consistent in the high jump,” Powers said. “She's not one who is up and down.”
The string of success is always a good thing at a school, but Powers pointed out that it does come with a certain downside.
“I don't think success always breeds success,” he said. “Sometimes it scares some kids away. They think they're not as good as the No. 1 – “I'll never be as good as that person, so I'll never help the team” – is how they think.
“In reality, when we go to the team state or the league meet, we need the top three, and we need that depth. There are kids in the high school that used to run but don't run anymore. It's too tough. They can't handle not being No. 1. That hurts us a little bit.”
Wall is a perfect example. She ended up winning that Finals titles as a freshman, yet she said she felt a little intimidated joining such a successful team.
“I didn't know I was going to be as successful as I was,” she said. “I was a little intimidated because Megan was all-state every year and Delaney was so good. There was a lot of pressure, but when I started doing good, it just came naturally.
“It's so nice that we're all connected. We're kind of a small school, so we always see each other in the hallways and we know everyone, so it's like a family.”
Carousel of coaches
There is no shortage of instruction at Madison. While it isn't the only school to have as many event coaches, it is not an ordinary situation for most Division 3 schools, either.
“It's a huge benefit,” Powers said of the deep coaching staff, “and it is something that not a lot of schools do. Some of our coaches are part-time guys and we split some salaries, but it's a huge benefit.
“It means I can plan and scheme and work with my sprinters, and I don't have to be running around trying to take care of everybody else. We have every area covered.”
The event coaches are Sherri Gamble (high jump and hurdles), Jim Sterling (distance), Larry VanValkenburg (pole vault) and Al Zubke (throws), and Keith Covey (assistant throws). Powers works with the sprinters.
“Most of those coaches have been with us for 10 years or more, and this is my 18th year and 20th overall as I had two years as an assistant,” Powers added.
The athletes seem to love it.
“Coach Gamble did high jump in high school and might have done hurdles, and it's nice to get a second opinion,” Wall said. “Coach P is awesome, and he knows so much, but it's nice to have her for a second coach.”
Stersic said some of the biggest advantages of having so many coaches come during the meets.
“Coach P is always so busy during meets running things, and he doesn't always have time to talk to us, so we have other coaches we can go to when we have questions,” Stersic said. “They pretty much tell us what Coach P would tell us, so that's nice.”
With a bevy of talent and a deep stable of coaches, Madison is primed to make another run at that elusive MHSAA Finals championship.
“It fueled our fire,” Stersic said of last season’s close miss. “We're working hard this year, and we definitely want to win the title.
“I remember the feeling when they said we got second. I knew we were good, but I thought we could have done better, so it definitely helped us to make us work harder.”
Powers is confident in his team, but he certainly isn't making predictions.
“We don't put the cart before the horse,” he said. “We don't think about the state meet because we can't control it. There might be a girl that comes out and high jumps 6 feet, and there are girls that we don't know about. There are freshmen who are elite talents, and there are other divisions.
“We don't worry about that. We are going to control what we can control and work hard and take one day at a time.”
But there is one thing he will boast without hesitation, and that is the type of character shown by his student-athletes. He also coaches the boys team, and he mixes the two together.
“Our girls are a separate team, and the boys are a separate team, but we're one team,” he said. “There are a lot of schools that separate the boys and girls and they never interact, and coaches coach different. We don't do that here. We're one team, but we're separate teams.”
Powers also said those separate teams can feed off each other.
“When you have two good teams, it works out really well,” he said. “But when you have one good team and one that is struggling, they will typically follow in the leadership values of the successful team.
“This is a great academic school. We've had team academic all-state the past two years for the boys and girls. They are great kids who are hard-working, and they respect the game. They respect the sport of track and field, and they try to represent not just our school but our conference and our county. They understand the big picture.”
Chip Mundy served as sports editor at the Brooklyn Exponent and Albion Recorder from 1980-86, and then as a reporter and later copy editor at the Jackson Citizen-Patriot from 1986-2011. He also co-authored Michigan Sports Trivia. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Kaiya Wall leads the pack during a hurdles race. (Middle) Megan Rosales, during a cross country race in the fall. (Photos courtesy of the Adrian Daily Telegram.)