Onekama
clinches share of WMD championship
By DYLAN SAVELA, News Advocate Sports
Writer
Published: Thursday, April 29, 2010
ONEKAMA — The West Michigan D League’s
jamboree events carry a fair share of weight.
Win two of the season’s three, and half the league championship is
yours.
Onekama, both boys and girls, did just that Wednesday at home,
topping the field for the second straight league gathering.
The Portager boys led the way with 215 total points, ahead of Big
Rapids Crossroads Charter Academy (120), Mason County Eastern (54),
Brethren (50), Walkerville (30), Baldwin (23) and Pentwater (15).
"The kids ran well again," said coach Mickey Story. "I'm very
impressed with how the kids have done even with this year's smaller
numbers."The other half of the
league title is determined by the championship at season’s end. Last
year, the Portagers were crowned outright champs, a feat they hope
to retain.
The comfort in clinching a share also allows for focus on regional
times.
“This gives us some latitude now at the next jamboree to shift some
kids around, let them try different events while trying to improve
times and distances before the regional,” Story said. “If we can do
that, that’s a plus in itself.
“We can hopefully try to kill two birds with one stone, while we try
to get some kids in the regional and maybe win the (third) jamboree
too, even if it costs us a few points.”
The boys were paced by eight first-place finishes Wednesday,
including the 3,200- and 800-meter relay teams as well as individual
victories by Tyler Fogarty in the pole vault, Matt Monroe in the
long jump, Raul Torres in the shot put, Chase Calloway in the discus
and Patrick Spalding in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles.
Onekama
girls track were triumphant again yesterday
afternoon, winning their second WMD Jamboree on the
home track with 161 points, followed by Brethren
with 111 points. ~Coach Brown
Taking first places were:
-
Taylor Hagen in the Pole Vault
-
Nikki Slater in the long jump with a career best
jump of 14’4 ¾ “
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Yumi Babinec in the 100 meter high hurdles
-
Tobi Schoedel in the 800 meter run
-
3200 meter relay…Kailani Buckner, Danielle Ward,
Taylor Anderson, Liz Schoedel
-
800 meter relay…Taylor Hagen, Miranda Hengy,
Breezy Fink, Kailani Buckner
-
400 meter relay…Danielle Ward, Yumi Babinec,
Miranda Hengy, Breezy Fink
-
1600 meter relay…Yumi Babinec, Ashley Rupert,
Taylor Anderson, Tobi Schoedel
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Onekama’s Yumi Babinec
(left) and Brethren’s Becca Priest (right) leap neck and neck over a
hurdle Wednesday as the Portagers hosted the season’s second West
Michigan D League jamboree. (Dylan Savela/News Advocate)
In clinching their half of the league
title, the Portager girls led the field with 161 points, ahead of
Brethren (111) MCE (69), CCA (48), Walkerville (32) Pentwater (26) and
Baldwin (18).
Onekama posted eight top spots including all four relay teams and Taylor
Hagen in the pole vault, Nicole Slater in the long jump, Yumi Babinec in
the 100-meter hurdles and Tobi Shoedel in the 800-meter run.
By improving their score from the last jamboree, the Bobcat girls
accomplished what they had their sights set on Wednesday and finished
second once again.
“We did well. We scored more points than we did in the last jamboree,
which was what we were trying to do,” said girls coach Rob Isble. “I was
real happy about that. We changed some things around a bit and had some
strong performances.
“We looked at the first jamboree and talked to the girls about doing
some events that might not be their favorite. But, if we want to try and
improve our score, that’s what we’ve got to do, and they were good about
it.”
Brethren’s Becca Priest won the 300-meter hurdles in the time of 52.44
while the Bobcats tallied six second-place finishes and five thirds.
The Bobcat boys finished in fourth for the second straight jamboree,
while also recording a slew of personal bests.
“The meet went really well for the guys,” said boys coach Travis Walker.
“Everybody is improving steadily, but I saw some really big jumps today,
which was good to see.
“We stepped up and really did well today with the numbers that we had.
We made the most of everything. Times were better all across the board.”
Brethren’s lone second-place finish was in the 3,200-meter relay, which
consisted of Anthony Bence, Justin Marlow, Zach Fairbanks and Kody
Karash.
Nathan Hobart finished the day with three personal records in the 1,600,
3,200, and the 400.
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