Onekama takes 3 top-8 finishes in state championships

Manistee News Advocate
Published Sunday, June 6, 2010

JENISON — Onekama’s Tyler Fogarty, Jaylee Brown and the girls 400-meter relay team of Brown, Yumi Babinec, Danielle Ward and Breanna Fink all earned medals during Saturday’s Division 4 track and field state championships in Jenison.

Fogarty set a personal best and new Onekama sophomore record in the pole vault with a leap of 12-8 while Brown, a sophomore, took her second consecutive fourth-place finish in the women’s pole vault with a vault of 10-0.

The girls also took points and a medal with an eighth-place finish in the 400-meter relay in the time of 53.00.

“It was a good day,” said Onekama boys coach Mickey Story. “And it’s been a super year. We’re very happy we took this many to state, and I really enjoyed working with the kids. It was a good way to end the season.”

Running, but not placing for the boys were Patrick Spalding, who finished just outside the top eight in the 300-meter hurdles in the time of 42.7, Matt Monroe had a 19-3 leap in the long jump, and the 3,200-meter relay team of Tyler Groenwald, Ryan Pienta, Rease Heiler and Chuck Schoedel set team-best time of 8:30.5

Also for the girls, junior Taylor Hagen finished with 8-3 in the pole vault.

“It was a fun day, and that’s what it’s all about,” said Portagers coach Bonnie Brown. “I’m sad to see the season end. This is probably one of my favorite seasons. The team was just awesome. They all got along, supported each other, and all worked extremely hard.”