Portagers Sweep May 2 Jamboree

Posted by Matt Wenzel, Manistee News Advocate
May 2, 2012

CUSTER — There was no rain, no hail, no bone-chilling wind gusts or lightning-related delays.

For the first time this season, a West Michigan D League jamboree took place with Mother Nature trying to score points under pleasant conditions with sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s on Wednesday at Mason County Eastern.

One constant remained, however, as the Onekama girls won again for their third in as many tries this season. And, their male counterparts joined them with their first jamboree win of the season as the Portagers completed a sweep.

The Onekama girls won 13 of the 17 events and tallied 192 points.

“The girls don’t give up,” said Onekama coach Bonnie Brown. “They just keep giving 110 percent.”

Brethren finished second with 143 points, while Crossroads Charter Academy was third with 59 in the seven-school meet. A scoring error in the shot put altered the final results to boost the Cougars from fourth to third.

Twelve different Onekama girls recorded first-place finishes and the Portagers won all four relays.

Jaylee Brown led the Portagers with four first places as she won the pole vault (9-feet-10), 100 hurdles (17.34), 800-meter run (2:37.9) and was part of the winning 1,600 relay team. Taylor Anderson, Meredith Hengy, Breanna Fink, Faith Moerdyk and Alycia Peterson were all part of two first-place relay teams. Moerdyk also won the high jump (4-4), Hengy took first in the 100 (13.14) and Peterson in the 200 (27.37).

Nisha Collins had a pair of wins, including the long jump in which she leaped 16-8 to miss out on the school record by a single inch. Kelly Babcock won the 3,200 (14:49) while Keena Gilbert took first in the 1,600 (6:24).

After finishing second behind Crossroads in each of the first two jamborees, the Onekama boys leaped in front for the win on Wednesday with 179 points. Crossroads was second (135) and Brethren third (122).

“We weren’t even coming in with the intention of winning the meet,” said Onekama boys coach Anthony Torres. “I had people spread out, I had different guys on my relays — more of like a B team in the relays.”

The Portagers had nine different athletes take first over seven events.

“I had more people spread out in open events and it kind of worked out,” Torres said. “I know Crossroads’ coach had his kids in some different stuff too. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it, but the kids ran great. They’ve been working hard.”

Drew Slevin was in on the 1,600 relay and also won the 110 hurdles (17.28) while John Girven took first in the 3,200 (11:10).

Fogarty didn’t seem too concerned by the condensed schedule.

“We’ve been practicing pretty hard, so I think we can pull it off,” he said. “The team is pretty tough this year.”

Emily Krause led the Brethren girls by taking first in the 300 hurdles (54.37). She was also second in the high jump (4-4) and 100 hurdles (18.12).

“I’m missing some girls again today,” said Brethren girls coach Melissa Baker, who was also coaching the boys since coach Travis Walker is out following the recent birth of his child. “We’ve had some illnesses and pulled muscles and I think today, especially with the heat, the kids haven’t been drinking water like they’re supposed to, which kicked us in the butt.”

The Brethren boys won a trio of events as John Cullar took first in the 400 (55.68), John Grocholski won the discus (113-0) and Lucas Richardson took first in the 300 hurdles (48.40).

“I know a lot of the boys had PRs today,” Baker said. “I was talking to them on the bus and they were all pretty excited about some of their times. I’m happy to see they came through as a team.”