BRETHREN — The procedure has been pretty typical the last several seasons: the Onekama girls wrap up a West Michigan D League title and take one last 400-meter jog around the oval.
On Wednesday, however, Onekama accepted its trophy and stayed in one place.
Sure, there were celebratory hugs, and plenty of opportunity to pose for photos with the new hardware.
But there was a sense that the Portagers are holding out for a victory lap. Their job isn’t done yet.
“We’re feeling awesome,” senior Jaylee Brown said of the league win. “I think this meet kind of boosts up our confidence for the important ones coming up: regionals and state.
“We really want to be regional champs again,” she added. “It came as a surprise last year, so now that we know we still have the people to do it, that’s what we’re shooting for.”
The reigning regional champion Onekama girls topped the seven-team field in Brethren Wednesday with 216 points to add to three previous league jamboree wins this season to capture a clean sweep of the title. The Brethren girls were next with 127 points to lock up its consistent second-place slot this season.
Big Rapids Crossroads Charter Academy took the crown in boys action with 203 points while Onekama (121) placed second and Brethren (109) third overall.
“Our kids are still very excited,” said Onekama girls coach Bonnie Brown, motioning to her team’s hoist of the trophy. “Even though we’ve been winning (the league jamborees) through the year, this still means a lot to them.”
Onekama’s Breanna Fink won the 100-meter dash (13.49); Kelly Babcock won the 1,600 (6:10.53); Taylor Anderson won the 400 (1:06.01); Moerdyk won the 800 (2:40.75); Meredith Hengy won the 200 (28.68); Keena Gilbert won the 3,200 (13:16.78); Faith Moerdyk won the high jump (4-8); and Nisha Collins won the long jump (15-5 1/2). The Portagers also won the 400-, 1,600 and 3,200-meter relay events.
Brethren had some standout performances on the day as well, and coach Melissa Baker was most impressed with her team’s continued improvement.
“Their times keep improving and even against the Onekama girls that they’ve been behind, they’re getting closer and closer,” she said of the Bobcat girls. “I wish the wind would have been going the other way today to help them out, but overall I felt we did well.”
Brethren’s 800-meter relay team of Emily Krause, Annie MacNeil, Mia Sacksteder and Haley Wade took the lone top spot for the Bobcats in the time of 2:06.54 while Krause took a pair of individual second-place spots in the 100-meter hurdles (18.55) and 300-meter hurdles (53.70).
MacNeil placed second in the high jump (4-4) for Brethren while Emily Modjeski took third in the 400 (1:16.70) and Danielle Johnson placed third in the 800 (3:07.91).
