Onekama’s Randy Pienta took second place in the
pole vault to help the boys to a win in a West Michigan D League
jamboree at Mason County Eastern on Wednesday. (Dylan Savela/News
Advocate)
CUSTER — The Portagers ran in packs Wednesday, which was
evident in the 3,200-meter run.
Jordan Anderson, John Girven, and John Schoedel went
1-2-3 at the finish line, and
were followed by Faith Moerdyk and Keena Gilbert, who swept the top two
spots for the girls.
The race optimized Onekama’s strength in numbers on the
track this season. And in turn, the Portagers swept their second West
Michigan D League jamboree in boys and girls action.
“We tried to mix things up a little bit,” said Onekama
boys coach Tony
Shrum. “And they did everything they needed to do.”
The Portager boys scored 177 points while the girls
compiled 204 en route to clinching at least a share of the league title.
Each can win it outright by winning next Wednesday’s
championship meet at Onekama.
Brethren took a pair of second-place finishes Wednesday,
as the girls (69) held steady from the league opener while the boys
(104) leapfrogged Crossroads Charter Academy. Manistee Catholic Central
placed fourth in girls (44) action and sixth in boys (38).
The Portager boys were paced by six first-place finishes,
all on the track, of the 17 total events.
Girven led the way with a pair of individual victories,
in the 800- and 1,600-meter runs in 2:14 and 5:03, respectively.
Onekama’s Michael Belinsky took first in the 300-meter hurdles in 46.84
and Jordan Anderson led his pack in the 3,200 in 11:43.
Onekama mixed up its relay teams from the last league
meeting, and won the 800 and 1,600.
“We ran a couple relay teams against each other, tried to
do a match race just to make it more competitive,” Shrum explained, “and
for them, get a better workout out of it.”
Brethren’s Emily Krause runs to a first-place finish
in the 300-meter hurdles. (Dylan Savela/News Advocate)
The Onekama girls also mixed and matched from the last
time, and even increased their point total.
“We switched a few things around,” said coach Nathan
Bradford. “Today I told the girls if they wanted to try some different
things, they can try, and it looks like it worked out well.”
The Portagers won 13 events, including a clean sweep of
the four relays.
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Individually, Moerdyk led the way with wins in the high
jump (4-foot-7), 800 (2:42), and 3,200 (14:26); Nisha Collins won the
long jump (15-10 1/2); Kendra Curtice the pole vault (6-0); Alyson Fink
the 100 (12.89); Gilbert the 1,600 (5:58); Taylor Anderson the 400 (no
time available); and Alycia Peterson the 200 (27.37).
“Looks like we had more PRs,” Bradford said, “which of
course is the main thing.”
The Brethren boys benefited from an influx of numbers,
and had enough to place second instead of last week’s third-place
finish.
“With the boys, some of the kids that joined today are
from baseball, so of course that helps when you have more there to
participate,” said Brethren coach Jason
Kemler. “It makes a big difference.”
The Bobcats were paced by a pair of field victories in
Brad Maier’s second league win in the long jump, and James Connolly’s
triumph in the high jump. Maier won with a leap of 19-1 1/3 while
Connolly topped the field with the mark of 5-7.
Brethren’s 1,600-meter relay team placed second while
other runners-up consisted of Lucas Richardson in the 300 hurdles
(48.09), John Grochowski in the discus (107-5), and Josh Riggs tying
with teammate August Sivec in the high jump (5-4).
The Brethren girls were again paced by Emily Krause who
swept the hurdle events and took second in the high jump (4-6). She
finished the 100 hurdles in 16.96 and the 300 in 49.52.
“She’s decreased her time quite a bit each time,” Kemler
said. “That’s always good to see.”
Brethren placed second in the 800- and 1,600-meter relays
while Mia Sacksteder was runner-up in the 200 dash in 27.46.
In just the second meet of a season in which it restarted
a track program, Manistee Catholic Central swept the shot put events
with Alysha Heck’s victory for the girls (31-4 1/2) and Jason Kaminski’s
win for the boys (42-11 1/2).
“We had a really good day today,” said Sabers athletic
director and assistant coach Lindsay Hallead. “The big thing is we
continue to make improvements, and they’re running better every single
week.”
MCC’s 400-meter relay teams each took second, which was a
highlight for Hallead as well.
“Our 4X100, both boys and girls, did fantastic,” she said
of Kaminski, Justin Feliczak, Chris Buswinka, and Alex Carter in boys
action and Heck, Ashlyn Jansma, Mia Hogan and Jodi Janowiak for the
girls. “That’s a great day for them — a team best for both.”
Janowiak also took second in the 100 (13.32) while Carter
was runner-up in the 400 (55.96).
Manistee Catholic Central’s Ashlyn Jansma (right)
hands the baton to Haley Doyle in the 800-meter relay during
Wednesday’s West Michigan D League jamboree. (Dylan Savela/News
Advocate)
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