Dan Stickradt
Sports Scene
BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Finally, the stars aligned just right for Waterford Mott.
On May 15, the Corsairs put on a display of speed and endurance to round up 88 points and win their first Division 1 boys’ track and field regional title in school history.
Waterford Kettering had its best-ever regional finish with 75 points for the runner-up slot, just ahead of Holly’s 74 and defending champion Lake Orion’s 73 points. West Bloomfield finished fifth with 63.5 points.
“It finally aligned right, at least for us at this regional,” smiled veteran Mott coach Ryan Robinson. “It’s kind of strange. But if you watched the whole meet, you would have thought that Mott wasn’t doing all that much during the first half of the meet. We only scored three points in the field events, and we scratched out of the [3,200-meter] relay and we had the top seed. We took a gamble there to let them do well in some open races. But we sure scored a lot of points the second half of the meet. Our distance kids did really well.”
Meanwhile, favored Clarkston ran roughshod over the field in the girls’ meet with 109.5 points, well ahead of defending champion Bloomfield Hills’ 74 points. Waterford Mott (68), Lake Orion (56.6), Utica Eisenhower (53.5), and Rochester (50.5) followed in the 14-school field.
The Wolves, who won their first regional title since 2007 and eighth overall, racked up points in all directions to dominate. “We had some changes this year. Track is no longer an individual sport at Clarkston. It’s all about team,” said hurdler Taylor Mullins. “We all came today to run our best and try to win.”
Clarkston won the 400-meter relay (50.18 seconds) and the 800-meter relay (1:44.08), and Mullins broke the tape in the 300-meter hurdles in 44.85 seconds to lead the Wolves. Nicole Hanson added a second in the 1,600-meter run and a fourth in 3,200-meter run to aid the Wolves’ cause. Clarkston took third in the 1,600-meter relay, and Megan Nicholson topped the field in the high jump (5’3″).
“It was a great team effort. I wouldn’t say that there were any surprises, but we had some kids step up with some great efforts,” said first-year Clarkston coach Kevin Breen. “I thought Taylor Mullins did a great job in the hurdles and relays, and Nicole Hanson grueled it out by qualifying in the mile and two-mile. Our relays did really well. We qualified in three relays and scored in all four. And we also had the winner in the high jump. We did what we came to do and qualify as many girls as possible.”
Stoney Creek’s Linnea Tebulius won the 200-meter dash in 25.9 seconds and the 400-meter dash in 57.17 seconds, as the transplant from Sweden continued to shine in her first season this side of the big pond. “The 400 is a really tough race. At least I won,” she sighed.
Romeo’s Emma Wilson fought off Clarkston’s Lynsie Graham to win the 3,200-meter run in 10:44.79.
Mott freshman Katie Osika clocked an impressive 2:12.59 to win the 800-meter run, and she ran legs on the winning 3,200- (9:35.03) and 1,600-meter relays (3:59.77), where four schools qualified for state.
Holly’s Emily Alvarado won the discus (117’8″). Lake Orion’s Sarah Simpson had the top effort in the pole vault (9’6″) , while her teammate Colleen Campbell finished second (9’0″).
Bloomfield Hills’ Amanda Sape won the shot put (39’8″) . Her teammate Diana Holsey leaped 16’11.5″ to win the long jump and also won the 100-meter hurdles in 14.81 seconds. Dazha Coffey was second in the event (15.42) for the Blackhawks.
Eisenhower’s Samantha Allmacher won the 1,600 (5:06.78), and the Eagles’ Hailey Bardon broke the tape in the 100 (12.76).
In the boys’ meet, Mott’s Ryan Robinson, Jr. won the 800 (1:58.19) and finished second to Holly’s Nate Frasier (9:24.78) as one of six qualifiers in the 3200-meter run.
“I ran fresh,” said Frasier, who scratched out of the 1,600. “I think that helped. I made my move and I thought that everyone else was right behind me. I kept pushing until the end. Now, I want to have some good races at the league and county next week to get ready for the state meet.”
“Ryan (Robinson, Jr.) rarely runs the 800. It was a rare appearance for him,” said Coach Robinson. “He did it for a speed workout and the fact that we didn’t run the two-mile relay. He had some energy. I think he really wants to do well [at state] in the two mile.”
Mott’s Kyle Miller added a win in the 300 hurdles (40.31) for the Corsairs.
Oxford’s Conor Bandel, the state leader in both throwing events this spring, won the shot put (58’9.5″) and discus (187’1″), while the Wildcats’ Jacob Lewinski added a win in the pole vault (13’0″).
Romeo’s Brad Tanner edged Clarkston’s Merrick Canada in the long jump and Romeo’s Jacob Domagalski pushed the pace in the 1,600 (4:15.86) to lead a group of five qualifiers.
Kettering’s Jacob Netschke won the high jump (6’3″). Dantoniss Smith captured gold in the 100 (11.08 seconds) and anchored the winning 400 relay (43.37) for the Captains.
Lake Orion’s Sheldon Drake broke the tape in the 200 (22.44), just ahead of Kettering’s Dantoniss.
Rochester Adams capped the meet with surprise victory in the 1,600 relay (3:28.88). Holly won the 3,200 relay (8:01.22), just ahead of Lake Orion (8:02.08).
West Bloomfield’s Navon Mosely added a win in the 400 (50.64). Stoney Creek broke its school record in winning the 800 relay (1:30.13), and Jack Barrow qualified for state with a runner-up finish in the 110-meter hurdles for the Cougars.