BY DAN STICKRADT
CORRESPONDENT
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
EAST KENTWOOD — Okemos’ fourth-place finish at the Division 1 state finals was aided by the legs of Vail Hartman.
while teammate Napoleon Outlaw placed in three events, Hartman, a senior, finished second in the open 400 meters (47.88) in a race where three runners dipped under 48 seconds and 12 runners were under 50-flat.
Hartman also joined Outlaw, Spencer Alexander and Davis Williams for a third-place finish in the 800-meter really (1:27.45).
Okemos rang up 33 points overall.
DEBUT LEAP
Grand Ledge freshman Kevin Autrey was one of the surprise finishers at the D-1 finals, as he placed third in the long jump (22-4), one of the better freshman leaps in some years.
Senior teammate Christian Hubaker placed fifth in the 1,600 meters (4:13.89), as Grand Ledge finished in a six-way tie for 17th place with 10 points.
NESBITT FAREWELL
Bay City Western senior Brendan Nesbitt wrapped up his encore state finals with a pair of medals.
Individually, Nesbitt placed fifth in the 800 meters (1:55.26), while he teamed up with seniors Matt Billette, Collin Krygier and Evan Vorwerck for a fourth-place finish in the 3,200-meter relay (7:50.61).
Bay City Western tied for 23rd in the team standings with nine points.
Elsewhere, Grand Blanc, a team regional champion, collected just one point, as the Bobcats 3,200-meter relay unit of Jeronn Body, Spencer Atkinson, Austin Ripped and Jacob Popyk finished eighth (7:52.58).
Mt. Pleasant senior Sloan Felton ran fourth in the 300-meter hurdles (38.90). Howell senior David Mittner was fourth in the 3,200 meters (9:09.96).