Airport's Matt Foor set Region record with throw of 177-1 in discus
CHELSEA – Matt Foor always considered himself to be more of a shot-putter than a discus guy.
But something changed over the past year or so.
Now, he is the best discus thrower in Monroe County Region history.
The Airport senior uncorked a throw of 177-1 to win the Division 2 regional at Chelsea Friday and break the Region record of 176-3 set by Todd Lezon of Bedford in 1982.
“Honestly, I am kind of speechless right now,” Foor said. “I didn’t really expect that much.”
Foor also won the shot-put at 52-0, but the talk of the track was his discus heave.
“When it came off my hand everything felt great,” he said. “I knew it right away.”
Airport coach Frank Stasa was recording results for the discus Friday, so he got a good look at the record throw.
“The discus is a beautiful thing,” he said. “It flies. He had a perfect flat throw and it just hit that wind and went. It was a thing of beauty.”
Foor set a school record of 53-8 in the shot-put a few weeks ago, but has made great strides in his other event this season.
“Up until this year, I was always more of a shot-putter,” he said. “That changed this year. It was just staying consistent and not giving up. My dad did a lot of research on it and tried to help me get better.”
His father, Dan Foor, won a state championship in the shot-put for Saginaw Eisenhower in 1983 with was at the time a state record throw of 60-3.
Matt Foor is committed to play football for Eastern Michigan in the fall.
“I am going to talk to the coach about possibly doing both (sports),” he said.
Airport’s Courtney Bovair had a big day for Airport’s girls in the distance races. She won the 800 (2:21.47) and 1,600 (4:59.81) and placed second to Jenna Pilachowski of Jefferson (11:07.95) in the 3,200.
Milan’s boys won both the 400 and 800-meter relays. Nolan Matley, Noah Bussell, Gavin Tomecek and Virgile Gruwez-Guinet went :42.89 in the 400. Adam Johnson replaced Tomecek on the 800 team that was clocked at 1:29.58.
Michael Armetta of Jefferson won the high hurdles (:14.74) and the long jump (21-4) and teammate Ben Merkel ruled the high jump (6-4).
New Boston Huron’s Lucas Kuhn was the champ in the 1,600 meters (4:20.83).
Other Region winners in the girls meet were Keola Botts (123-4 in discus) of Flat Rock, Layla Tahmouch (37-7 in shot-put) and Jefferson’s 3,200 relay of Alyssa Masserant, Riley Peer, Kim Miller and Pilachowski (10:01.23).
Jefferson’s girls scored 99 points to finish second to Chelsea (128.5) in the girls team standings. Airport was fourth with 48, Flat Rock fifth with 46, Milan seventh with 40.83, New Boston Huron 10th with 23 and Dundee 14th with 18.
“The girls overachieved,” Jefferson coach Phil Speare said. “It though we might get third.”
Milan’s boys tied for fourth place with 60.5. Jefferson (57) was seventh, New Boston Huron (46.5) eighth, Airport (42.5) ninth, Flat Rock (27) 10th and Dundee (19.5) 13th.
Other boys qualifying for the state either as a runner-up or hitting additional qualifying standards were Callum Bell of Airport (800), Airport’s 1,600 relay of Adrian Dawes, David Jankowski and Tyler Furman and Bell, Merkel (long jump), Gruwez Guinet (100, 200), Johnson (200, 400), Bussell (200), Orion Galloway of Jefferson (800), Jacob Stanislawski of Flat Rock (3,200), Dylan Hoskins of Huron (both hurdles) and Armetta (low hurdles).
Making state for girls were Carli Smith of Jefferson (discus), Reagan Higdon of Flat Rock (100, 200), Katie Powell of Jefferson (long jump), Tahmouch (discus), Marissa Beck of Milan (shot-put), Milan’s 1,600 relay of Madison Lancaster, Amerie Wilson, Angelina Wilson and Malea Wourman, Milan’s 800 relay of Lancaster, Angelina Wilson, Beck and Wourman, Milan’s 400 relay of Julia Lorch, Angelina Wilson, Lancaster and Wourman, Avery Turk of New Boston Huron (low hurdles) and Masserant (400).
TRACK AND FIELD
Simmons doubles up
WILLIS – Monroe’s Teegan Simmons won the shot-put (51-10.25) and discus (171-1) in the Division 1 regional at Ypsilanti Lincoln Friday.
He also qualified for state in the low hurdles and the 1,600 relay with Deshun Richardson, Andrew Foshag and Chris Stein.
Foshag was the runner-up in the 1,600.
Bedford’s Jack Durivage qualified for state in the 800 and helped the 1,600 and 3,200 relays qualify. Also running on the relays were Owen Przybylski, Maddi Duke, Alex Mapes, Cameron Varner, and Nicholas Balla.
Mason Shultz made it in the shot-put and Sawyer Ullery in
Gault takes high jump
HILLSDALE – Teddy Gault of Summerfield won the high jump with a leap of 5-11 in the Division 4 regional at Hillsdale Academy.
He also took second in the long jump and qualified for state in the high hurdles and teammate Austin Taylor was the runner-up in the pole vault.
Grace Raymond (800) and Makenzie Wolfe (1,600), Cameron Taylor (low hurdles) and the 800 relay of Taylor, Raymond, Bethany Suydam and Emma Jacob and the 1,600 relay of Taylor, Mia Miller, Wolfe and Raymond made state for Summerfield’s girls.
Raymond broke her own school record in the 800.
PREP SOFTBALL
Nelson reaches 1,000
CANTON – Whiteford’s Unity Nelson needed seven strikeouts to reach 1,000 for her career Friday and wound up with 16 as the Bobcats tied South Lyon 2-2 in the Michigan Challenge Tournament.
“She is a hard worker, great teammate, fierce competitor, and wonderful person,” Whiteford coach Matt VanBrandt said. “We are so proud of her and this outstanding achievement.”
Dundee bounced back
DUNDEE – Dundee bounced back from a frustrating 7-5 loss in nine innings in the first game to dominate the second in a 9-0 win over Brooklyn Columbia Central Friday.
Laureen Doane pitched a 2 hit shutout in the second game and Kaylee Imo threw well in the first for the 19-8 Vikings.
PREP BASEBALL
Engelbert scores winner
FLAT ROCK – Reagan Engelbert scored the winning run from second base on a heads-up baserunning play in the eighth inning to give Flat Rock a 7-6 win over Dearborn Heights Annapolis Friday night.
Evan Szalay logged two hits and scored three times for the Rams and Ty Bergeron pitched well.
Ida logs 15 hits
PETERSBURG – Gavin Albring and Jaxon Millican logged three each to pace a 15-hit attack for Ida (17-8) in the opening game of an 8-1, 7-1 sweep of Summerfield Friday.
Jacob Towne, Josh Johnson and Evan O’Dell added two hits apiece to support the pitching of Jaxon Millican. Owen Snyder, Jak Kocinski and O’Dell pitched well in the second game and Kocinski and O’Dell both scored twice.
Hayden Noland had two hits for Summerfield.
PREP GOLF
Flat Rock 7-1 in league
YPSILANTI – Flat Rock pushed its Huron League record to 7-1 heading into Tuesday’s League Meet at Sandy Creek by edging Milan 172-173 Friday. The Rams (9-5 overall) were led by Evan Little and Mitchell Smith with 41. Milan’s Max Jenness
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Local Sports: Airport's Foor sets Region record; Nelson hits 1,000
