JoBurg's individual champs, multiple area state qualifiers headline regional track efforts

INDIAN RIVER ― An up-and-down prep track and field season is entering the most critical stretch for Michigan high school teams.

A month and a half of cold, damp days at the track has been followed by a recent string of warm weather, allowing teams to get into full gear as they approached the regional championships on Friday, May 19.

The MHAA 31-4 Regional Meet at Inland Lakes High School in Indian River was ultimately a successful day for both Johannesburg-Lewiston and Gaylord St. Mary's athletes as the two schools combined to qualify 15 different athletes to the Division 4 state meet in Hudsonville in 13 different events, while also crowning six regional champions.

JoBurg athletes headlined the day with their performances, claiming five individual championships while 13 Cardinal athletes booked their trips to the state meet in Hudsonville in June. Athletes either had to finish in the top-two of their event or meet a minimum requirement to ultimately qualify for the D4 Lower Peninsula state finals.

It has been a career year for junior Blake Fox and that success continued on Friday as he won both the 800-meter run and 1600-meter run, with his 1600-meter time of four minutes, 29 seconds breaking his own school record previously set at the team's hosted JL Invite on Tuesday, May 9.

The boys had two more event champions, with junior Malaki Gascho winning the 3200-meter run with a time of 10:11.57 and fellow senior Mitchell Hall winning the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 42.59 seconds. Sophomore Jeremiah Witt was the runner-up in the 3200-meter, finishing with a personal-best time of 10:19.08

Meanwhile, one Lady Cardinal also claimed a regional title while multiple finished as runner-ups in their respective events. Sophomore distance runner Allie Nowak avenged her runner-up finish in the 1600-meter run from a season ago at the regional meet, clocking in her personal best time with a 5:17.17 for a first-place finish.

Junior Madalyn Agren also clocked a personal best in the 1600-meter (5:30.47) to qualify for states in that event while finishing as the runner-up in the 3200-meter (12:07.38).

Rosalinda Gascho claimed the runner-up in both hurdles events, finishing with a season-best time of 17.14 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles while clocking a time of 49.86 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles.

Malaki Gascho (4:34.39) and Jacob Wartenberg (4:35.38) both qualified in the 1600-meter run with personal-best times, while Natalie Zochowski's efforts in the 200-meter (28.07) and 400-meter (1:04.29) rounded out JL's individual state qualifiers.

The Cardinals also had two relay teams qualify for the state meet, with Adelaida Gascho, Carlee Campbell, Yolanda Gascho and Natalie Zochowski placing second in the 4x200-meter relay (1:52.46) and Rosalinda Gascho, Adelaida Gascho, Campbell and Zochowski also placing second in the 4x400-meter relay (4:24.13).

Gaylord St. Mary's will also send two athletes to the state meet, with junior Rylan Matelski highlighting the Snowbirds' day with a first-place finish in the long jump with a personal-best mark of 19 feet, 10.75 inches.

Junior distance runner Miriam Murrell also qualified in two separate events, setting a new school record in the 1600-meter run (5:29.11) while also meeting the minimum time requirement in the 3200-meter run (12:13.38).

Murrell owns the St. Mary's school record in both events, previously setting the 3200-meter time at East Jordan on May 11 (11:51.89).

Both teams will be back in action before the state finals, with the Ski Valley Conference Meet in Bellaire, Mich. on Wednesday, May 24 up next.

Gaylord sends four athletes to states

SHEPHERD ― The athletes at the MHSAA Region 11-2 meet in Shepherd, Mich. on Friday, May 19 had to fight through the elements, working through early rain showers and humid conditions deep into the evening to compete in this year's D2 regional finals.

Athletes made it work, however, and Gaylord athletes made the most of the day with their efforts, with four different state qualifiers and two individual regional champs highlighting the Blue Devils' efforts.

Freshman Katie Berkshire highlighted the day with first-place finishes in the 1600-meter and 3200-meter runs, clocking in a personal best time of 5:14.81 in the 1600 and 11:16.48 in the 3200-meter. That effort in the mile was the 15th-best time among D2 runners in Michigan this season, setting her up for a competitive race come June 3.

The Blue Devils had two state qualifiers in the field events, with senior Gage Looker placing second in the shot put with a throw of 50 feet, 8.5 inches and senior Lily Palmer placing third in the long jump with a personal-best mark of 16 feet, four inches.

Ana Fortier was the final Blue Devils state qualifier, one of four girls to qualify in the 100-meter run with a time of 12.97 seconds, her personal record.

Gaylord hosts the Northern Michigan Meet of Champions on Tuesday, May 30 before the MHSAA Lower Peninsula D2 Finals in Ada, Mich. on Saturday, June 3.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Johannesburg-Lewiston's individual champs, multiple Gaylord area state qualifiers headline regional track efforts