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Speed carries Petoskey through BNC track finals, regional race just ahead

drew kochanny, the petoskey news-review
·3 min read

CADILLAC — If it feels like the Petoskey track and field season has gone by in a blur, it’s because it has.

Speed has been the theme of the season for Petoskey and as the season comes closer to a close, that’s certainly continuing on both sides of the program.

On Friday, Petoskey and the rest of the teams within the Big North Conference took to Cadillac for the annual BNC championships and the speedy runners that have set records and shown off throughout the 2024 season showed off again.

Northmen runners claimed first in three of the four individual sprint events (100 and 200), along with second in another, then followed the same suit in the sprint relays (4x100 and 4x200) between the boys and girls sides.

Petoskey's Emma Mitas (front) and Madeline Loe (back) each had some individual success and helped PHS earn wins within the relay events as well at the BNC finals in Cadillac.
Petoskey's Emma Mitas (front) and Madeline Loe (back) each had some individual success and helped PHS earn wins within the relay events as well at the BNC finals in Cadillac.

From a team standpoint, it was going to be hard for Petoskey or anyone to knock off the Traverse City programs, and nobody did, with TC Central claiming the boys win and TC West earning the victory for the girls. Petoskey finished third on both sides.

In boys sprints, Petoskey's Sam Mitas again claimed first in the 100 (11.01) and 200 (22.47) after setting school records in the events a week prior. Petoskey’s CJ Hibbler also earned second in the 100 (11.44).

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Emma Mitas then won the girls’ 100 (12.93) in a new personal record (PR), then Alison Bailey was runner-up in the 200 (27.74).

Hibbler and Mitas, along with Mitch Eberhart and Seth Marek raced the Northmen to a win in the 4x100 relay (44.41) and a win also came on the girls side in the event, run by Nevaeh Leonard, Emma Mitas, Alexandra Petok and Madeline Loe (50.70).

Petoskey's Mitch Eberhart helped the Northmen boys to some strong finishes once again in the relay events, just a week after being part of a school record.
Petoskey's Mitch Eberhart helped the Northmen boys to some strong finishes once again in the relay events, just a week after being part of a school record.

Loe, Leonard, Bailey and Lucy Tarachas also helped bring in a 4x200 victory (1:46.18), while the PHS boys group of Hibbler, Eberhart, Mitas and Beer just missed out on first in a runner-up finish (1:32.46).

Sarah Bailey placed first in the 300 hurdles (47.96), then Petok set a new PR in the 100 hurdles in third (17.06).

In distance, CamBrie Corey led with a season best in the 800 in fifth (2:32.71), then Dylan Odenbach and reeve Oberman each set PRs in the 1,600 in seventh (4:43.12) and eighth (4:43.95), respectively.

Outside of the Petoskey sprint teams, field events have carried the Northmen as well this season, notably the throwers.

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A pair of firsts came on the boys side, highlighted by a personal best from Brody Shaw in the shot put (50-feet, 4-inches). Korbin Sulitis was then first in the discus by a wide margin as well (154-8). Shaw then placed fifth in the discus (127-9), followed by teammate Sam Seymour in a PR (124-11). Sulitis was also fifth in the shot (42-2.5) in a new PR.

Petoskey’s Leah Sulitis also set a new PR in the girls discus in fifth (97-9).

Also notable within the field events, Braylin Adair stood alone in third the high jump (4-10), Sarah Bailey was third in the pole vault (9-6), Marlee Grieves placed fifth in the long jump (15-0.5) in a new PR and Evan Massey also set a fifth place PR in the long jump (19-8.25).

The fast moving season continues on for Petoskey this week with a trip to the Titan Last Chance Meet Monday and then the much anticipated Division 2 regional race at Shepherd on Saturday, May 18.

Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Petoskey track and field teams compete in Big North Conference finals