Union City track sweeps Quincy, Springport in key Big 8 dual

QUINCY, MI. - The Big 8 conference track and field double dual held at Quincy High School Wednesday night had huge conference championship implications, as the Quincy Orioles welcomed Big 8 rivals Union City and Springport to town for an intense night of track and field action.

When the smoke had cleared on a night full of intense action, it was Union City coming away victorious, sweeping both the men’s and women’s varsity duals to take a giant step towards a possible Big 8 crown.

In the women’s varsity double dual, it was Union City taking the win, edging the Quincy Orioles by a score of 72-65 while also taking down Springport by the score of 76-46. Quincy secured the win in the other dual, defeating Springport by the score of 104-31.

It was Union City’s depth that propelled them to victory Wednesday night as the Chargers won 8 of the 17 events while earning key points in 13 of the 17 events with a top three placement.

Union City had two athletes with multiple individual wins, led by sophomore long distance ace Skyler Fraley who took first place in the 1600 meter run in a time of 6 minutes, 16.72 seconds and first place in the 3200 meter run in a season best time of 13 minutes, 16.85 seconds. Fraley also finished in second place in the 800 meter run in a personal best time of 2 minutes, 55.01 seconds.

Junior Adalynn Rumsey also took two individual victories for the Chargers, winning the 200 in a time of 28.56 seconds while also winning the long jump with a jump of 14 feet, 2 inches.

Senior Kyla Burdick also had a big night, winning the 800 in a time of 2 minutes, 54.73 seconds while also earning a runner-up honor in the 400 in a personal best time of 1 minute, 10.44 seconds.

Union City also secured wins in three of the four relay races to put away their double dual meet sweep. Winning for the Chargers was the 3200 relay team of Skyler Fraley, Elizabeth Arlt, Lilly Eyre, and Kyla Burdick, first place in a time of 12 minutes, 28.62 seconds; the 400 relay team of Willow Ausin, Addy Rumsey, Addison Meyer and Mackenzie Hale, first place in a time of 54.53 seconds; and the 800 relay team of Meyer, Rumsey, Austin and Hale in a time of 1 minute, 56.82 seconds.

Rounding out the Union City effort with a top three finish in their respective event was Mackenzie Hale, third place in the 100; Willow Austin, third place in the 400; Elizabeth Arlt, second place in the 1600 and second place in the 3200; Alaina Labar, second place in the 100 hurdles and third place in the 300 hurdles; Gillian Gallup, second place in the high jump; and Hailey Day, third place in the high jump.

The Quincy Lady Orioles took home seven event wins on the evening, including one double event winner and a handful of top three finishes.

Leading the way for the Orioles was senior throwing star Sophia Snellenberger who finished in first place in the shot put with a season best throw of 39 feet, 0.5 inches to go along with a win in the discus (Distances for the discus were not reported on Athletic.net).

Recenty Indiana Tech signee Raigen Horsfall capped off a 1-2 sweep for the Orioles, taking second place in both events, taking runner-up honors in the discus as well as the shot put with throw of 35 feet, 6 inches.

Freshman Brookelyn Parker continued her stellar start to her rookie season, sweeping the hurdle events after winning the 100 hurdles in a time of 17.66 seconds and the 300 hurdles in a time of 53.29 seconds.

Also bringing home wins for the Quincy effort was Elizabeth Craig with a victory in the 400 in a time of 1 minute, 7.49 seconds; the 1600 relay team of Lita Fulton, Raylee Fulton, Craig and Parker, first place in a time of 4 minutes, 56.62 seconds; and Lita Fulton with a win in the pole vault with a vault of 8 feet, 0 inches.

Rounding out the Quincy effort with a top three finishes in their respective event was Anna Richer, second place in the 100 and second place in the 200; Raylee Fulton, third place in the 800; Libby Butchart, third place in the 1600; Lorelai Kugler, third place in the 100 hurdles; the 400 relay team of Brooke McVicker, Anna Richer, Olivia Davenport, and Abby Tinervia, second place; the 800 relay team of Cheynne Marske, Richer, Elizabeth Craig, and McVicker, second place; the 800 relay team-B of Olivia Davenport, Avery Massey, Lillian Gould-Zimmer and Brookelyn Parker, third place; the 1600 relay-B team of Piper Craig, Lorelai Kugler, Gould-Zimmer and Avery Massey, second place; the 3200 relay team of Sadie Miller, Raylee Fulton, Abby Leosh, and Libby Butchart, second place; Coelie Smullen, third place in the high jump; Brooke McVicker, second place in the pole vault; Piper Craig, third place in the pole vault; and Abby Tinervia, third place in the long jump.

In the men’s portion of the varsity double dual, it was Union City taking the key sweep, defeating Quincy by the score of 86-50 while also defeating Springport by the score of 103-28. Quincy took down Springport in the other dual, winning by the score of 106.5-20.5.

Union City rode wins in 12 of the 17 events to victory, including a sweep of all four relay races and a sweep down in the throwing pits.

The Charger effort in the field events was paced by junior Logan Cole who swept the throwing disciplines, winning the shot put with a throw of 46 feet, 0 inches while also winning the discus with a throw of 154 feet, 11 inches.

Union City also earned big points late in the dual with a sweep of the top three spots in the 800-meter run, an effort led by junior Cohen Burdick who took the victory in a time of 2 minutes, 18.55 seconds. Not far behind was teammate Malachi Payne who took second place in the 800 in a personal best time of 2 minutes, 19.88 seconds, just ticks ahead of teammate Ben Gautsche who finished in third place in a time of 2 minutes, 19.91 seconds.

Taking individual wins for Union City was Alex Hull with a win in the 200 meter dash in a time of 23.39 seconds; Hunter Sinke with a victory in the 400 meter run in a time of 54.09 seconds; Ben Gautsche with a win in the 1600 meter run in a personal best time of 4 minutes, 56.00 seconds; Jason Shoop with a dominant victory in the 3200 in a personal best time of 10 minutes, 47.39 seconds; and Nathaniel Maurer with a win in the 300 hurdles in a time of 42.77 seconds.

Union City also swept all four relay events for more big points, beginning with the opening race of the night as the Chargers took a win in the 3200 relay with a team of Jason Shoop, Cohen Burdick, Malachi Payne and Ben Gautsche in a time of 9 minutes, 10.12 seconds.

Also taking wins for Union City was the 400 relay team of Nathaniel Maurer, Caden Hughes, Rick Austin and Alex Hull who won in a time of 45.90 seconds; the 800 relay team of Hull, Hughes, Hunter Sinke and Austin, first place in a time of 1 minute, 34.37 seconds; and the 1600 relay team of Nathaniel Maurer, Gavin Kelly, Dallas Demery and Cohen Burdick, first place in a time of 4 minuets, 23.55 seconds.

Rounding out the Union City scoring with a top three finish in their respective event was Riley Laird, second place in the 100; Caden Hughes, third place in the 100 and second place in the 200; Malachi Payne, second place in the 1600; Logan Cole, third place in the 3200; Dylon MacDonald, third place in the 110 hurdles and third place in the 300 hurdles; Hunter Sinke, third place in the long jump; and Rick Austin, second place in the long jump.

The Quincy Orioles showcased an impressive amount of depth on the night, keeping the dual very close despite the 12 Charger wins with key points in all 17 events.

Quincy had four event wins on the night, led by senior Ethan Hollister who won a pair of events, winning the 100-meter dash in a personal best time of 11.85 seconds while also taking a victory in the long jump with a jump of 19 feet, 7.75 inches.

Also notching wins for the Orioles were sophomore Corey Turner who won the pole vault with a personal best vault of 12 feet, 3 inches while freshman Clayton Benson won the high jump with a jump of 5 feet, 6 inches.

Senior big man Ashtyn Morris also had a big night in the throwing events, taking runner-up finishes in both disciplines. Morris took second place in the shot put with a throw of 44 feet, 4 inches while also taking second place in the discus with a throw of 131 feet, 2.5 seconds.

Helping the Orioles effort with a top three finish in their respective event was Cameron Barry, third place in the 200 and third place in the 400; Rhett Reif, second place in the 400 and third place in the high jump; Nathan Richer, third place in the 1600; Davin George, second place in the 3200; Clayton Benson, second place in the 110 hurdles; the 400 relay team of Corey Turner, Bryce Bellamy, Michael Daniels, and Ethan Hollister, second place; the 800 relay team of Daniels, Barry, Wesley Wasikowski, and Hollister, second place; the 1600 relay team of Carter McClellan, Ashtyn Morris, Conner Guthrie, and Lincoln Sims, second place; the 3200 relay team of Nathan Richer, Braiden Mosher, Chayse Jensen and Davin George, second place; Caleb Kelley, third place in the shot put; Carter McClellan, third place in the discus; and Kaleb Handy, second place in the pole vault.

Both the Union City Chargers and the Quincy Orioles will return to action very quickly as the two squads will see each other once again on Friday, this time at Union City’s Alumni Field for the Chargers’ annual Union City Track and Field Invitational.

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Union City track sweeps Quincy, Springport in key Big 8 dual