Avondale girls run to first league crown since 1997
CLEAN SWEEP: Auburn Hills Avondale's Jeff Douglas was part of a dominating effort that saw the Yellowjackets wion both the boys and girls league meet and overall OAA Gold Division crowns Thursday. File Photo
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
BLOOMFIELD HILLS — With all the buzz surrounding Auburn Hills Avondale’s boys track and field program this year, the Yellowjackets have slowly rose to the top on the girls side.
Avondale’s girls team captured its first league championship since 1997, winning the OAA Gold Division title Thursday at Bloomfield Hills Lahser.
Avondale’s 126 points gave them both the league meet crown and the overall title.
“I was an assistant on that team that won our least league championship,” said second-year Avondale head coach Stephanie Wilder. “So it’s gratifying because this team is still very young. We have a lot of underclassmen.
“I am an Avondale alum and I ran on some teams that won the (MOAC) league championships (in 1991 and 1992), so it’s nice to see us coming back,” added Wilder. “We have a lot of potential. I’m really blessed with this group because of their hard work and dedication. They are my heart of hearts. They step up to the challenge and they keep getting better. We don’t have a home to practice because of the stadium renovations, but they never complain. They just keep working hard and we’ve had a great season so far because of it.”
Avondale on five of the 16 events, but had enough depth to prevail. The Yellowjackets were tied with Lahser at 4-0-1 in the dual standings, but the win at the league meet vaulted them to the top in the final standings.
Yasmine Jones won both the 200 (25.5) and 100 (12.1) league crown to lead the way. Taylor McCruden added a win in the long jump (15-2 ½) and Anna Haritos the 300 hurdles (47.3) for Avondale.
Haritos, Jones and McCruden joined Navica Colonna on the winning 1,600 relay (4:16.9) to put the exclamation point on the title.
Bloomfield Hills Andover was second in the league meet with 114 points, with Lahser (113), Pontiac (106), Oak Park (21) and Hazel Park (9) following suit.
Pontiac’s Angela Bursey won the shot put (42-6 ½) and discus (109-9), Mariah Owens added a win in the high jump (5-7) and Shaquala Phillips the 100 hurdles (14.9) for the Phoenix. Owens and Phillips also teamed up with Lexie Corke and Domaniqwa Hatter to break the tape in the 800 relay (1:46.5).
Lexi Sinclair finished first in the 1,600 (5:25.8) and 3,200 (12:14.9) to pace Andover, while she joined Lise Devits, Rebecca Sorgenfrei and Mackenzie Gammons on the winning 3,200 relay (10:30.4).
Lahser’s Alana O’Mara won the 800 (2:34.6), Joylisa Davis the 400 (1:02.0) and the foursome of Michaela Jennings, Davis, Riley Palmer and Frannie Foreman the 400 relay (51.5).
Following Avondale at the top of the final league standings were Lahser, Andover, Pontiac, Oak Park and Hazel Park, which was missing most of its athletes at the league meet due to the school prom.
As expected, Avondale’s boys steamrolled the field to win the league meet title with 175 points. Andover was a distant second with 100 points, followed by Pontiac (89), Lahser (48), Oak Park (45) and Hazel Park (32) in the meet standings.
The Yellowjackets shared the overall crown with Lahser last season, but finished as outright champs this year to win their third straight league title.
In this year’s final standings, Andover and Pontiac tied for second, with Lahser finishing fourth, Oak Park fifth and Hazel Park sixth.
Avondale won 11 of the 16 events at the league championships, including a clean sweep of the relays.
Trevon Salter won the long jump (22-0 ¼), Ryan Brancheau the high jump (6-5) and 110 hurdles (15.3), Jeff Douglas the 200 (22.2), leading a top four sweep in the event, Calvin Jackson the 300 hurdles (42.6), Nathan Chapman the 400 (51.4) and Jeremy Wdowik the 800 (2:06.9).
In the relays, Wdowik, Brandon Golden, Mark Shoemaker and Geoffrey Williston won the 3,200 relay (8:40.2), while Chapman, Douglas, Takemi Smith and Salter the 800 relay (1:28.9).
Salter, Douglas, Smith and Xavier Burns clocked an Oakland County best 43.0 to win the 400 relay, while Chapman, Douglas, Nick Rennels and Salter capped the meet with one final win in the 1,600 relay (3:33.5).
Andover’s Jarred Bratley was another double-winner, taking the league crowns in the 1,600 (4:43.4) and 3,200 (10:18.2). Terry Douglas of Pontiac sprinted to a win in the 100 (10.8), Lahser’s Kenneth Magee had the best effort in the shot put (45-4) and Hazel Park’s Jordan Johnsbaugh won the discus crown (128-2) to round out the individual winners.
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Category: Auburn Hills Avondale, High School, Prep Wraps
