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PREP TRACK: Avondale, Seaholm rule OAA-Blue field

Dan Stickradt | May 11, 2012 | Comments (1)

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

Twitter: @LocalSportsFans

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Nathan Chapman’s first track and field season included a league championship. He will depart the high school track scene with four such titles.

The senior from Auburn Hills Avondale aided the Yellowjackets’ fourth straight league championship, this time in the OAA Blue Division after winning three in a row in the OAA Gold Division, by racking up 128 points Thursday at the league meet at Bloomfield Hills Lahser.

“It’s really nice to represent Avondale this way,” said Chapman, a multi-event all-stater and the top player on Avondale’s state championship soccer team last fall. “To come in and win all four years is pretty cool. It’s a nice accomplishment.”

SPEED DEMON: Auburn Hills Avondale's Kyle Redwine finished the 100 meters in 10.5 seconds, well ahead of Birmingham Groves' Keon Collier. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

Avondale’s boys, who finished third at the Division 2 state meet last season, is gearing up for the championship season. The Yellowjackets showcased their big-meet potential by winning eight of the 16 events with three runner-up finishes.

Meanwhile, Birmingham Seaholm’s girls team sent a message that the Maples will contend for regional and Oakland County crowns and potentially be a top-10 team in the state. Seaholm racked up 149 points and to go along with a 5-0-0 dual record, claimed the outright championship for the second time in three years.

“If (a regional or county championship) happens, then it happens. Our goal is to qualify as many girls as we can for the state meet and I think our performance at the league is helping us prepare to do that,” said Seaholm coach Jeff Devantier. “I thought we did a really nice job here today. Our specialty is the 400, 800, 1,600 and 3,200. But we picked up a lot of points in the sprints, sprint relays, hurdles and field events that I didn’t think we could get at the beginning of the season.”

Seaholm finished 14 points ahead of rival Birmingham Groves (135) in the girls meet standings. Avondale (63), Lahser (55.5), Troy Athens (46.5) and Bloomfield Hills Andover (46) rounded out the team scores.

Seaholm won seven events and took three of the top four spots in the 1,600 to showcase its exceptional depth in the distances.

The foursome of Brooke Callahan, Selena Wallace, Kate Owens and Rachel Didamio opened the running events with a 9:44.1 clocking.

ON THE MOVE: Troy Athens' Chenae Hendricks (right) and Auburn Hills Avondale's Patsy Thompson gut it out in the finals of the 100 meters at Thursday's OAA Blue Division league meet. Photo | Dan Stickradt

Elizabeth Vermoesen had the top effort in the high jump (5-2), Tess Wilberding the 1,600 (5:17.1) and 3,200 (11:12.7), Aubrey Wilberding the 400 (56.4) and DaDamio the 800 (2:17.7). Seaholm also won the 1,600 relay in 4:03.2 with the foursome of Mallory Wilberding, Callahan, Didamio and Aubrey Wilberding.

“This is the best we’ve had here,” admitted DeVantier. “We our very deep in the distance races and getting better everywhere else.”

Groves won both the 800 relay (1:48.3) and 400 relay (50.8), while Shauntai Graham broke the tape in the 100 (12.7) and Alex Mason took the 200 (26.5) for the Falcons.

Athens’ Kotomi Obayashi had the best effort in the discus (105-6.75), Andover’s Dana Ballouz won the long jump (15-5.5) and Avondale’s Takiyah Smith crossed first in the 100 hurdles (16.7) and teammate Anna Haritos the 300 hurdles (48.4).

Chapman anchored the winning 3,200 relay (8:38.3), along with James Saylor, Geoffrey Williston and Mark Shoemaker. Chapman also won the 800 (2:01.2) and was second in the 400 (49.4) and ran on the runner-up 1,600 relay.

In the boys meet, Avondale senior Kyle Redwine competed in his very first league meet and won four events. Redwine, a nationally ranked sprinter who was sidelined for most of the last three seasons, won the 100 in a sizzling 10.5 and the 200 in 21.9. He also anchored the winning 800 relay (1:30.2) and 400 relay (43.5).

Josh Holloman, Jeff Douglas and Myles Wright were also on the winning 800 relay, while Henry Paul, Douglas and Wright joined Redwine on the 400 relay.

Wright came back to win the long jump (20-2), bettering his previous best by nearly two feet. Zach Purcilly, another sophomore in Avondale’s lineup, won the shot put (44.5).

“Winning the league was one of our goals from the beginning,” said first-year Avondale coach Wes Harden. “I thought this group of kids has worked really hard to be able to do this. We have a lot of young kids that have stepped up and contributed. Josh Hollomon is a freshman and he came in and was third in the 200 and ran on a winning relay. Myles Wright had his best day in the long jump and Zach Purcilly has a come a long ways in the throws. We have a nice group of experienced and young athletes.”

Andover finished second in the boys meet with 104 points. Groves claimed third with 92 points, while Seaholm (78), Athens (54) and Lahser (36) rounded out the team scores.

Groves won four events on the day. Jalen Williams took the high jump (5-10), Phillip Johnson the 400 (49.4) and Jordan Banks the 300 hurdles (40.4), while Johnson, Banks, Blake Jackson and Alex Warren won the 1,600 relay (3:30.8).

Andover’s Taha Suhrawardy crossed first in the 100 hurdles (15.7) and Seaholm’s Jack Howard won the 1,600 (4:24.6) and teammate Zack Demko the 3,200 (9:55.8).

Athens Andrew Abdaal won the discus (112-2).

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Tags: Auburn Hills Avondale Track, Birmingham Groves Track, Birmingham Seaholm Track, Bloomfield Hills Lahser Track, featured, high school track, Prep Track, track, Troy Athens Track