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PREP TRACK: Lake Orion, Adams dominate OAA Red pack

Dan Stickradt | May 12, 2012 | Comments (1)

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

Twitter: @LocalSportsFans

ROCHESTER HILLS — Lake Orion was far from perfect Friday night, yet the Dragons still continued their perfect season.

Behind another dominating performance, Lake Orion racked up an impressive 179 1/3 points — one of the highest team point totals in the 18-year history of the Oakland Activities Association — to win the OAA Red Division boys track and field league meet at Rochester High.

The performance, coupled with a 5-0-0 dual meet record, gave the Dragons their outright league title for the third time in four seasons.

FRONT RUNNERS: Lake Orion's David Arenz (right) is just ahead of Rochester Stoney Creek's Eli Nasr and Oxford's Mike Tuski during Friday's OAA Red Division championships. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

“This was a nice meet for us to come back after a week and a half off,” smiled Lake Orion coach Stan Ford. “We needed a good meet to ease back into it. We have a lot of depth, so we didn’t need to load in up too much and burn these guys out. But we still had some very good performances in some events, even though we had (a relay disqualified) and we didn’t PR in some events. We did have some nice performances in other events.”

Not to be outdone, Rochester Adams’ girls team had a grand night as well, collecting 10 first-place finishes in 16 events and winning the league meet with 153 points. The Highlanders had lost their dual-meet opener in early April to Clarkston but more than avenged the Wolves to gain a share of the overall league title — its first in nearly a decade.

Clarkston was way back in second with 93 points, just ahead of defending champion Rochester (92). Oxford (64), Rochester Stoney Creek (57) and Lake Orion (34) followed suit.

The Highlanders, who won a regional last season and graduated only two athletes off that team, could be even better this season. There are only three seniors on the roster this season and only won scored a point at the league meet.

“We are starting to peak at the right time,” said Adams coach Eric Lohr. “We had one senior score in the shot put and she was mad because she didn’t score in the discus. All of our other point scorers were non-seniors. We have a lot of good young talent on this team and we’re starting to put it together.

FAST TRACK: Rochester Adams' Randall McAdory and Rochester's Cortez Kennedy duke it out during a leg of the 800-meter relay at Friday's OAA Red Division league meet. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

“We had a great day today. We ran well from top to bottom,” continued Lohr. “It’s exciting. I knew we were favored going in because we have a good invitational team. We put it on the board and we had over 100 points scored. I thought that would win and we ended up scoring over 150, a lot more than what I had originally thought.”

Clarkston coach John Yorke conceded to Adams’ dominating performance.

“No one was going to beat them today,” said Yorke, whose team still managed a share of its first league since 2007. “We didn’t perform all that well, but it didn’t matter. Adams was rolling.”

Heather Johnson won both the 100 hurdles (16.0) and 300 hurdles (47.1), while Jessica Howell the long jump (17-11.5) and 100 (12.4) for the Highlanders. Howell joined Amber Jamison, Sabrina Saracino and Sophie Smith to win the 800 relay (1:45.9) for Adams.

Smith, a junior who did not run track the past two seasons, won the 400 (58.1) with teammate Jamison earning second. Jamie Morrissey, second in the 1600, came back to win the 800 in a blistering 2:14.0. Morrissey also joined Smith, Jennifer Gerlach and Jamison on the winning 1,600 relay, which clocked an area-best 4:01.4.

Additionally, Morrissey also anchored the winning 3,200 relay, which included Gerlach, Gabrielle Thivierge and Lydia Stanley and clocked 9:38.2.

Three other schools divided up the other six winners.

Oxford’s Brooke Kovacic the 1600 (5:05.7) and 3200 (11:13.0) to pace the Wildcats. Clarkston’s Anna Manilla captured the high jump crown (5-4) and teammate Kayle Sherwood was a double winner with the best efforts in the shot put (33-9.75) and discus (96-9), which was contested into a slight wind.

Rochester’s foursome of Morgan Saunders, Arran Breazeale, Davonne Bolden and Monjoa Likine captured the 400 relay (51.8) to round out the winners in the girls meet.

Lake Orion’s boys captured first in 10 events as well to keep their dream season alive. It marked the fourth invitational-style win for the Dragons this season and it sets up a highly-anticipated showdown next Friday with Grand Blanc at the Division 1 Ortonville Brandon regional.

Lake Orion dropped the baton in one of its best events, the 400 relay, and didn’t have its best performances in some events, but still rang the bell with some sterling performances in other events.

The Dragons took the top three slots in the 110 hurdles and three of the top four slots in the 300 hurdles to showcase their depth. Lake Orion also won three relays, took the top two slots in the long jump with season-best performances and never allowed any other team to post a serious threat.

Lake Orion’s foursome of David Arenz, TJ Carey, George Modrack and David Diaz opened up the meet with an 8:05.3 clocking in the 3,200 relay to set the tone.

Michael Roberts led a top-three sweep in the 110 hurdles (14.6), followed by Michael Roberts (14.8) and Charlie Mauer (14.9). Alex Roberts came back to break the tape in the 300 hurdles (39.6) for the Dragons.

Lake Orion’s Corey Ester out-leaned Rochester’s Brandon Tyus at the line to win the 100 meters (11.0 to 11.1). Ester, Zach Arnold, Joe Deneau and Nick Balavich captured the title in the 800 relay (1:30.1).

Balavich won the open 400 (50.8) and joined Deneau, Diaz and Arnold for the meet-ending win in the 1,600 relay (3:25.4). Arnold (20-10.5) and Alex Roberts (20-5) took the top two slots in the long jump.

Diaz had a sterling finish in the final 100 meters of the 1,600, overtaking Rochester’s Blake Pozolo down the stretch (4:24.9 to 4:26.9). Carey won the 3,200 in 9:31.9.

“I think we’re starting to really come together,” said Ford. “We have some nice depth and nice balance. I think we scored in all but one event.”

Clarkston’s Devon Williams, Tristan Tozzi, Jared Yaroch and Ian Ericksen combined forces to win the 400 relay (44.6). Clarkston’s Adam Bruderick captured the title in the 800 (1:58.8), leading six runners under 2:01.5, while CJ Gozdor cleared a career-best 6-7 on the high jump launch pad.

Rochester’s Tyus came back to singe the track with a 22.4 clocking in the 200.

Clarkston, missing a half dozen key athletes for various reasons, was a distant second with 97.33 points and Rochester claimed third (70). Rochester Adams (63), Rochester Stoney Creek (52) and Oxford (32) followed suit.

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