TRACK AND FIELD: Adams, Lake Orion race to OAA-Red titles

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BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

Twitter: @LocalSportsFans

ROCHESTER HILLS — It was only three years ago when a talented group of athletes entered the girls track and field program at Rochester Adams. Now they are embarking on the final journey as seniors with one of the most dominant teams the area has seen over the years.

The Highlanders put the finishing touches on their 15th league championship in 32 seasons Thursday at Rochester Stoney Creek, scorching the track with an impressive 178 points to win the league meet and couple that mark with a perfect 5-0 dual meet record.

The 178 points shatters the record for the most points scored in the OAA Red Division league meet, which began in 1994-95 school year.

“We had a good group as freshmen, but I think it was our sophomore year when we realized how good we could be,” offered senior high jumper Katelyn Brech. “We have all worked hard to be able to (compete at this level).”

The Highlanders won 12 of the 16 events — the OAA does not compete in the pole vault — and dominated from start to finish.

“Myself and Coach (Gary) Inman did a walk through and we thought we’d score around 139 points,” smiled second-year Adams head coach Eric Lohr. “But for us to score (178) points and do as well as we did, that is impressive. We have a special group of athletes.”

Meanwhile, Lake Orion’s boys team captured its seventh league title in a 13-year span in the most unusual way. With its top three sprinters on the sidelines — all-staters Zak Arnold, Corey Ester and Chris Leigh — and a couple of other key athletes ailing, the Dragons still found a way to score 140 points and topple the six-school field.

Lake Orion tied Clarkston 64-64 three days earlier in a dual meet, being outscored 36-0 in the four field events. This time around the Dragons scored in three of the four field events and even had a victory in the high jump to pull away.

“Having Joe Denau back to win the high jump and having all the depth in the sprints is what made the difference,” offered Lake Orion boys coach Stan Ford. “With our top sprinters out, and that effected our relays and the 100, 200 and 400, we had our sixth, seventh, eight and even ninth fastest sprinters that didn’t help much early in the season step in and score points for us. Those guys deserve a lot of credit.”

Lake Orion won eight of the events in the boys meet, including a grueling triple from Missouri-bound distance ace TJ Carey. The senior won the 800 (1:55.69), 1600 (4:25.67) and 3200 (9:41.95).

The Dragons’ Deneau won the high jump (6-1) in his first meet in three weeks and Jordan Waymar captured the 110 hurdles (15.1).

Lake Orion’s foursome of Waymar, Allen Karrip, Josh Cromie and Drake Shamar captured the 4500 relay (44.59). Waymar, Denau, Kromie and Karrip joined forces to win the 800 relay (1:31.47), while Anthony Gerard, David Arenz, David Diaz and Kirk Hanson won the 3,200 relay (8:12.5).

Clarkston’s foursome of Blake Sutherland, Ian Eriksen, Joey Definis and Scott Cousino blazed a fast 3:25.08 trail to cap the meet with a victory in the 1,600 relay. Eriksen, the state’s leading rusher in football, also won the 100 (11.42) and 200 (22.81) and Merrick Canada topped the charts to win the long jump (19-11.75) for the Wolves.

Rochester Adams’ Avery Taylor captured the 400 (49.84) and teammate Jordan Shive the 300 hurdles (39.79). Oxford freshman Conner Bandel was impressive for winning the shot put (47-3) and discus (128-2), believed to be the first time in league history a freshman has won both of those events at the league meet.

Clarkston finished second in the boys team standings with 124.33 points. Adams was third (115), followed by Oxford (56), Rochester Stoney Creek (33.33) and Rochester (27.33).

In the girls meet, Rochester finished a distant second to Adams with 94 points. Clarkston claimed third with 83 points, while Lake Orion (57), Oxford (47) and Stoney Creek (37) rounded out the team scores.

Jessica Howell, who recently signed with Middle Tennessee State, won the 100 (12.66), 100 hurdles (15.38) and long jump (16-11), while she teamed up with Sophie Smith, Jamie Morrissey and Amber Jamison to break the tape in the 1,600 relay (4:01.9) for Adams.

Caroline Kleitzien, Lydia Stanley, Gabrielle Thivierge and Morrissey combined to form the winning quartet in the 3,200 relay (9:40.05), while Jamison, Smith, Sydney Starwalt and Sabrina Saracino captured the 800 relay (1:46.62) for the Highlanders.

Brech had the best effort in the high jump (5-3), Kletzien took the 300 hurdles (46.09), Thivierge the 3,200 (11:08.25), Morrissey the 800 (2:19.19) and Smith both the 200 (25.91) and 400 (58.79) for Adams.

Rochester’s foursome of Erin Trevarrow, Lauron Sanders, Davonne Bolden and Morgan Saunders captured the 400 relay (51.68), while teammate Dreanna Williams won the discus (103-8).

Clarkston’s Erin Billette won the 1,600 (5:01.35) and Oxford’s Victoria Bearse rounded out the winners with the best toss in shot put (34-7.75).

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Have photos or video of this event that you wish to share? E-mail pertinent information to www.northoaklandsports.com Senior Editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com or e-mail results@northoaklandsports.com.

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