TRACK: Lake Orion, Grand Blanc cruise to repeat regional status
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
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ROCHESTER HILLS — A sport such as track and field can boil down to guts.
Fighting against heat, wind, fatigue and other ailments just to dig out a noteworthy effort and out-perform your opponents — all with a state qualifying berth and precious team points at stake.
Both Lake Orion’s girls and Grand Blanc’s boys displayed plenty of guts and it led to a pair of repeat regional championships in a Division 1 showdown at Rochester High School, which hosted a regional for the first time since 1983 in its brand new stadium.
Lake Orion toppled the 16-school field with 153.5 points in the girls meet, led by quadruple winner Melissa Symons and three school records, to win its third regional title in the past decade.
Grand Blanc exploded for 165 points in winning the boys regional title.
“One of the things we talked about is we talked about running gutsy out there tonight,” said Lake Orion girls coach Dave Hutson. “We knew we were going to have to do that based on some of our competition. This regional is too tough. They definitely ran gutsy and they definitely did an amazing job competing out there.”
Grand Blanc finished second with 103 points, while Rochester Stoney Creek (90), Waterford Kettering (81), Clarkston (54), Utica Eisenhower (52), Rochester (50), Rochester Adams (46), Waterford Mott (37.5) and Bloomfield Hills (30) rounded out the top 10 in the girls team standings.
Symons won the 100 hurdles (14.30) and 300 hurdles (44.04) with teammate Madison Eaton taking second in both hurdles events, while the duo teamed up with Makayla Allen and Shantel Stanley for a win in the 400 relay (49.12).
“Individually I definitely surprised myself and as a team I’m so proud of us. We did so good and had a lot of (personal bests),” smiled Symons. “We all performed really well and we pulled it out in the end.”
Symons, Josie Arnold, Eaton and Sophie Novak also won the 1,600 relay (3:58.10), one of six qualifiers in the final relay, while the Dragons’ foursome of Novak, Ciara Nolan, Allison Sherman and Arnold shattered the school record by some 13 seconds in winning the 3,200 relay (9:23.34), leading five qualifiers in the event.
Grand Blanc’s Sasha Greene, Camille Minner, Maria Smiley and Alexis Williams captured the 800 relay (1:44.71). Greene also won the long jump (17-10.75).
Eisenhower’s Hailey Barden broke the tape in the 100 (12.36) and Stoney Creek’s Isabella Davis won both the 200 (25.38) and 400 (58.12).
Mott’s Katie Osaka had one of the best efforts in the state in winning the 800 (2:09.70), Grand Blanc’s Caitlin Rose pulled away for a convincing win in the 1,600 (4:57.31) and Mott’s Rylee Robinson cruised in the 3,200 (10:53.38).
In the field events, Kettering showcased some muscle with Olivia O’Brien taking the shot out (38-11.5) and discus crowns (130-1), while teammate Jessica Mercier won the pole vault competition (12-6), which was held Thursday at Oxford High School. Rochester’s Natalie Fylak was the other individual winner in having the best effort in the high jump (5-0).
In the boys meet, Grand Blanc won all four relays and eight of 17 events overall to capture its 10th regional crown in 21 years.
“We’ve got 10 regional titles since I’ve been coaching track,” said Grand Blanc boys coach Edward Stanbury. “I’ve been here for 21 years. We’ve had some great teams and this team has competed at a high level all year. It’s almost like we’ve won every other year and the years where we didn’t win we’ve been second or third. We’ve had a great runny I’m very pleased with the way we competed today. We knew what the mission was today and they stepped up.”
Lake Orion was a distant second with 106.5 points, while Romeo (88), Oxford (76), Rochester Stoney Creek (74), Rochester (52), Waterford Mott (44), Utica Eisenhower (41.5), Auburn Hills Avondale (39) and Clarkston (39) also finished in the top 10 in the team standings.
Grand Blanc’s Jeronn Body the 400 (49.98), Brian Jones the shot put (52-1), Aidan Martini the discus (147-5) and Ethan Cargo the high jump (6-6), topping five qualifiers, for the victorious Bobcats.
Curtez Riggs, Qin Broussard, Victor Zarour and Carter Merrell joined forces to win the 400 relay (43.87), while Zarour, Broussard, Body and Merrell broke the tape in the 800 relay (1:29.23) for Grand Blanc.
Zarour, Body, Joe Coleman and Austin Rippee capped the meet with a win in the 1,600 relay (3:22.94), leading three qualifiers, and Chase Clark, Jackson Turnbow, Rippee and Body opened the finals with a 7:56.57 clocking in the 3,200 relay, leading four qualifiers.
Romeo’s John Jackman took the 100 (11.09) and teammate Cole Harko the long jump (21-9.75). Eisenhower’s Caleb Oyster the 200 (22.09), Adams’ Parker Raymond the 800 (1:54.66) and Lake Orion’s Zach Dinverno the pole-vault (12-6).
Rochester’s Austin Remick captured the 1,600 (4:16.86), leading six qualifiers, and Romeo’s Brendan Allen topped the field in the 3,200 (9:20.97).
Lake Orion’s Thomas Moreman captured both the 110 hurdles (14.79) and 300 hurdles (39.53).
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