Six meet records fall at Record-Eagle John Lober Honor Roll meet

Jun. 2—TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City Central boys head coach John Lober had a feeling something was up when his cousins from Arizona and entire family surprised him at the 47th annual meet named after him.

As Lober presented Darlene Garland and Bill Wooer with Legacy Awards at the Record-Eagle John Lober Honor Roll meet Tuesday his family — with the exception of his partner Margo Million in the press box — flanked him on the track as he was surprised with a Legacy Award of his own.

"I had no idea they were doing something like that tonight," Lober said. "I was recognized when they named the meet after me and I thought that was enough, but I feel very fortunate that I have been able to do what I've been doing for as long as I've been able to do it."

The 47th annual meet at TC Central was filled with surprises for athletes and coaches alike.

Six meet records fell Tuesday and runners from multiple schools shattered school records on a perfect June afternoon.

Spectators knew there would be some intense races with Benzie Central's Hunter Jones and the TC Central duo of Luke Venhuizen and Drew Seabase in the mix in the 1600.

Venhuizen took the lead into the final 400 meters but Jones powered back to break the meet record set by Ryan Shay in 1997 (4:17.28). Jones won in 4:14.65 and Venhuizen followed behind in 4:15.29, each setting personal and school bests while beating Shay's record.

"That's competition with Luke (Venhuizen) and Drew (Seabase), they go back and forth as teammates," Jones said. "They have helped me a lot over the years because they boost my confidence when they are there and I know I am doing what I have to do."

Benzie head coach Asa Kelly said having the area's three best distance runners in the same race just days before state finals was the perfect preparation for them for Saturday's level of competition.

Jones said he thinks he can beat that time and hopes to win the 800, 1600 and 3200 meter state titles this weekend.

The girls races saw five new meet records. TC West's Sara Schermerhorn tied the record in the 200 in 25.64 seconds while also running a leg in the record breaking 800 relay for the Titans. Rylee Herban, Isabel Spearing, Schermerhorn and Madalen Ferrill finished in 1:45.68 to beat one of the meet's oldest records set in 1977 (1:47.02). Spearing also set the TC West school record in the 400 (25.64), beating Michigan State bound Avery McLean by 0.26 seconds.

TC Central seniors Mackenzie Bohrer (shot put, 44'4.5") and Leah Doezema (discus, 129'11") each set meet records. Frankfort's Tara Townsend crushed the previous pole vault meet record by 14 inches when she cleared 11'9" on Tuesday.

Personal records fell left and right as the competition always brings out the best in the area's athletes.

Mackenna Burkholder broke both of her personal bests in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles before she runs both those events at the state finals this weekend. Burkholder, like many of the athletes who won events Tuesday, said the Honor Roll meet helps confidence before the toughest race of the season.

"Two years ago I never would've thought this would be happening. I am feeling really happy to see all the work that I put in result in this," Burkholder said. "It definitely helps my confidence going to the state meet. Anything can happen at those meets so I'm just hoping to do the best that I can and have a clean race and this definitely helped with that."

Kelly said missing an entire track season took its toll on runners this season but forced them to get better with each meet. Tuesday showed each of their progress.

The 3200 relay team for TC St. Francis set a school record (8:12.16). The team of Zealand Tarrant, Jacob Herring, Bryson Ellalasingham and Thomas Richards ran together to break the record but it was a last second change that helped them drop 11 seconds. Glads head coach Julie Duffing swapped in Ellalasingham to recreate the team that won a regional crown two years ago.

"This is exactly what we needed," Duffing said. "We've had some competition all season but having that today with Central right on our shoulder for the first two legs is what we needed."

Mancelona's Tyler McClure crushed his own school record in the 3200 in 9:40.55. Megan Lange broke Forest Area's school record in the 400 in 1:02.12.

Several notable athletes — such as TCC's Julia Flynn — did not participate in some of their main events because of needed rest before state finals.

Boys top-3: 100 — 1. Dominik Glew (TCW) 11.18; 2. Nolan Breithaupt (TCC) 11.41; 3. Tony Gallegos (TCW) 11.44; 200 — 1. Glew (TCW) 22.71 PR; 2. Gallegos (TCW) 22.85; 3. Seth Stoltz (BC) 23.08; 400 — 1. Finn Hogan (Glen Lake) 49.68 PR; 2. Gage Hessem (Kingsley) 51.98 PR; 3. Ben Habers (TCW) 52.88; 800 — 1. Luke Anderson (TCW) 2:00.03 PR; 2. Zealand Tarrant (TCSF) 2:00.69 PR; 3. Matt Ritter (TCC) 2:01.4 PR; 1600 — 1. Hunter Jones (BC) 4:14.65 PR; 2. Luke Venhuizen (TCC) 4:15.29 PR; 3. Drew Seabase (TCC) 4:18.55 PR; 3200 — 1. Tyler McClure (Mancelona) 9:40.55 PR; 2. Micah Bauer (TCC) 9:46.13 PR; 3. Willem DeGood (TCW) 10:18.46; 110 hurdles — 1. Mel Frechette (TCW) 16.5 PR; 2. Zennor Tarrant (TCSF) 16.52; 3. William Finnegan (TCC) 17.13; 300 hurdles — 1. Josiah Krommendyk (TCC) 42.08; 2. Frechette (TCW) 42.87; 3. Finnegan (TCC) 43.87; 400 relay — TC West 43.44 (Gallegos, Glew, Remy Schulz, Ayden Totten); 2. TC Central 43.97 (Breithaupt. Dante Williams, Austin Bills, Josh Burnham); 3. TC St. Francis (Bryson Ellalasingham, Joey Andrews, Burke Flowers, Brenden Endres); 800 relay — 1. TC West 1:31.74 (Glew, Gallegos, Schulz, Michael Schermerhorn); 2. TC Central 1:34.94 (Breithaupt, Bills, Barry Bialik, Connor Crosby); 3. TC St. Francis 1:35.37 (Zealand Tarrant, Andrews, Flowers, Endres); 1600 relay — 1. TC West 3:32.32 (Anderson, Habers, Jacob Patanella, Isaac Hyatt); 2. TC St. Francis 3:34.06 (Judge Morgan, Ellalasingham, Thomas Richards, Zealand Tarrant); 3. TC Central 3:36.08 (Andrew Ford, Seabase, George Abner, Matt Ritter); 3200 relay — 1. TC St. Francis 8:12.16 SR (Zealand Tarrant, Jacob Herringa, Ellalasingham, Thomas Richards); 2. TC Central 8:29.25 (Matt Ritter, Jett Reimers, Joe Muha, Ryan Stawski); 3. Kalkaska 8:44.72 (Gavin Guggemos, Camden Moore, Hayden Moore, Tyler Guggemos); shot put — 1. Caleb Melton (Elk Rapids) 45'1.75"; 2. Riley Brock (KING) 44'11.25"; 3. Damon Livingston (TCC) 43'10.5"; discus — 1. Brock (KING) 138'9"; 2. Brett Weaver (TCC) 119'; 3. Caleb Glase (GL) 114'8"; high jump — 1. Finn Hogan (GL) 6'1; 2. Jacob Patanella (TCW) 6'1"; 2. Josh Burnham (TCC) 6'1"; 4. Phoenix Mullholland (Forest Area) 6'1"; pole vault — 1. Mason King (TCW) 14'2" PR; 2. Brenden Endres (TCSF) 12'; 3. Ben Wilson (TCC) 11'6"; long jump — 1. Breithaupt (TCC) 20'7.75"; 2. Parker Hollenbeck (GL) 20'5.75"; 3. Patanella (TCW) 20'4".

Girls top-3: 100 — 1. Sara Schermerhorn (TCW) 12.72; 2. Tara Townsend (Frankfort) 12.91; 3. Katelynn Dix (Grand Traverse Academy) 13.18; 200 — 1. Schermerhorn (TCW) 25.64 PR; 2. Isabel Spearing (TCW) 25.94 PR; 3. Townsend (FF) 26.28 PR; 400 — 1. Spearing (TCW) 57.62 PR; 2. Avery McLean (TCC) 57.88 PR; 3. Meagan Lange (FA) 1:01.12 PR; 800 — 1. Ava King (TCW) 2:20.49; 2. Ella Kirkwood (TCC) 2:20.56 PR; 3. Elliott Smith (TCW) 2:22.36; 1600 — 1. King (TCW) 5:06.18 PR; 2. Elliott Smith (TCW) 5:06.8 PR; 3. Alison Hankins (TCC) 5:12.92 PR; 3200 — 1. Cierra Guay (BC) 12:04.27; 2. Lauren May (TCC) 12:08.91 PR; 3. Marguerite Church (TCW) 13:03.5 PR; 100 hurdles — 1. Mackenna Burkholder (TCC) 15.8 PR; 2. Emily Norkowski (FA) 16.3; 2. Reegan Graham (TCW) 17.1; 300 hurdles — 1. Burkholder (TCC) 46.3 PR; 2. Lauren Wooer (KING) 48.4; 3. Charlise Schulz (TCW) 48.9 PR; 400 relay — 1. Elk Rapids 51.78 (Paige Fosdick, Lila Rubert, Sierra Molby, Nevada Molby); 2. Kingsley 52.2 (Olivia Esman, Sierra Billiau, Brooke Westenbarger, Lexie Coxon); 3. TC West 52.38 (Rylee Herban, Grace Galbrith, Ferrill, Anna Curry); 800 relay — TC West 1:45.68 (Herban, Spearing, Schermerhorn, Madalen Ferrill); 2. Kingsley 1:53.45 (Kelsey Saxton, Chloe Morgan, Lauren Wooer, Coxon); 3. TC Central 1:53.71 (Madison Bowman, Vivian Gunn, Halli Warner, Grace Maitland); 1600 relay — 1. TC Central 4:03.11 (Burkholder, Mady McLean, Julia Flynn, Avery McClean); 2. TC West 4:07.96 (Ava King, Schermerhorn, Galbirth, Spearing); 3. Benzie Central 4:17.34 (Ellen Bretzke, Elise Johnson, Matilda Thoernqvist, Madison Teichman); 3200 relay — 1. Benzie Central 9:53.02 (Guay, Mylie Kelly, Johnson, Teichman); 2. TC Central 9:59.93 (Alexis Ball, Ella Kirkwood, Lauren May, Kathleen Venhuizen); 3. Kingsley 10:27.08 (Saxton, Grace Kolarik, Isabell Peltier, Wooer); shot put — Mackenzie Bohrer (TCC) 44'4.5"; 2. Leah Doezema (TCC) 42'10"; 3. Liathano Ramirez (BC) 33'8.5"; discus — 1. Doezema (TCC) 129'11"; 2. Emily Grant (Suttons Bay) 112'3"; 3. Bohrer (TCC) 111'10"; high jump — 1. Lauren Davis (KING) 5'1" PR; 2. Lola Reimers (TCC) 4'11"; 3. Paige LaMott (TCC) 4'11"; 3. Grace Wolfe (FF) 4'11"; pole vault — 1. Townsend (FF) 11'9" PR; 2. Becky Lane (TCW) 10'; 3. Ava Warren (TCW) 9'6"; long jump — 1. Dix (GTA) 16'8"; 2. Reegan Graham (TCW) 16'3.25"; 3. Esman (KING) 15'6.75".

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