Charlevoix hosts D3 regional track meet, area sends host of qualifiers

CHARLEVOIX — The moment area track and field athletes have worked for all season finally came Thursday night in Charlevoix.

The Charlevoix track and field teams welcomed in a host of other programs for the annual Division 3 regional meet, where no area teams advanced out, though a whole lot of individuals will make the trip to the Division 3 state finals.

Clare earned wins on both sides of the event, while Tawas was second on the girls side and Harrison second for the boys.

Charlevoix did place third to lead for the boys, while East Jordan was fourth on the girls side, followed by Harbor Springs in fifth.

“Scoring 91 points against some real quality teams is quite an achievement,” Charlevoix coach Nick Barnum said. “We knew going in that Clare was the team to beat and that certainly held true. We are proud of how our kids competed and were assertive in all their events.”

For individuals, the top two finishers in each event advance to the state finals, along with others meeting a state finals qualifying time or mark.

On the boys side, distance runners stole the show, led by Charlevoix’s Sam Peterson with first place finishes in both the 800 meter run (1:59.13) and the 1600 (4:24.63).

Harbor Springs’ Lance Smar was just outside the top two, placing third in the 800 (2:04.48), while in the 1600, Harbor Springs’ Cal Benjamin advanced with a third place finish (4:33.98) by hitting the state final qualifying mark.

In the 3200, Charlevoix’s Dominic Schwein earned a first place finish with a new personal record to advance (10:00.93).

In sprints, Boyne City’s Phillip Banner earned first place with a PR (23.11), while Charlevoix’s John Sauer saw just outside the qualifying mark in the 400 in fifth place (54.28).

Logan Shooks of East Jordan placed second in the hurdles (43.60) and Charlevoix’s Peyton Scott came up just short in third (44.25).

The area had three relay wins, starting with the 400 meter East Jordan team of Caleb Ziebarth, Braylan Gtybauskas, Logan Shooks and Carter Sherman (45.98).

Harbor Springs’ 1600 meter relay team of Luke Smar, Jack Clancy, Benjamin and Smar also placed first (3:38.33) and the Rams’ 3200 meter relay team of Benjamin, Luke Smar, Lance Smar and Jacob Drayer placed first (8:26.20) to advance as well.

In boys field events, the area will send both a shot put and discus thrower, with Charlevoix’s Richard Cunningham qualifying in the shot in second place (43’5”) and East Jordan’s Lee Nemecek placing second in the discus (125’).

East Jordan’s Preston Malpass blew away the competition and placed first in the high jump (6’), then Charlevoix’s Brady Jess was third in the pole vault (11’3”) and Landon Swanson took fourth at the same height. Both tied with the second place finisher, though tries at the height kept them from advancing.

On the girls side, the area had three runners advance from the 1600 meter run by hitting qualifying times. Harbor Springs’ Maye Burns placed third (5:25.34), Ava Maginity of Boyne City was fourth (5:26.40) and Katie Rohrer of Charlevoix placed fifth (5:27.17). All three hit the qualifying time of 5:28.00.

Charlevoix’s Laine Sladics also hit a qualifying time in the 3200 with a third place finish (11:56.33).

In the 400, Boyne’s Maginity placed second overall (1:03.07), while Harbor’s Claire Hayhurst was just off of the qualifying mark in third (1:05.71).

Harbor’s Grace Thorpe advanced out of the 200 meter dash in second (27.31) and Maginity was third, just off the mark (28.28).

In hurdles, East Jordan’s Taylor Sheridan placed second (49.45) and Charlevoix’s Alexandra Baron came up just short with a new PR in third (52.12).

No area girls relay team placed first, though the Harbor Springs 800 meter team of Tara Shouldice, Claire Ranney, Savanah Maki and Thorpe came just a second off in second place (1:53.30).

East Jordan’s Grace Nemecek advanced in the shot put in second place (33’7.75) and Charlevoix’s Leah Rohrer placed second in the discus (106’9”), which came as a new PR.

Boyne City’s Grace Dawson won the high jump (4’11”) and Boyne’s Keni Ciesielski just missed out in third (4’9”).

Charlevoix girls coach Mike Bush was pleased with his team’s day and getting to send athletes through to the finals, while he also thanked the seniors and those who put on the meet.

“Placing seventh with such a small team was certainly a good performance,” said Bush. “Thanks to our seniors Leah Rohrer, Lauren Shepard, and Alex Baron who performed well in their last regional meet. All the athletes have a lot to be proud of about today. Thanks to Travis Garrett and his crew for doing a great job.”

The Division 3 track and field state finals will take place at Kent City High School on Saturday, June 4.

BASEBALL

Boyne City at East Jordan

EAST JORDAN — The Boyne City and East Jordan baseball team earned a split Thursday, likely knocking the Ramblers out of the race for the LMC.

East Jordan earned a 5-3 win in the opener, before the Ramblers took a 9-2 game two final.

In game one, Tommy Reid went all six innings for EJ with 14 strikeouts and six hits allowed, while Mason Wilcox took the loss for the Ramblers in five innings, with five strikeouts and seven hits allowed.

Hayden Peck led with a double and triple for East Jordan, Mason Malpass singled twice and drove in two runs and Ben Reid and Tommy Reid each added an RBI.

For Boyne, Gavin Hewitt singled and doubled, Kaden Jewett doubled in a run and Aaron Bess also had a double.

In game two, Hewitt earned the pitching win behind six innings and three strikeouts, while giving up four hits. Kaleb Schroeder took the loss, surrendering seven hits with three strikeouts.

Hewitt also led at the plate with a 3-for-4 game that included a double and three RBIs, Jewett hit a grand slam to collect four RBIs and Mason Wilcox singled in a run.

Carter Sherman and Carey led the Red Devils with an RBI each.

SOFTBALL

Boyne City at East Jordan

EAST JORDAN — The Boyne City softball team earned a pair of shutout victories over East Jordan, keeping the Red Devils winless on the season.

Despite the losses, however, East Jordan coach Meg Kitson liked the way her team swung the bat in the box, their contact just always seemed to find a glove.

In game one, a 7-0 final for the Ramblers, Bella Coiser earned the win with two strikeouts and four hits allowed.

Lucy Uy doubled and singled at the plate, while Rachel Clausen and Sawyer Cadarette each singled twice.

For East Jordan, Skylar Barnett singled and double dead Lillian Stone and Haley Lafferty each singled.

RevaSue Norton took the loss pitching for the Red Devils, striking out three with 11 hits and three walks allowed.

Game two went to Boyne City in a 12-0 five innings, led by Melanie Loviska’s two doubles. Delaney Vollmer also had three singles and Morgan Erickson singled and doubled.

Coiser was the winning pitching once again, giving up just one hit to East Jordan.

Norton collected that lone single, while splitting the pitching with Sophie Snyder.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Charlevoix hosts D3 regional track meet, area sends host of qualifiers