Area track and field teams compete at JPC championships in Pinconning

By BEN MURPHY

Cleaver Sports Writer

Saturday closed the book on the Jack Pine Conference portion of the track and field schedule. Every team in the league competed in the JPC meet at Pinconning on Saturday, which was won by Shepherd on the boys side and Gladwin on the girl’s side.

Clare also took second in the boys and third in the girls while Harrison was ninth in the boys and sixth in the girls and Farwell had its boys come in 12^th and its girls come in sixth.

Highlighting things for Clare, starting with the boys, Jacob Halicek won both the 100 (11.02) and 200 (22.49) meter dashes and Conan Weeks was third in the 100. Caiden Gaskill was 10^th in the 400 while in the 800 Tucker Rowell was their top finisher, coming in seventh.

Logan Carstensen was second in the 110 hurdles (15.44), followed by Weeks in third. Weeks won the 300 hurdles, crossing in a time of 39.91.

They added two winning relay teams as well. The 4x200 (1:31.66) won thanks to the efforts of Silas Donaldson, Dylan Kruskamp, Carstensen and Halicek and the 4x800 (8:34) featured runs by Kona Crump, Rowell, Sutton Klaus and Christian Villa-Bilton.

Brendan Burton was fifth in the shot put (42-07) and Colin Barber was fourth in the discus (133-03). Donavan Hoogerhyde placed seventh in the high jump, Ethan Reeve was second in the pole vault (13-09) and Weeks was runner-up in the long jump, with a distance of 19-10.75.

For the Lady Pioneers, Abby Boyd was fourth in the 100 (13.09) and sixth in the 200. Hannah Goethe added a third place run in the 400 (1:03.94), followed by Boyd who was eighth.

They had Lauren Leis take second in the 800 (2:27), with Sophia Buzzelli following her in fifth. In 1600 it was Buzzelli in second (5:36), Leah Leis in fourth and Elizabeth Letherer in sixth. Buzzelli was also second in the 3200 at 12:33 and Leah Leis was third. Brenna Campbell ran and jumped her way to a fifth-place spot in the 300 hurdles.

Their top relay was the 4x800, as they won with a 10:30 with runs by Leah Leis, Lauren Leis, Letherer and Buzzelli.

In the shot-put Aleigha Finkbeiner was seventh, while Brooklinn Barcia was also seventh in the high jump. Boyd added third place bound in the long jump, getting a distance of 15-08.75.

Taking a look at Harrison next, their boys had Jayden Bobzien finish seventh in the 200 and sixth in the 400. Collin Dennis was also sixth in the 800 and Logan Young placed eighth in 1600 and ninth in the 3200. Bobzien was sixth in the high jump and Gavin Jansen had an 11^th place spot in the pole vault.

As for the Lady Hornets, Samantha Hopkins was fifth in both the 100 (13.13) and 200 (27.28) and Caitlin Kirby was 11^th in the 1600. Lydia Kendall finished sixth in the 300 hurdles and eighth in the 100 hurdles.

As for the field events, Dyanne Andrews was fifth in the shot put with a throw of 32-05.75 and Alivia Winters was third in the discus with a heave of 114-03. Kirby was third in the high jump (4-08) and Hopkins claimed victory in the long jump, getting a distance of 16-06.5.

Finally for Farwell, they had their boys led by Treyton Lassen, placing 11^th in the 200 and Tristan Szott was 11^th in the 110 hurdles and 13^th in the 300 hurdles.

The Lady Eagles saw Ivy Frisch placed seventh in the 400 and 16^th in the 800. Janella Fouts was ninth in the 400 while Isabelle Eppert placed sixth in the 800.

Eppert showed off her distance prowess by winning 1600 and 3200, on respective times of 5:30 and 12:23. Charlotte Vasquez was 13^th in both distance events.

Nora Z. finished sixth in the 100 hurdles and seventh in the 300 hurdles.

They had a solid third place 4x800 relay team, with runs by Addyson Thormeier, Vasquez, Eppert and Frisch resulted in a time of 10:42. Willow Hooper managed a 14^th place finish in the long jump.

Teams will each compete in regional action this week, as they look to punch their tickets to the state finals.