Diaz, Jones Star Again, While Lansing Catholic Follows Standout Pair
By
Scott DeCamp
Special for MHSAA.com
June 4, 2022
KENT CITY – Benny Diaz’ first three races of Saturday’s MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Track & Field Finals at Kent City High School said a lot about his considerable ability and sheer speed.
His fourth and final race said a lot about his character, even though he didn’t win that one.
The Saugatuck senior blazed to championships in the 110-meter hurdles (13.64 seconds), 100 dash (11.16) and 300 hurdles (39.43) before he pulled up with a hamstring injury near the midway point of the 200 dash.
Diaz, a University of Michigan signee, had a chance to become a four-event winner, but it was not in the cards. After he bent over at the waist and paused on the track, he finished the 200 in a slow trot as the packed stands cheered him to the finish line. He was “slightly upset,” but just wanted to finish the race.
“I’d say it’s better to finish it than to just stop,” Diaz said. “I guess it says a lot about your character. You’re willing to finish things, even if it’s not going so well.”
Diaz’ injury opened the door for Lansing Catholic to capture its second Division 3 team championship, and first since 2012. Lansing Catholic finished with 38 points to edge Saugatuck by a single point.
Led by junior Hunter Jones’ pair of individual titles, Benzie Central placed third with 32 points. Pewamo-Westphalia (30) and Hart (29) rounded out the top five.
Lansing Catholic took first in the final race of the day, the 1,600 relay (3:25.91), to push the Cougars over the top. Senior Josh Otten anchored that winning relay, placed runner-up in the 400 and third in the 1,600, and he anchored the second-place 3,200 relay. Senior Dave Pruder was third in the 800, and he joined Otten on the aforementioned relays that scored valuable points for the Cougars.
“Every one of them came through,” said Lansing Catholic coach Tim Simpson, who also guided the Cougars to the Division 3 title in 2012. “Otten came through with a huge day, Pruder came through with a huge day. Everybody else did their job.”
Jones captured championships in the 800 (personal record 1:52.68) and 1,600 (4:10.68), and he finished second in the 3,200 (9:25.87) to join Diaz as one of the top performers of the meet.
Jones now has three MHSAA track state titles under his belt, as well as three Division 3 cross country championships. He won the 1,600 at last year’s Finals.
“I was comfortable for the mile and the 800 I was strong, but after the 800 I was at the trash can – I wasn’t feeling well,” said Jones, who is close to announcing his college commitment to a Division I school but is keeping that announcement close to the vest.
“My coaches, they helped me out. They helped me gain confidence and I threw myself on the track, got around eight laps and got runner-up (in the 3,200).”
Diaz finishes his storybook high school track career with five total Finals titles, going back-to-back in both hurdles events as a junior and senior.
Hurdles are the specialty for the slender Diaz, a 6-foot-1, 160-pounder, who glides along the track and makes it look effortless.
Seemingly stuck with the pack in the 100 on Saturday, Benny turned on his jets in the final 30 meters and burst to an impressive victory. He said that he tends to be a slower starter and strong finisher.
“Oh, no, it’s like that – it’s like that,” Diaz said with a grin. “I can just be lackadaisical before the start and just, it turns on. I mean, that’s just the type of kid I am, kind of low energy, just chill. Don’t get too high, don’t get too low.
“That’s just my race. I’m usually behind at the start and then I catch up with my top speed – speed and endurance.”
Diaz hobbled to the medal stand after the 200. He attributed the left hamstring injury to nerve problems, which flared up Friday.
He said he didn’t know how the nerve issues started and was hoping it wouldn’t be an issue Saturday.
“I’ve just been managing it. I was trying to keep it a secret, but now it’s kind of out the window,” a smiling Diaz said.
“But, I mean, I’m still happy with 30 points.”
Other individual champions included Sanford Meridian’s Dane Plichta in the 200 (22.82), Richmond’s Evan Green in the 400 (49.79 PR), Manton’s Noah Morrow in the 3,200 (9:17.84), Mason County Central’s Andrew Quinn in shot put (61-1.5 PR), Hart’s Kellen Kimes in discus (165-10 PR), Lake City’s Gavin Bisballe in high jump (6-5), Ovid-Elsie’s Tryce Tokar in pole vault (14-3 PR) and Warren Michigan Collegiate’s Trevon Redding in long jump (22-5).
Other first-place relay teams included Madison Heights Bishop Foley in the 400 (44.38), Sanford Meridian in the 800 (1:30.97), and Traverse City St. Francis in the 3,200 (8:10.56).
Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett sophomore Jacob Juip competed in the first-time adaptive events in the 100 (57.63) and 200 (2:17.57).
PHOTOS (Top) Saugatuck's Benny Diaz, middle, builds his lead in the 110 hurdles Saturday at Kent City. (Middle) Benzie Central's Hunter Jones sets the pace on the way to one of his two race wins. (Click for more by Carter Sherline/Run Michigan.)
Preview: Past Multi-Race Champs Highlight Impressive Field Returning to Kingsford
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 30, 2025
Plenty of candidates appear prepared to step into the spotlight at this weekend’s Upper Peninsula Boys Track & Field Finals.
Several returning champions return across the three divisions to be hosted Saturday at Kingsford High School, including distance standouts Luke Hill of Houghton, Dan Goss of Munising and Kalvin Kytta of Chassell after all three won multiple Finals titles a year ago. Pickford’s Gunner Bennin also is back after winning multiple races in 2024, and Menominee’s Darrent Butler joins Kytta as past champs looking to win for the third-straight year.
Preliminaries will begin the day at 9 a.m. local (Central) time. Tickets cost $11 and are available digitally only via GoFan.
MHSAA.tv will live-stream the meets beginning at 9 a.m. (CDT)/10 a.m. (EDT), viewable with subscription. Check out the Boys Track & Field page for meet information and lists of all qualifiers. Those described as "seeded" below have received those seeds based on Regional performances or early qualification during the regular season.
Following is a glance at team contenders and individuals to watch in all three divisions:
Division 1
Team forecast: Marquette has won the last four Division 1 championships and all but one since 2015. Kingsford has finished runner-up the last three seasons, but Houghton and Negaunee might have the most opportunities to make a push this weekend although the Sentinels’ immense talent and depth again will make them difficult to catch.
Lucas Ballard, Marquette sophomore: He’s expected to take a much larger scoring role after finishing fourth in the 400 and running on a winning relay as a freshman. He’s seeded first in the 800 (1:59.87) and 1,600 (4:36.82) and slated to run on the top-seeded 1,600 relay (3:30.41).
Darrent Butler, Menominee junior: The two-time reigning high jump champion won by four inches last season and is seeded first at that same height (6-2) while also seeded sixth in long jump and set to run on the third-seeded 1,600 relay.
Mathew Frantti, Calumet senior: He’s looking at a potential big finish to his high school career as the top seed in both the shot put (46-3½) and discus (143-9) after finishing third in the shot last season.
Luke Hill, Houghton senior: He won the 800, 1,600, finished third in the 3,200 and ran on the champion 3,200 relay last season. He returns seeded second in the 1,600 (4:38.08) and fifth in the 800 and 3,200, and running on the top-seeded 3,200 relay (8:46.55).
Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie junior: One of the most highly-regarded distance runners statewide, Litzner won the 3,200 and finished second in the 1,600 last season. He’s seeded second in the 3,200 (9:34.88) and third in the 1,600 (4:40.44) this weekend.
Jacob MacPhee, Marquette junior: He’s back after winning the 400, finishing second in the 200 and running on two championship relays in 2024. He’s seeded first in the 200 (22.53), 400 (51.17) and will run on the top-seeded 800 (1:33.23) and 1,600 relays.
Kyler Sager, Marquette senior: He’s the reigning long jump champ and ran on a winning relay as well last spring. He’s seeded first in long jump (19-11¾), third in the 100 dash (11.32) and will run on the second-seeded 400 relay (45.14).
Division 2
Team forecast: Pickford has won the last two Division 2 titles, with Munising last season’s runner-up and those two also finishing first and second, respectively, at their Regional earlier this month. West Iron County won the other Division 2 Regional and could make a nice jump from ninth at last year’s Final.
John Anderson, Pickford junior: Last season’s high jump champion is seeded first (6-0) with a jump four inches higher than his winner a year ago. Anderson also finished fourth in the 110 hurdles, seventh in the 300 and ran on a runner-up relay in 2024, and he returns top-seeded in the 110 (16.86) and third-seeded in the 300 (46.63).
Gunner Bennin, Pickford junior: He’s looking to add to his 200 and 400 titles and fourth place in long jump from last season, seeded second in the 100 (12.01) and first in the 200 (24.37) and 400 (54.71) and running on the top-seeded 800 relay (1:37.91).
Dan Goss, Munising senior: The reigning champion in the 1,600 and 3,200 is seeded second in the 3,200 (10:57.73), fourth in the 1,600 and 800, and also third in the 400 (55.61).
Jayden Niemi-Alcorn, Rudyard senior: He won the pole vault last season by 1½ feet and has the top seed in that event by six inches this weekend.
Division 3
Team forecast: Newberry rose from runner-up in 2023 to champion last year, but won its Regional this month by only two points ahead of Brimley. Engadine also was a Regional champ by two points, while Lake Linden-Hubbell and Crystal Falls Forest Park won theirs by larger margins. Engadine and Lake Linden-Hubbell are seeking first Finals team titles, and Forest Park is seeking its first since 2010.
Vic Giuliani, Crystal Falls Forest Park sophomore: He debuted last season with a high jump championship and also finished fifth in both the long jump and 100 dash. He’s seeded fourth in the high jump this time and also will run the 200 and 400.
Kalvin Kytta, Chassell senior: He’s won the 3,200 the last two seasons and added 800 and 1,600 championships last year. He enters Saturday seeded second in the 800 (2:09.37) and 1,600 (4:47.27) and third in the 3,200 (11:16.88).
Matthew Rahilly, Newberry senior: After finishing second in the long jump, third in the high jump and running on two top-three relays a year ago, Rahilly is seeded first in the 200 (24.06) and long jump (20-1) and tied for second in the high jump (5-10). He won the long jump and ran on a winning relay as a sophomore.
Michael Rexford, Escanaba Holy Name junior: The reigning long jump champion is seeded second in that event (19-8), tied for the fourth seed in the high jump and expected to run on the second-seeded 3,200 relay (9:11.29).
Ethan Snyder, Cedarville sophomore: He finished second in the 1,600 as a freshman and returns top-seeded in that race (4:44.45), the 800 (2:08.14) and second-seeded in the 3,200 (11:01.70).
PHOTO Marquette's Ford Richardson hands off the baton to Evan Balko in the 1,600 relay on May 9 at the Negaunee Lions Invitational. The Sentinels broke the meet record in the race they had set the previous season. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)