Hamlin Breaks Escanaba's 48-Year-Old High Jump Record, Climbing List of State's Best
By
Adam Hinch
Special for MHSAA.com
May 7, 2026
ESCANABA — Over the last three seasons, Escanaba sophomore Andrew Hamlin has shown big gains annually in the high jump – and this year he has broken Escanaba High School’s record not once but twice, with plenty of opportunities remaining to better his best performance.
Hamlin took his first jumps in seventh grade but did not actively start competing until his eighth-grade year at Holy Name School in Escanaba.
“I remember the meet in Bark River,” Hamlin said. “I used to go off my right side with my left leg and then switched halfway through the season and ended up breaking the record.”
Hamlin broke Holy Name’s school record at the Escanaba Junior High Invitational with a jump of 5-foot-7 on May 14, 2024.
He also came in 11th at the Upper Peninsula Division 3 Finals that spring with a jump of 5-4 as one of only two eighth graders to compete in the Division 3 boys high jump that day.
“I knew Andrew since he was in fourth grade,” Holy Name athletic director Tony Derkos said. “He is a great kid, and track really gives him a chance to be his own athlete.”
Hamlin switched to Escanaba High School as a freshman and had a jump of 6-foot at the Division 1 Regional in Escanaba last spring. He then came through with a jump of 6-2 at the UP Finals in Kingsford where he was finished second as one of only two freshmen to place among the top 10.
“I really enjoy the competitiveness of the sport,” Hamlin said. “It definitely helps to fuel you as an athlete to improve every time out.”
Hamlin also has a personal coach, Hugo Munoz, who was a member of the Peru national team and competed in the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics.
Hamlin has competed in two high jump camps, one in Wisconsin and most recently one in New Prague, Minn.
Now a sophomore, he broke the high jump record for Escanaba High School with a jump of 6-6 on April 21at the Delta County Invite in Gladstone. The previous record was set in 1978 by Keenan Failing.
“It meant a lot to get the record,” Hamlin said. “It was one of the goals for the season coming in, and I was just kind of surprised that it happened this early in the season.”
That record lasted for 10 days until the Escanaba Invitational on May 1, when Hamlin completed a jump of 6-7. That height ranks eighth statewide this season and first among Upper Peninsula jumpers.
“I have to adjust my goals for the season,” Hamlin said. “I never thought I would hit this high of a height this early in the season, so now I’m just trying to stay consistent and improve my height when I can.”
Hamlin will be taking part in the Nike Nationals this summer as well as some other high jump events. He also competes for Escanaba in the long jump, 400 meters and 1,600 relay, and plays football and basketball for his school.
“He’s everything you want in an athlete,” Eskymos track coach Scott Dykema said. “He is a good competitor and is always working on his game and what he can do to improve every time he goes out.”
Hamlin has overcome various injuries but works to get back in action as soon as he can.
“He never lets injuries keep him down,” Derkos said. “He is a tough kid and battles through injuries, and that is the sign of a natural competitor – which is what he is.”
Hamlin has aspirations of taking the high jump to the collegiate level and said he also enjoys distance running. He competes in 5K races and said he would enjoy running a marathon at some point.
“I think it would be fun to run a marathon,” Hamlin said. “That would come after college as there is so much time and training that goes into preparing for a marathon, but definitely something I would have interest in down the road.”
Hamlin has at least four track meets left this season as Escanaba will compete in Negaunee on May 8, at the Division 1 Regional at Manistique on May 13, and at Gladstone and Gaylord as well before finishing at the UP Finals on May 30 in Kingsford.
PHOTOS (Top) Escanaba’s Andrew Hamlin soars over the high jump bar during a meet. (Middle) Hamlin completes a turn in the long jump pit. (Photos by Adam Hinch.)
LP Division 3 Champs Take Winning Steps
June 4, 2016
By Jeff Chaney
Special for Second Half
COMSTOCK PARK – In track and field, the difference between an MHSAA Finals championship and not being atop the medal stand may be the difference of a step or two.
Marlette's Andrew Storm proved that Saturday at the Lower Peninsula Division 3 Finals at Comstock Park High School.
Two tweaks to his technique paid huge dividends, as Storm won both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles with times of 14.82 and 39.14 seconds, respectively.
"I eliminated a step from my block and found a lot of new drills that helped me win the 110," said Storm, who will take his talents to Oakland University next year. "Then in the 300, I eliminated two steps from that race, which really helped me."
Both were personal-best times, and they could not have come at a better time.
"All year I have been tweaking my runs, and I progressively got better," Storm said. "I didn't hit the first hurdle today in the 110, because I planted the first hurdle at Regionals, and that's why I was not seeded first today in that event. It really comes down to that."
The Sanford-Meridian 400 relay of Monte Petre, Andre Smith, Miles Leviere and Christian Petre set a meet record with a great time of 43.14. That group effort helped the team win its second MHSAA title in three years with 39 points, five more than runner-up Hillsdale.
"This was a group effort," Christian Petre said. "Everyone has put in the work, and we ran a smooth relay. We were peaking at the right time."
"We knew the 4X100 was going to be our strength coming in, and they set a goal of breaking a state record earlier this year and they accomplished that," Sanford-Meridian coach Mike Bilina added. "The kids work really hard, they buy into the weight room and really enjoy improving."
The Sanford-Meridian 800 relay team of Monte Petre, Matt Hoffman, Leviere and Christian Petre also won with a time of 1:29.21, while Christian Petre took second in the 100 and 200 and Monte Petre took sixth in the 100.
The Mustangs’ finish was not a huge surprise. But another thing great about sports is that anybody can have the day of his or her life and make a name just like that.
That's what happened to Wyoming Lee sophomore Thomas Robinson, as he won both the 100 and 200 with times of 11.09 and 22.2 seconds, respectively.
What makes Robinson's story so special is that he did not even play a sport his freshman year, but decided to go out for football this year and played both wide receiver and cornerback.
And after a little nudging from former Lee football coach Carlton Brewster, Robinson decided to go out for track as well.
"Coach said this would help me out for football, and I think it will," Robinson said. "I did expect to win the 200, but never thought I could win the 100, because I was seeded sixth coming in."
An athlete used to the spotlight was Grand Rapids West Catholic senior thrower Carl Myers.
Myers came into Saturday's Finals as the reigning champion in the shot put, looking to break the meet record that Allendale's Zack Hill earned with an impressive toss of 63 feet, 9.5 inches in 2009.
Myers came up short of that, but won his second shot put title with a personal-best throw of 62-9.75. He also won the discus title with a throw of 172-1.
"Of course my goal was to break the record, but I'm happy to get the wins," said Myers, who will be going to the University of Michigan next year to play football and throw the shot put. "My whole team worked hard this year, and it paid off."
PHOTO: Marlette's Andrew Storm (right) clears a hurdle on the way to one of his two individual titles Saturday at Comstock Park. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)