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.)
After Close Calls, Chelsea Claims Title
June 1, 2013
By Greg Chrapek
Special to Second Half
ADA – This spring’s high school sports season long will be remembered for having some of the worst weather in years.
While the wet and cold weather hampered many teams across the state, the Chelsea boys track team used it to its advantage. And the payoff was an MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 track and field championship Saturday afternoon at Forest Hills Eastern.
After coming close the past two years, the Bulldogs came away with this year’s title as they totaled 64 points to edge second-place Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills by eight points.
Chelsea finished second two years ago, and last year the Bulldogs placed third. This year, thanks to some hard training when the weather was at its worst in the spring, Chelsea had what it took to bring home the title hardware.
“Back in March and April when the weather was bad and everyone was complaining about how bad the weather was, we talked about just concentrating and working harder,” Chelsea coach Eric Swager said. “Rain, sleet or snow everyone was out there working their hardest, and it paid off. … Everyone just worked that much harder when the weather was bad.”
The hard work resulted in Chelsea having a deep team capable of scoring points in a variety of events.
“Everybody contributed,” Swager said. “The sprints, the relays, the distance runners, field events. The entire team has been focused and working hard from day one. We have some individual talent, but everybody stuck together and that was the key.”
Berkley Edwards was one of the individual talents that helped pave the way for the Bulldogs. One of the state’s top sprinters, Edwards wrapped up his high school track career by winning both the 100 and the 200-meter dashes.
Edwards turned in a time of 10.58 in the 100-meter dash and then came back to edge Gary Jones of Allegan in a 200-meter dash that came down to the end. Edwards finished with a time of 21.37.
“Things went well for me today, better than expected,” Edwards said. “I ran a 10.58 which was a p.r. (personal record) in the 100, and then I ran a 21.37 which was a p.r. in the 200.”
The highlight for Edwards was holding on to win the 200.
“It was definitely a photo finish,” Edwards said. “It was a real close race. My strategy was to get out to the lead and hold it on the curve. I heard him (Jones) coming. I didn’t want to stress. I just stay relaxed.”
Sweeping both the 100 and 200 was a major key to Chelsea’s title and part of the strategy going into the Finals.
“My coaches told me I had an opportunity to win two races,” Edwards said. “They thought I could get the 100 and possibly the 200, and if I did we had a real good chance of winning.”
The Bulldogs also picked up points in the field events as senior Michael Hovater won the pole vault by clearing 14 feet, 10 inches. Chelsea also won the 3,200-meter relay as the team of Zach Rabbitt, Jacob Stubbs, David Trimas and Tony Vermilye turned in a time of 7:55.84.
Chelsea was pushed for the title by an Ottawa Hills team that had one of its best Finals performances in recent history. Key to Ottawa Hills’ strong effort was the performances turned in by its sprint relay teams.
Ottawa Hills finished in the top three of three of the four relay events, led by the first-place 400-meter relay team of Shawn Kneeland, Sam Beal, Jacori Millbrooks and Teyland Avery.
The relay was seeded second coming into the day but came away with the school’s first title-winning effort at the Finals since 1997.
“This was real big,” Kneeland said. “The key for us was to focus. Not to worry about anyone else and just focus on running our best.”
Senior Teyland Avery ran the anchor leg for the Bengals.
“To win a state title in Grand Rapids was real special,” Avery said. “We had two seniors on the relay team, and to finally win a title is special. Last year we finished third at state and we didn’t do too well. This just feels great. To run in my city and to win in my city is pretty special.”
For Detroit East English senior Marcell Wyckoff and the rest of his teammates, Saturday’s Finals were the first in school history as East English is in its first year as a high school. Wykoff, who came in seeded second, won the 400-meter dash.
“The first thing I wanted to do was to get out fast,” Wykoff said. “I knew if I got out to a good start, nobody would catch me. I had a pretty good start, and I held on.”
Wykoff’s title was the first in school history and was a little bittersweet for the senior.
“I came over from Crockett Tech,” Wykoff said. “This year was really different. It was not like I thought my senior year would be, but it ended up pretty good winning a state championship. It feels good on the inside.”
Mason senior distance runner Tanner Hinkle ended a few years of frustration both on the track and during cross country season. He won the 3,200 by more than four seconds with a time of 9:13.41.
“I have finished second two different times at state,” Hinkle said. “Winning it my senior year feels real good, to finally win a state title. I also finished second at state during the cross country season. I’ve been very close to a state title a few times before, and to finally win one is a dream come true.”
In the field events, Cadillac senior Riley Norman closed out a successful high school throwing career by winning the shot put for a second consecutive season. He turned in a winning put of 59-10, missing a Finals record by less than two feet.
“I won it last year with a 61-2 ½ and this year I had a p.r. of 62-10,” Norman said. “I wanted to set a new record, but I came up a little short.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Chelsea's Berkley Edwards races toward the finish line on the way to winning one of his two MHSAA titles Saturday. (Middle) Mason's Tanner Hinkle sets the pace in the 3,200. (Photos by Greg Chrapek.)