Rapid River Rises to Claim D3 Championship
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 5, 2016
KINGSFORD — Twelve years had passed since a Rapid River boys track and field team had been crowned Upper Peninsula champion.
The Rockets found a way to do that Saturday, however, as they edged Powers North Central 72-68 for the title. Third-place Newberry scored 48 points, followed by Felch North Dickinson with 47½ and two-time reigning champ Munising with 46.
Rapid River sealed the deal by placing second in the 3,200-meter relay in 3 minutes, 41.9 seconds. North Central won the day’s final race at 3:38.04.
The Rockets also had to overcome some adversity after losing junior Austin Wicklund to a knee ligament injury.
“It’s exciting to do this as a senior,” said Dan Blair, who anchored that relay and was runner-up to Munising senior Brett Hannah in the 800 and 1,600. “We needed every point, and everybody gave his best effort. After losing Austin, we needed to put a new guy in the 1,600 relay and change our order. This is a great way to end my high school career.
“The (open) 800 and 1,600 could have gone better. Brett and I have been battling since junior high, and today he ran great.”
This marked the fourth consecutive season Hannah won the 3,200 (10:42.7) and his third straight 1,600 championship (4:37.76). Hannah, who scratched from the 400, also retained his 800 title (2:02.12).
“With this being my senior year, I wanted to do the events I really enjoy,” said Hannah. “They had me doing the 1,600 relay, so I compensated for scratching from the 400. I’m pretty happy about repeating in all three races. This became a real good day.”
Blair was runner-up in the 800 (2:03.65) and 1,600 (4:42.08).
Sophomore Logan Hardwick provided the Rockets with a first in discus at 132 feet, two inches and North Central senior Brendan Gatien took shot put (46-11½).
Senior Morgan Cox provided the Jets with a first in high jump (5-8) and anchored the winning 800 relay (1:36.9).
Big Bay de Noc junior Lucas Sundling won the 400 (52.07), followed by North Central senior Bryce Holle (53.8) and junior Tyler Bentley (55.39).
“My goal was to break 52, but it felt like I had no energy,” said Sundling. “My body felt like it was ready for a break, but our coach (John Gores) doesn’t let us miss practice. He does everything to make us better.”
Newberry got its lone first in the 400 relay (46.68), and North Dickinson’s Garrett O’Neil won the 110 hurdles (17.08) and 300s (42.75).
“For the most part, everything was cooking on all cylinders,” said sophomore Andre James, who ran the second leg in Newberry’s winning relay and placed fourth in the 100 (11.75). “We’re really happy about winning that relay. The 100 was real fast. My start went pretty well, only I would have liked to have gotten a higher place. Overall, we did pretty well as a team.”
Eben Junction Superior Central senior Greg Seppanen and Bark River-Harris junior Iver Stenberg hooked up in a pair of tight races. Seppanan won the 100 (11.4) by 12 hundredths of a second. Stenberg then took the 200 (23.23), squeezing past Seppanen by one hundredth of a second. Stephenson’s Montel Glover was third in the 100 (11.74).
PHOTOS: (Top) Munising’s Brett Hannah (far right), Wakefield-Marenisco’s Sam Dean and Rapid River’s Dan Blair race around a curve during the 1,600. (Middle) Stephenson’s Trey Johnson (far right) wins the 110 hurdles. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)
Preview: Contenders Lining Up to Slow Down UP Boys Reigning Champions
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 28, 2026
This decade has seen only six schools win an MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals team championship in boys track & field – out of 15 opportunities – and all three meets this weekend feature returning winners seeking to stretch current title streaks already measuring multiple seasons.
But there are several more contenders in position to play stopper as they seek to begin their own championship eras.
All three divisions will be hosted by Kingsford High School, with preliminaries leading off 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. (Although not noted for most, several individuals below also will run on contending relays.)
Following is a glance at team contenders and individuals to watch in all three divisions:
Division 1
Team forecast: A sixth-straight championship Saturday would tie Marquette with the Gladstone teams from 2004-09 for the second-longest championship streak in Upper Peninsula history. But the Sentinels’ depth will have to shine through as last year’s Finals runner-up Sault Ste. Marie edged Marquette by a point at their Regional, and Kingsford and Houghton have several potential scorers as well.
Lucas Ballard, Marquette junior: The reigning champion in the 800 is seeded first in that race (2:02.82), second in the 1,600 (4:42.00) and third in the 3,200 (10:08.60).
Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie senior: He’ll graduate among the top distance runners in Upper Peninsula history. He’s won the 3,200 the last two seasons – setting the meet record at 9:31.20 a year ago – and is seeded first in that race (10:00.18) and the 1,600 (4:41.31).
Jacob Norman, Marquette senior: He’s seeded first in the 110 hurdles (15:82) after winning that race last spring.
Michael Solena, Houghton junior: He finished second in the discus a year ago but could have a much bigger day this time seeded first in that throw (144-2) and shot put (50-3¾) as well.
Gaige Sorenson, Kingsford junior: He finished second in the long jump last spring and also has multiple scoring opportunities, seeded first in long jump (20-8), running the 100 and also on two top-three seeded relays.
Division 2
Team forecast: Pickford has won three straight Division 2 championships and held of Munising by 31 points in 2024 and 50 a year ago to build the streak. Pickford has entries all over this meet again and three top-seeded relays. Rudyard is another team to watch with several potential scorers.
John Anderson, Pickford senior: The high jump champion the last two seasons is seeded first in that event (6-4) and the long jump (19-5) and second in the 110 (15.95) and 300 (45.32) hurdles.
Gunner Bennin, Pickford senior: He’s won the 400 the last two seasons and also the 200 as a sophomore, and could finish his high school career by doubling that count seeded first in the 100 (11.60), 200 (23.25) and 400 (52.61).
Talon Hughes, Ironwood senior: After winning the 100 and 200 a year ago, he’s seeded second in the 100 (11.63), third in the 200 (24.09) and also third in the 110 hurdles (16.83).
Steven Kirschner, Rudyard senior: He’s looking to move up a spot or more after finishing second in the 3,200 and third in both the 800 and 1,600 last season, and is seeded first in the 800 (2:08.51) and 3,200 (11:01.68) and third in the 1,600 (5:04.77).
Gionni McDonough, Bark River Harris junior: He won the 110 hurdles last year and is seeded to repeat (15.59) and win the 300 as well (44.64) while also competing in the 100 dash and long jump.
Division 3
Team forecast: Newberry also has built a winning streak with two straight championships, and a third is possible especially thanks to strong relays. But Rapid River dominated its Regional and should be in the hunt, and Stephenson and Lake Linden-Hubbell have qualifiers all over the lineup as well. LL-H is the returning team runner-up.
Lukas Axford, Lake Linden-Hubbell junior: After winning the 300 hurdles last season, Axford is seeded third in the 400 (56.11) and also set to run the 800.
Connor Kemppainen, L’Anse junior: The reigning 110 hurdles champion is seeded first in that race (16.87) and third in the 300 hurdles (44.07).
Brady Leblanc, Brimley junior: He’s seeded first in the 300 hurdles (43.20) and second in the 110 (16.93) after finishing fourth in the latter last season.
Ethan Snyder, Cedarville/DeTour junior: After finishing second in the 800 and 1,600 and third in the 3,200 last season, he’s seeded first in all three races in 2:06.67, 4:45.36 and 10:41.43, respectively.
Will Spranger, Eben Junction Superior Central senior: Last season’s Finals highlight was a third place in the 400, but he returns as the top seed in the 100 (11.61) and 200 (23.62) and also slated to run the 300 hurdles.
PHOTOS (Top) Negaunee's Cole Prusi (6), Kingsford's Sid Olson (5), Marquette's Jacob Norman (4), and Negaunee's Cole Pekrul (3) race the 110 hurdles May 8 at the Lions Invitational in Negaunee. (Middle) Ishpeming's Kemper Gearhart (1) leads the beginning of the 1,600 with Stephenson's Canon Kuntze (2) getting into position to follow during the UPD3 Regional on May 18 at Ishpeming. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)