Smith Sets Tone as Multi-Talented Pewamo-Westphalia Ascends Again

By Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com

June 1, 2024

KENT CITY – Trevor Smith set the tone early for the Pewamo-Westphalia boys track & field team Saturday at Kent City.

The junior sprinter earned a narrow win in the 100 to collect early points that would prove beneficial in the Pirates’ pursuit of their latest Lower Peninsula Division 3 championship.

“It was a big win right away in the beginning, and it helped put us in a good position,” Smith said. “It was a big emotional shift, and it was unreal.

“I didn’t really expect it, but it was a big help toward our team with points. I just missed winning last year, so to come back and win it meant a lot.”

Pewamo-Westphalia kept its early advantage throughout and hung on in the end to capture the title. The Pirates, last year’s runners-up, recorded 49 points to clip second-place Clare by four points. Detroit Edison was third with 32 points.

P-W senior Gavin Nurenberg repeated in the shot put (60-02), while senior Collin Farmer added a pair of top-4 finishes in the distance events.

“Our boys had a really nice season, but this was always the focus from Day 1,” Pirates coach Scott Werner said. “We felt we had the pieces in place when we got out of Regionals, and we were just excited to attack the day.

“We are the type of program where we are good in quite a few events. We don't rely on one person. We set the tone early with unexpected points in the 3,200 relay, and it built from there.”

Ovid-Elsie's Tryce Tokar attempts a vault amid the rainy conditions.Farmer finished runner-up in the 3,200 and fourth in the 1,600.

“There are not a lot of teams that have good guys in the field, sprints and distance, so I think that brings a lot of peace to the team,” Farmer said. “We knew that we could trust each other, and not one person had to take control.”

Senior Dalton Brown also provided a lift with a personal record en route to a third-place finish in the shot put.

“I challenged each of the separate groups to go out and score a minimum of 15 points,” Werner said. “We had a plan and an approach for every single event, and they trusted the process and executed at the highest level. I’m proud of them.”

Clare made a late push with a strong showing in the relays, while also receiving a boost from senior Brad White. He cruised to a win in the 800 with a new personal-best time and also was part of the winning 1,600 relay.

“Honestly, I didn't expect this,” White said. “I came into today pressure-free. I’ve already accomplished everything I could ever want in a season, and I'm just as happy as I can be to come out here and do something special, especially in my last high school race. I’m proud of my team and my PR.”

North Muskegon senior Jerry Wiegers repeated in the 400 by edging Geoffrey McBurrow of Detroit Edison. Wiegers also won the 200.

“There was a lot of pressure (to repeat), and I was worried on the whole ride here that I was going to screw up and I was going to have to hand the title to someone else,” Wiegers said. “But when I finally passed the finish line and I won, I was like, ‘I did this again, in my final year in high school.’ It was a good way to cap off my career.”

Coloma senior Boden Genovese (1,600) and Grayling senior Drew Moore (3,200) won the distance races, and Napoleon senior Holden Van Poppel (110) and Elk Rapids junior Max Ward (300) were hurdles champions. Standish-Sterling (400), Edison (800) and Traverse City St. Francis (3,200) also won relays. Lawton junior Mason Mayne (discus), Ovid-Elsie junior Tryce Tokar (pole vault) and Clare sophomore Conan Weeks (long jump) were other field event winners. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett senior Jake Juip (100 and 200), Montague junior Wyatt Fairchild (400) and Perry senior Alec Chapman (shot put) won the adaptive event championships.

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Pewamo-Westphalia's Trevor Smith, center, edges Dearborn Advanced Technology's Cobey Cureton and University Liggett's Santino Cicarella, among others, in the 100 on Saturday. (Middle) Ovid-Elsie's Tryce Tokar attempts a vault amid the rainy conditions. (Click for more from Jamie McNinch/RunMichigan.com.)

Pickford Boys Score Big in Sprints, Hurdles & Jumps to Run Finals Streak to 3

By John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com

June 1, 2025

KINGSFORD — The Pickford boys made it a three-peat here Saturday, earning their third straight Upper Peninsula Division 2 track & field championship with 127½ points.

They were followed by Munising with 77½ points and Rudyard with 63.

Pickford junior John Anderson set U.P. Finals and school records in high jump, soaring 6-7, three inches higher than the previous record by James Sutton of Newberry 12 years ago.

“This feels great,” he said. “I’ve been chasing that for a while. We had a light practice here yesterday (Friday) and I worked on form. Warm weather and a positive mindset also helped. … This is definitely a good confidence builder.”

Anderson became runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles after Bark River-Harris sophomore Gionni McDonough dived across the finish line for the victory. Anderson also took second in long jump (19-½)

Bark River-Harris's Gionni McDonough dives for the finish line and beats Pickford's John Anderson by two hundredths of a second in the 100 hurdles.“Before the race I knew it was going to be close,” McDonough said. “Right before the finish I decided to go for it. There was nothing to lose. Without diving I don’t think I would have won it. Pickford really does have a strong program. I told the guys I’m going to give it my all and maybe they will, too.”

McDonough was clocked in 16.18 seconds, a personal record by fourth tenths of a second, with Anderson at 16.20.

Pickford junior Gunner Bennin added a first in the 400 (52.87), anchored the winning 800 relay (1:35.79) and placed second in the 100 (11.38) and third in the 200 (23.54).

“I knew the wind was going to be a factor in the backstretch,” he said. “Our handoffs went real well. I got the baton a little late, but was able to hold on. We ran a season-best time. That definitely helped set the tone.”

Senior Tom Storey added a first in the 300 hurdles (42.7), tied for second with Gwinn senior Don Jourden in pole vault (10-6) and placed fourth in the 110 hurdles (17.1).

McDonough was runner-up in the 300s (44.15) and helped the Broncos take third in the 400 relay (47.17).

The Panthers also won the 1,600 relay (3:43.53) and placed second in the 3,200 (8:50.1). Junior Carver Day, a part of both relays, added a third place in long jump with a personal-best leap of 18-7½.

Munising senior Dan Goss had a hand in four firsts, taking the 800 (2:05.63), 1,600 (4:38.12) and 3,200 (10:34.55) and leading off the winning 3,200 relay (8:45.96). Classmate Trevor Nolan was runner-up in the 800 (2:07.09) and 1,600 (4:40.97).

Ironwood junior Talon Hughes took the 100 (11.18) and 200 (23.22) and placed third in the 110 hurdles (16.45).

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Pickford's Carver Day hands off the baton to Luke Koben in the 3,200 relay Saturday in Kingsford. (Middle) Bark River-Harris's Gionni McDonough dives for the finish line and beats Pickford's John Anderson by two hundredths of a second in the 100 hurdles. (Click for more from Cara Kamps/RunMichigan.com.)