Brimley Girls Add to UP D3 Dynasty

By John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com

June 1, 2014

KINGSFORD — The Brimley girls have earned their share of Upper Peninsula Division 3 track and field championships in recent years.

They added another title to their collection Saturday by scoring 84 points.

The Bays, who won for the fifth time in seven years, were followed by Bessemer with 67 points and Crystal Falls Forest Park with 55.

“When I looked at the times from other Regionals, I realized they ran in snow in some of them,” said Brimley coach Joyel Hyvarinen. “Overall, our girls did a phenomenal job. They had some to prove to everyone and themselves.”

Last year, the Bays were distant runners-up to St. Ignace (121-57).

Brimley’s Kerri Chartrand won the 100-meter hurdles in 16.89 seconds and placed second in the 300 (49.56), anchored the second-place 3,200 relay and took third in long jump at 14 feet, 5¾ inches Saturday.

Anne Archambeau won discus (108-4) and was runner-up in shot put (33-2¾). Her teammates Hana Vesela (32-9½) and Alyssa Hyvarinen (32-6¼) were third and fourth in shot, respectively.

“Our throwers scored 28 points and we had 34 in the field events,” said coach Hyvarinen. “Those were huge for us.”

Kerri Chartrand and Vesela helped the Bays take second in the 1,600 relay, with Vesela also helping the third-place 800 relay. Emily Chartrand added a third in the 3,200 (13:30).

Also helping Brimley’s 1,600 relay were Cassue Leapley and Kaylee Hill. 

Bessemer’s Lily Wieringa won the 3,200 in 13:14.61, placed third in the 1,600 (5:54.81) and helped the Speedgirls place third in the 3,200 relay. Breena Bogaczyk added a second in discus (104-11) and fifth in shot (31-11), and Valerie Rowe took third in the 300 hurdles (49.74) and pole vault (8-6).

Senior Mary Granquist led Forest Park, winning the 100 (13.34) and 400 (1:04.72) and anchoring the winning 800 relay and taking second in the 200 (27.63). 

Mid Peninsula senior Kelsey Shope retained her high jump title (5-1) and was runner-up in the 400 (1:05.61).

“I was expecting to do a little better in high jump,” said Shope. “My legs and back are real shore, although I’m happy with first. I thought things went real well overall. I think we did real well as a team. This is kind of sad because this is what I’m used to. This has been a great year.” 

Munising freshman Michaela Peramaki, who soared a school-record 10 feet in pole vault in a recent meet, settled for a winning jump of 9-0 on Saturday.

Rudyard senior Savannah Dugan had the day’s longest toss in shot put (38-11) and placed third in discus (101-0). 

Click for full results.

PHOTO: Brimley's Kerri Chartrand (center) works to the front on the way to winning the 100 hurdles at the U.P. Division 3 Final on Saturday at Kingsford. (Click to see more from RunMichigan.com.)

Tales of the Tape: Track & Field Finals

June 3, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Broadcasts of all seven MHSAA Track and Field Finals from Saturday are now available free of charge on MHSAA.TV.

Also, check out below the highlight reel including some of the most notable performances, including the following:

  • Lindsay Rudden of Marquette becoming the first girl to break the 5-minute mark in the 1,600-meter run at the Upper Peninsula Finals.


  • Great duals in the 200-meter dash between Sekayi Bracey of East Kentwood and Anna Jefferson of Oak Park in LP Division 1, and Joshuwa Holloman of Auburn Hills Avondale and Danny Bauder of Zeeland West and Josie Yesmunt of DeWitt and Taylor Manson of Lansing Waverly, both in LP Division 2.


  • Final lap kicks by Grant Fisher of Grand Blanc to win the 3,200-meter run and Karrigan Smith of St. Johns score a record-setting win in the 1,600.


  • Record-setting performances by Nolen Bright-Mitchell of Concord, Michelle Davis of Reading and Angie Ritter of Frankenmuth in the sprints and hurdles.


  • A photo finish win for Munising’s Andy Cooper in the 110-meter hurdles, one of his four victories on the day in UP Division 3.


PHOTO: Sanford Meridian relay runners complete a handoff during Saturday's Lower Peninsula Division 3 Finals at Comstock Park. (Click to see more from RunMichigan.com.)