Negaunee Out-Throws, Out-Races Expectations to Reign in UPD1
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 5, 2022
KINGSFORD — The Negaunee girls were ranked third coming into the Upper Peninsula Division 1 Track & Field Finals here Saturday.
Apparently, the Miners didn’t pay much attention to that as they captured their first title in four years with 119½ points. They were followed by two-time reigning champion Marquette with 98 and Sault Ste. Marie at 86.
“They outperformed their ranking,” said Negaunee coach Vickie Paupore. “Every single girl stepped up. I’m so proud of their grit and determination. Endla (Harris) was ranked eighth and placed second in the 1,600 (5:43.82) and Madison Pekrul winning the 100 hurdles (17.35) and taking second in the 300s (50.32) is an example of a freshman stepping up. We have good senior leaders, and they got the job done today. I appreciate the effort of all the assistant coaches. They make my job so much easier.”
In the weight events, Negaunee grabbed the top three places in shot put and senior Alyssa Hill, who plans to continue her track & field career at Bemidji (Minn.) State University, won discus at 120 feet.
“I had hoped to throw a little farther in disc,” said Hill, who set the school record at 123-4 in the Regional at Negaunee on May 19. “There was a little bit of wind, and I probably started thinking about it a little too much. I thought I had pretty good technique.
“A lot of girls on our team had PRs (personal records) today. Our 3,200 relay had its best time by about 30 seconds, and Natalie Bell had a PR in shot. We were ranked 1-2-7-8 in shot and got 1-2-3-5. We moved up a little.”
Junior Eliana Juchemich took shot put with a personal-best throw of 36-3¼. Hill was runner-up (32-5½) and Bell took third (31-6½).
“This is awesome,” she said. “I think my speed was pretty good in the circle, but I had to fix my angle before my release. You want to go with a 45-degree angle. You want to get good enough elevation and yet not too much. If you throw too high, you might not get the distance you want. That was an awesome thing today because everybody wants to win. Our team is real good. We push each other in practice, and it showed today.”
Aubrey Johnson provided Negaunee with an additional first in the 800-meter run (2:30.44).
Marquette showed its speed with Beax Truckey and Julia Ott placing 1-2 in the 100 and 200.
Truckey took the 100 (12.98) and 200 (26.51) and Ott was clocked at 13.01 and 26.59, respectively. The Redettes also captured the 400 (51.99) and 800 relays (1:48.37).
Sault Ste. Marie’s Claire Erickson won the 300 hurdles (49.55) and Cassandra Gallagher took the 3,200 (12:36.83).
Houghton senior and Michigan Tech recruit Ingrid Seagren, who led the entire 3,200 until the final home stretch, was runner-up (12:37).
“This is a real heartbreaker,” said Seagren, who helped the Gremlins win the 3,200 relay (10:19.08). “I’m disappointed in my finish.
“(But) we ran a decent time in our relay. I’m proud of our team.”
Escanaba senior Ciara Ostrenga won the 400 in a personal-best 1:00.22 and helped the winning 1,600 relay (4:16.27).
“After we got fourth in the 3,200 relay, I just wanted to work hard and try to leave here with an individual medal,” she said. “I think our relay did pretty good. All the girls worked and tried hard.”
Houghton's Maria Velat competed in the first-time adaptive events in the 100 (26.56), 200 (51.15), 400 (1:35.96) and shot put (10-0).
PHOTOS (Top) Negaunee’s Aubrey Johnson charges toward the finish on the way to winning the 800 on Saturday. (Middle) Marquette’s Julia Ott (5) and Baux Truckey (4) have a close finish in the 200, with Truckey edging her teammate by eight hundredths of a second. (Click for more from Cara Kamps/Run Michigan.)
Negaunee Girls Complete Perfect Season with Record-Setting Saturday
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 1, 2025
KINGSFORD — The Negaunee girls completed a perfect track & field season here Saturday, earning their first Upper Peninsula Division 1 title in three years with 155 points.
They were followed by Marquette with 109 and Gladstone at 78.
“I am incredibly proud of my team’s effort today,” Negaunee coach Vickie Paupore said. “They have been undefeated throughout the season, and I know they were a little nervous going into the final meet, but they took the confidence that they have had all year and finished strong.”
Miners’ sophomore Keira Waterman set school records while winning the 400-meter dash in 58.55 seconds and 800 (2:21.86). She anchored the winning 400 relay, which was clocked at a school-record 51.21.
Waterman added a second place in long jump at 15-11¼ and was runner-up to Marquette sophomore Taylen Todd, who jumped a personal-best 16-3½.
“My Regional time in the 800 wasn’t the best,” Waterman said. “I came in here seeded sixth, but it ended up being a pretty good day. Taylen had a real good jump.”
Miners classmate Sadie Rogers also had a hand in three firsts, retaining her 100 hurdles title (15.78), winning the 300 (47.94) and anchoring the 400 relay on this sunny and mild day at Flivver Field.
“I like it,” she said. “Feels good to win the 100 hurdles again. I was nervous before the race, but just had to have a positive mindset and do my best. This gets me in a good spot, although I have to stay humble. You never know what can happen. We had perfect weather with no wind when we were running.”
Senior Macyn Dellangelo added a first in the 100 at 12.88 seconds, followed by Gladstone senior Lauren Sundquist in 13 seconds flat and Negaunee freshman Elvera Coyne (13.05).
“I enjoy starting out of the blocks,” Dellangelo said. “It’s always nice to know I got a good start and push through it.
“This is probably the best team we’ve had in a while. We’re filled with good athletes.”
Dellangelo, who will continue her education at Northern Michigan University this fall, also led off the 400 relay.
“Keira had a phenomenal day and ran with so much heart,” Paupore said. “She improved upon her own 400 record time and broke Emily Paupore’s record in the 800 from 2018. Sadie Rogers also had some phenomenal performances in the hurdle races. She has run the hurdles so well all year.
“Our seniors really showed up today. Madison Pekrul had PRs (personal records) in both hurdles and was on a winning leg of the mile (1,600) relay. Macyn was the U.P. champion in the 100 and was a leg of our school-record setting 400 relay. She has had some tremendous improvements this season.”
Negaunee junior Baylie Bourdeau won discus with a personal-best toss of 98-2, and sophomore Priya Morey took second (93-10).
“Our discus throwers really came in clutch today,” Paupore said. “They were sitting in fourth and fifth after the preliminary rounds and ended up throwing themselves into first and second place on their last throws.”
Marquette showed its strength in the distances.
Junior Ella Fure won the 3,200 (11:44.58), and senior Maija Maki-Warne added a first in the 1,600 (5:20.98) and was runner-up in the 800 (2:22.56).
Fure placed second in the 1,600 (5:21.12) and third in the 800 (2:27.45).
“I’m really happy with my day,” she said. “I’m really proud of my teammates and Alisha (Mabie of Escanaba). Our friendship is going to last a lifetime. It’s kind of bittersweet because all my best friends are graduating. I ran my race for special people (Jenn, Addie, Stella and Jordan DeMay).”
Mabie, also an NMU recruit, was runner-up in the 3,200 in a personal-best 11:51.46 and third in the 1,600 (5:28.3).
Marquette senior Chloe Miller, bound for Wisconsin-Parkside this fall, placed fourth in the 400 (1:02.41) and 800 (2:31.58) and helped the winning 3,200 relay (10:21.35).
“I’m happy with the times I ran,” the former Alton, Ill., the resident said. “I moved up here in May 2024. I think we have the best athletes we could ask for. The people are so supportive. I never had that before. The thing I’ll remember the most is the way they took me in as one of their own.”
PHOTOS (Top) Negaunee's Sadie Rogers (center) jumps over the last hurdle of the 100 race ahead of the rest of the field Saturday at Kingsford. (Middle) Manistique's Ashlyn Jones, Marquette's Eryn Veverka, and Negaunee's Nori Korsman start the 3,200 relay. Marquette took first place and Negaunee took second. Members of the winning team also included Evelyn Grant, Chloe Miller, and Ella Fure. (Click for more from Cara Kamps/RunMichigan.com.)