Ontonagon's Team Effort Nets 3 Relay Wins, 3rd Team Title in 6 Seasons
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 5, 2022
KINGSFORD — The Ontonagon girls withstood the challenge of retaining the Upper Peninsula Division 3 track & field title here Saturday, winning for the second straight year with 74 points.
Stephenson edged Munising 62-60 for the runner-up trophy.
“When you come to the Finals, everybody can do something special,” said Ontonagon coach Brian Amos. “This is our third title in six years. We have a bunch of good kids who do what’s asked of them. We’re super proud of the girls. That’s a team effort.”
The Gladiators won the 400-meter relay in 52.84 seconds, 800 (1:52.68) and 1,600 (4:28.41) on a sunny and warm day.
“We’re pretty excited right now,” said senior Kiirsa Kolpack, who anchored the 400 relay. “Our handoffs and chemistry are real good. Being in sync with each other makes a big difference. We had a breeze kind of drifting on the south end of the field, which kind of cooled us off a little.”
Ontonagon’s Lilly McIntyre won the 100-meter dash in 13.7 seconds, edging Dollar Bay’s Ashlea Datto by one tenth of a second.
Kolpack was runner-up in the 100 hurdles (17.36), and Violet Amos placed second in the 400 (1:01.58).
Stephenson’s Jada Kuntze took high jump at 4 feet, 10 inches, and second in the 800 (2:34.99), and Daisy Grinsteiner added a first in pole vault (8-0).
“This is our first U.P. trophy since 1993,” said Stephenson coach Kate Kuntze. “This is a young team, and these girls like winning. Hopefully, we can take the next step next year. We have work to do.”
Munising opened with a victory in the 3,200 relay (11:23.25), and Monique Brisson took second in the 3,200 (13:15.72).
Purdue Northwest recruit and Rock Mid Peninsula senior Landry Koski gained her third straight 1,600 title in a season-best 5:31.74 and added firsts in the 800 (2:32.19) and 3,200 (12:52.73).
“The weather was nice all day, then it got hot in the 3,200,” she said. “The wind definitely swirled throughout the day – although, I’m real happy with how today turned out. The 400 could have been a little better. That’s not really my race, but it’s good speedwork. I’ll take the three firsts any day, and my times were real good. This is a good stepping stone for collegiate running. Running is such a mind game. It can be so stressful.”
Lake Linden-Hubbell freshman Emily Jokela won the 400 in a school-record 1:00.45 and 300 hurdles (47.78), and placed third in the 100 (13.78).
Teammate Abi Codere added a first in the 100 hurdles (17.19) and second in pole vault (8-0).
Brimley’s Grace Hill took shot put (34-10) and second in disc (101-1).
PHOTOS (Top) Ontonagon's Alli Bobula approaches the finish line first in the 800 relay Saturday. Other members of the winning team were Lilly McIntrye, Kiirsa Kolpack, and Senia Kolpack. (Middle) Rock Mid-Peninsula's Landry Koski celebrates crossing the finish line just ahead of Rudyard's Tristin Smith in the 1,600. (Click for more from Cara Kamps/Run Michigan.)
Pickford Girls Narrowly Outpace Rest to Clinch 1st Finals Title Since 2007
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 1, 2025
KINGSFORD — It was a tight race for the title at the Upper Peninsula Division 2 Girls Track & Field Finals on Saturday, as eight points separated the top three teams.
Pickford scored 74 for its first championship since 2007, when it was competing in D-3.
The Panthers were followed by West Iron County at 71 points, Munising with 66 and Ironwood and three-time defending champion Bark River-Harris both with 53.
Junior Talya Schreiber, a two-time UPD3 cross country champion, proved to be the difference-maker on this sunny and mild afternoon, taking the 800-meter run in 2:31.91, 1,600 (5:12.47) and 3,200 (11:23.06) and leading off the winning 3,200 relay (10:50.61).
Senior teammate Brooke Portice added a second place in discus (94-7) and took fourth in shot put (29-4½).
Hancock senior Ella Keranen was runner-up in the 1,600 (5:41.92) and 3,200 (12:43.31) and third in the 800 (2:34.5), and led off the second-place 3,200 relay (11:06.58).
Ironwood senior Aubrey Smith placed second in the 800 (2:34.24) and third in the 1,600 (5:48.38) and 3,200 (12:53.21).
West Iron freshman Bristol Shamion was a triple-event winner, taking the 100 hurdles (17.56) and 300s (49.4) and long jump at 5 feet, and she placed second in the 200 (27.59). Her sister, junior Lacey Shamion, was second in long jump (14-11½) and helped the Wykons take second in the 800 relay (1:54.69) and third in the 1,600 (4:40.55).
BR-H swept the sprint relays, taking the 400 (54.77) and 800 (1:54.57), and junior Mira Johnson won pole vault (8-0). Sophomore Emma Zawada ran in both relays and provided the Broncos with a third in the 300 hurdles (50.85).
Norway had a double-winner in junior Lauren Adams, who took the 100 (12.9) and 200 (27.31) and added a second in the 400 (1:01.66). Munising freshman Addie Bowerman placed second in the 300 hurdles (50.59) and third in the 100s (18.14) and helped the Mustangs win the 1,600 relay (4:28.66). Senior teammate Elizabeth Wing won discus (96-0) and was runner-up in shot put (31-¼), and classmate Dayne Behning placed second in 100 hurdles (17.64) and fourth in the 300 (53.01).
Rudyard’s leader was freshman Amelia Fountain, who won the 400 on a lean, tied for second with Ishpeming sophomore Alexis Riley and Ironwood senior Hannah Vaughn in pole vault (7-6) and took third in the 200 (27.83) and fourth in the 100 (13.36).
Junior Emma Wardon added a first for Ironwood in shot put (36-5½), and Painesdale Jeffers got its lone first from sophomore Brielle Anderson with a leap of 15-7¼ in long jump.
PHOTOS (Top) Pickford's Haleigh Frank runs the last leg of the 3,200 relay Saturday. Pickford won with Talya Schreiber, Teryn Firack, and Ellie Jentoft. (Middle) At the start of the 1,600 run, Schreiber (1), Bark River-Harris's Hope Varoni (3), and Hancock's Ella Keranen (8) angle for position. Schreiber took first place and Keranen took second. (Click for more from Cara Kamps/RunMichigan.com.)