Pewamo-Westphalia Returns to Podium
May 30, 2015
By Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half
COMSTOCK PARK – Pewamo-Westphalia girls track coach Scott Werner has a saying he believes applies to his track program: “Tradition doesn’t graduate.”
On Saturday, a team mixed with youth and experience won the Lower Peninsula Division 3 track and field championship for the second time in three years, but the crown was not clinched until the final event of the meet.
The Pirates totaled 63 points, while runner-up Manistee had 57 and defending champion Frankenmuth was third with 51.5.
Pewamo-Westphalia needed to finish at least sixth in the 1,600 relay to win the championship, but the runners on the relay did not know that. All they knew was the outcome was still in doubt.
Anchor runner Emily Kramer was not sure of the outcome after she crossed the finish line in fifth place.
“I didn’t know if I got it for my team, but I had a little bit of confidence that my teammates didn’t look too upset when I crossed the finish line, so I had somewhat of a good feeling,” Kramer said. “Considering that I don’t normally run this event, and I don’t always go last, there was a lot of pressure. I felt a lot of stress before the race.”
Although Pewamo-Westphalia did not have any individual first-place finishes, it did have two relays win MHSAA championships.
Senior Sarah Barrett, freshman Claudia Heckman and seniors Gabbie Hummel and Marissa Wirth made it two titles in a row for the Pirates in the 400 relay, although only Hummel ran on it last year. Sophomore Brenna Wirth, junior Kelly Thelen and Hummel and Marissa Wirth ran on the winning 800 team.
Brenna Wirth also had a pair of individual second-place finishes in both the 200 and 400.
While the team championship was sweet for everyone, it might have been a little sweeter for Barrett, who missed all of last season with stress fractures in both of her legs.
“It’s really a big thing to me to come back after being injured,” she said. “It felt really good. I’m so proud of my team. I knew we would do great. We’ve all been working together since our freshman year, and I knew what to expect.”
Several of the Pirates spoke of the extra motivation from finishing second at the meet a year ago.
“We definitely were disappointed last year, but we took it in stride to help us this year,” Hummel said. “Our expectation is always set to get to first place, and last year we learned that we still had to improve, even though we had done well.”
While Pewamo-Westphalia ran off with the MHSAA team title, several other athletes starred on an individual level.
Manistee senior Annie Fuller capped her stellar career by repeating as champion in the 800 and 1,600, and she broke her own meet record in the 800 in 2:09.61. She made it four MHSAA titles in a row by winning the 800, and she took the 1,600 for the third consecutive year after finishing second as a freshman.
“I definitely felt the pressure coming in, but I tend to do well under pressure,” Fuller said. “I really wanted it, and I am really blessed to be able to win it four years in a row.”
Fuller had a new opponent in Holly Bullough of Traverse City St. Francis. Bullough won the Division 4 Final titles in the 800 and 1,600 last season, but had to settle for second in both against Fuller in Division 3. After the 800, Fuller and Bullough had a nice chat as they walked across the infield.
“We became pretty close this year running together at all the meets and warming up together,” Fuller said. “I just knew she would be there because I’ve raced her a few times.”
Another individual double-winner was Sanford-Meridian junior Hailey Stockford, who swept the sprints. She won the 100 in 12.07 seconds and took the 200 in 25.11.
Frankenmuth senior Stephanie Lambeth broke the LP Division 3 Final record in the pole vault by clearing 12 feet, 3 inches, topping the previous record of 12-0 set in 2005 by Katie Shaw of Lakeview. The other champions in the field events were Manistee junior Emma Burns in the high jump, Ithaca junior Erica Shehan in the long jump, Watervliet senior Cali McLean in the shot put and Byron sophomore Jessica Marvin in the discus.
The other individual champions in the running events were Manistee senior Jessica Gustad in the 100 and Frankenmuth senior Sydney Bronner in the 300 hurdles, Adrian Madison sophomore Megan Rosales in the 400 and East Jordan senior Kayla Keane in the 3,200.
Adrian Madison took the 1,600 relay, and Shepherd won the 3,200 relay with three sophomores and a senior.
“It’s very sweet to come back and get the win after we scored 72 points and took runner-up last year,” P-W’s Werner said. “We had a very motivated group of kids. They worked very hard in the off-season.
“They wanted to get back on the podium.”
PHOTO: Pewamo-Westphalia won the 400 and 800 relays Saturday en route to the LP Division 3 team championship. (Click to see more from RunMichigan.com. Photo by Jamie Geysbeek.)
Preview: LP Girls Finals Lineup Loaded with Past Champs, Potential Record-Setters
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 29, 2026
Years from now, or perhaps much sooner, this weekend’s MHSAA Lower Peninsula Girls Track & Field Finals might be remembered as one of the most star-studded we’ve seen in some time.
Returning qualifiers have won a combined 29 individual Finals championships over the last three seasons, and at least a few meet records are in danger of being rewritten Saturday as athletes compete at four Grand Rapids-area sites.
All four LP Finals will begin with pole vault and long jump beginning at 9 a.m., followed by race semifinals and the 3,200 relay at 10 a.m. and the rest of the running finals starting at noon. Tickets cost $11 and are available digitally only via GoFan.
MHSAA.tv will live-stream all four meets beginning at 10 a.m., viewable with subscription. Check out the Girls Track & Field page for meet information for all four sites and lists of all qualifiers. Those described as "seeded" below have received those seeds based on Regional performances or meeting early qualification standards. (Although not noted for most, several individuals below also will run on contending relays.)
Below is a glance at team contenders and individuals to watch in all four divisions:
Division 1 at Rockford
Team forecast: Oak Park has won the last three Division 1 championships, and Detroit Renaissance has finished second two of the last three seasons after claiming the title in 2022. Oak Park is certainly the favorite again Saturday, but Detroit Cass Tech might offer the greatest challenge this time, with 2024 runner-up Ann Arbor Pioneer another school to watch for at the top.
Nevaeh Burns, Oak Park junior: She’s won the 400 both of her first two seasons and run on five relay champs as well, and enters this weekend seeded first in the 400 (54.21), running the 100 and 200 and as part of the top-seeded 800 relay (1:38.62).
Natasza Dudek, Ann Arbor Pioneer sophomore: The Division 1 cross country record-setting champion this past fall will attempt to build on her second place in the 3,200 and fourth in the 1,600 last spring, seeded first in the 3,200 (10:01.05) and running on the top-seeded 3,200 relay (9:08.39) after scratching from the 800 and 1,600 despite being the top seed in the latter as well.
Payton Gee, Oak Park sophomore: She was part of two relay champions last year, and could add to that haul seeded first in the 100 hurdles (13.88) and 300 hurdles (44.49), slated to run on two top-seeded relays but also qualified in the 100, 200 and 400.
Kamryn Tatum, West Bloomfield senior: She’ll close a celebrated high school career seeking a fourth championship in the 200 and second-straight in the 100. She’s seeded first in the 200 (23.68) and second in the 100 (11.77) and could also run on two relays after scratching as the third seed in the 400, which she won as a freshman.
Collette Wierks, Holland West Ottawa junior: The reigning champion in the 800 also has run on two 3,200 relay winners and enters this weekend seeded second in the 800 (2:11.31) and running on 3,200 and 1,600 relays.
Lorelai Zielinski, Traverse City Central junior: The all-Finals records for shot put and discus could fall to the Trojans’ standout, whose top-seeded tosses of 52-6 and 167 feet, respectively, would be all-time bests. She swept the throws last season.
Division 2 at Hamilton
Team forecast: Sturgis claimed its first Finals championship last season, and Spring Lake is among contenders with a chance to do the same. Sturgis should be heard from again, and 2024 champion Dearborn Divine Child also has the capability to follow its standouts back to the top.
Evie Mathis, Wayland senior: The reigning pole vault champion posted a Regional-best 13-0 and will also run on two relays.
Eliza Schwass, Ludington freshman: She’s enjoyed an incredible first season and enters her first Finals seeded first in the 800 (2:08.61) by almost three seconds, first in the 1,600 (4:40.34) by nearly nine and first in the 3,200 by nearly 14.
Macy Subka, Spring Lake junior: She finished third in the 300 hurdles and 17th in the 100 hurdle prelims last season, and enters this weekend seeded second in the 100 hurdles (14.91), first in the 300 (44.13) and likely to run on two top-seeded relays.
Leigha Whitman, Stevensville Lakeshore junior: The reigning long jump champion is seeded first (18-10½) and likely to run on two relays as well.
Aubrey Wilson, Dearborn Divine Child junior: She’ll pursue her third 100-meter title and second-straight in the 200, and is seeded first in those two races (11.52 and 23.77, respectively) and the 400 (56.14) and could also long jump or run a relay.
Division 3 at Kent City
Team forecast: Olivet broke through last season for its first Finals team championship, and the Eagles have entries seeded at or near the top in every running event as they pursue a repeat. Lansing Catholic is seeking its first girls track championship and has the potential to put up major points in the distance open races and relays. Traverse City St. Francis and Pewamo-Westphalia are others to watch.
Julia Hughes, Ida senior: The reigning 100 hurdles champion is seeded first in that race (14.60) and second in the 300 hurdles (46.03).
Giuliana Nastale, Erie Mason senior: She’s seeking repeats in both the 100 and 200 dashes, and she’s a contender in three races seeded fourth in the 100 (12.25), third in the 200 (25.58) and second in the 400 (58.88).
Emily Peters, Olivet senior: She’s running for a fourth 300 hurdles championship and seeded first in that race (45.32) and third in the 100 hurdles (15.17) with opportunities as well to run the 100 and long jump (in which she’s seeded fourth) or on any of three contending relays.
Addyson Stiverson, Montrose junior: She swept the throws last season and won shot put as a freshman as well, and her Regional shot put of 51-10 also would break the all-Finals record this weekend. She’s seeded second in the discus (145-5).
Grace Wonch, Lansing Catholic junior: She’s seeded first in the 1,600 (4:59.96) and 3,200 (10:37.02) and second in the 800 (2:18.96) after finishing eighth in the 3,200 but running on the winning 3,200 relay in 2025.
Division 4 at Hudsonville Baldwin
Team forecast: Fowler has won the last two Division 4 team titles, and the Eagles remain in the conversation with potential point scorers all over this meet. But last season’s runner-up Frankfort may be the team to watch as it runs for a first championship, entering with three top-seeded relays plus contenders in sprints and pole vault. Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep also is seeking a first Finals win and has possible contributors spread among several events.
Ryleigh Ewald, Unionville-Sebewaing senior: The reigning discus champion had the top Regional throw of 124-8 and also will compete in shot put.
Kaylie Livingston, Whitmore Lake junior: She’s won two Division 4 cross country championships plus the 3,200 the last two springs, and she’s seeded first in that race (11:01.75) and the 1,600 (5:07.55) and fourth in the 800 (2:23.01).
Claire Long, Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central junior: She won the 400 and finished third in the 200 a year ago, and this time she’s seeded first in the 400 (57.32), fifth in the 200 (25.77) and seventh in the 100.
Annie Saenz, Concord sophomore: The reigning high jump champion had the highest Regional jump this spring (5-7) by four inches and also could run on two contending relays.
Clara Slattery, Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep junior: She finished second in the 200 and 100 hurdles and third in the 300 hurdles during a strong 2025 meet, and could follow that up substantially seeded first in the 200 (25.01) and 300 hurdles (43.86) and second in the 400 (58.12) and 100 hurdles (15.51).
PHOTOS (Top) Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Natasza Dudek, front left, and Gaylord’s Kate Berkshire take the early lead in the Diamond 1,600 at Romeo’s Barnyard Invitational this season. (Middle) West Bloomfield’s Kamryn Tatum, middle, sprints to an Oakland County championship Friday. (Photos by Dave McCauley, at Oakland County, and John Brabbs at Romeo/RunMichigan.com.)