Thriving with Dual-Sport Athletes, Brandywine Claims 1st Girls Track Regional Title
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
June 17, 2026
NILES – Just a few days after the 2025 girls track & field season had ended at Niles Brandywine, Terry Borr and his coaching staff were already looking forward to the start of the 2026 campaign.
"We had done a really good job at the 2025 Regional meet with the team finishing third. Our only goal that day was simply to qualify as many kids as we could for the state meet," Borr said.
Impressed with the effort put forth at last season’s meet by his Bobcats, Borr and his assistants used that as strong motivation for their athletes to attain high goals this spring.
"As a coaching staff we got together, talked things over and put some things in place with our No. 1 goal this spring being to win a Regional championship," Borr recalled.
Borr knew that wouldn't be an easy task at Brandywine, which like most small schools, must share several athletes with other spring sports teams. Out of 13 athletes on his 2026 track & field roster, eight were dual-sport participants.
Freshman Grace Colbert, junior Lily Gill, senior Karleigh Byrd and sophomore Alison Murray also played tennis.
"I managed to balance both tennis and track by prioritizing both as much as possible,” Byrd said. “Whether that was fitting in both practices and even matches and meets in the same day, that was easy to do because both my coaches are very understanding about each sport and my dedication to both programs.”
Freshman Hailey Smith also competed in softball, and freshmen Laila Wogatzke and Aubrey Burt are soccer players as well.
"We don't have a lot of practice time with some of these girls. But a lot of them are all just quality athletes and that helped us out a great deal,” Terry Borr said. “Five of these girls have broken over six school records here over the last three years.”
Borr also credits the strong contributions of his assistant coaches Brian McNamara (distance runners), Becky Shafer (throws) and Jeff Miller (hurdles).
"Brian has really worked well with our distance runners. Jeff is our football coach and he worked this spring with some of our hurdlers. Becky does a great job with our throwers too," Borr said.
Despite being spread so thin with limited practice time for nearly half the squad, Brandywine accomplished its preseason goal of winning the first Regional championship in girls track. The Bobcats placed first with 97 points to claim the Division 3 Regional at Bangor.
Brandywine scored points in 13 of 17 events to take the top spot and edge Red Arrow (a cooperative of Three Oaks River Valley and New Buffalo) by three points.
"Almost everybody on our team scored for us in the Regional. It really was a team effort,” Borr noted. “A couple weeks before the meet we had the Red Arrow team beating us by three points. So we figured out where we could put kids in different events so we could gain the maximum amount of points.”
Brandywine junior Mackenna Price was the Regional long jump champion (15-10¼).
"I think what makes me such a good competitor in the long jump is my confidence and ability to set my mind to any distance I believe in. My athleticism helps me by allowing me to push myself to be the best athlete I can be," Price said.
She teamed with Allison Kline, Byrd and freshman Zaya Price for third in the 1,600 relay. She also placed eighth in the 800.
"Makenna's desire to work hard, get better, and improving her speed down the runway all make her a good long jumper. Now she's just working more on the technical aspects to keep improving," Borr said.
Senior Allison Kline, sophomore Isabella Padron, Burt and freshman Laila Wogatzke took fifth in the 3,200 relay.
Zaya Price earned runner-up in the high jump. Murray placed second for Brandywine in the 1,600 run, fourth in the 3,200 and seventh in the 800.
"This year I succeeded the most in my 1,600. I enjoy that race the most because it takes a lot of mental strength, especially doing multiple events in one day. You really have to push yourself to the limit,” Murray said. “It's fun to watch myself and my mindset as years of running go by. My confidence and positivity are improving.
"I run cross country, and it prepares me well for track because it takes a lot of hard conditioning, like hills, pace workouts, long runs, and more. They are the same kind of workouts that you need to be successful in both sports. Since cross country is a whole 5K, the races in track, like the 800 and 1,600, feel way quicker and easier."
Byrd earned fifth in the 200 and joined Mackenna Price, Zaya Price and junior Lily Gill on the winning 800 relay (1:53.63).
"I think what makes our sprint relays so strong is that we are all so athletic and we have good chemistry. Everyone on our team pushes themselves, and we try our hardest," Zaya Price said.
Gill was a Regional champ in the 100-meter hurdles (16.19) and earned second in the 300 hurdles. Colbert took second in the 100 hurdles.
"Lily is a great athlete who has yet to reach her full potential in the hurdles. Her mechanics have improved along with her speed and athleticism. That’s what makes her a great competitor,” Borr said. “We believe that Grace will be an all-stater within the next couple years in the hurdles as well.”
Colbert, Byrd, Zaya Price and Gill swiped second in the 400 relay.
"I enjoy running in the sprint relays because working with a team of really fast girls who work as hard as you is such a fun experience," Byrd said.
Brandywine had two all-state places at the Lower Peninsula Division 3 Finals on May 30 at Kent City. Gill finished sixth in the 100 hurdles, and Zaya Price was sixth in the high jump.
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Niles Brandywine junior hurdler Lily Gill attacks a hurdle during one of her races this season. (Middle) Makenna Price sails through the air for Niles Brandywine in the long jump. (Below) The Niles Brandywine girls track & field team and coaching staff pose for a photo with the 2026 Division 3 Regional trophy at Bangor. (Action photos by Tanya Hagen. Team photo provided by the Niles Brandywine athletic department.)
Preview: Past Champions Filling Upper Peninsula Girls Track & Field Finals
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 2, 2022
An extraordinary 16 individual champions from last season’s Upper Peninsula Girls Track & Field Finals will return to Kingsford this weekend seeking the same success and more. And only six of them are seniors.
The star-studded meet will feature the final high school races for standouts like three-time champion Landry Koski from Rock Mid Peninsula and Houghton distance star Ingrid Seagren. But the Division 2 meet easily could be dominated by sophomores, and the Division 3 Finals return nine of last year’s 13 individual winners including five sophomores and juniors.
Events begin at 10 a.m. (EDT) and tickets to attend can be purchased online only at GoFan. The meets also will be broadcast on MHSAA.tv and viewable with subscription.
Below is a glance at team contenders and individuals to watch in all three divisions.
Division 1
Team forecast: Marquette solidly won its ninth championship over the last 10 seasons (not counting canceled 2020) last spring, but at last month’s Regional edged Sault Ste. Marie by just five points. The Blue Devils were last season’s Finals runner-up as well, and Negaunee in 2018 is the only team other than Marquette to claim a UPD1 championship over the last decade. The Miners had winners in three relays at their Regional and swept hurdles and throws to hold off star-powered Houghton.
Claire Erickson, Sault Ste. Marie junior: The top-seeded contender in the 300 hurdles (50.52) ran the race eight tenths of a second faster than anyone else at a UPD1 Regional. She was third in the 300 at last season’s Finals and ran on two placing relays.
Alyssa Hill, Negaunee senior: She’s seeded first in the discus by nearly 19 feet with a Regional throw of 123-4, and second in shot put at 34 as one of only two (with teammate Eliana Juchemich) who tossed farther than 31-1 in UPD1 qualifying.
Julia Ott, Marquette junior: She’s seeded second in two events – the 100 and 200 behind teammate Baux Truckey – and tied for the top seed in high jump (5-0) after winning that event last year. She’ll also run on the top-seeded 800 relay and being part of the winning 400 relay in 2021.
Ingrid Seagren, Houghton senior: The reigning 1,600 champ is seeded first in that race (5:30.23) by 13 seconds, the 800 (2:30.43) by six seconds and the 3,200 (12:34.34) by six seconds as well. She won the UPD1 cross country championship in the fall.
Baux Truckey, Marquette junior: She entered the mix in a big way last season winning the 100 and 200, and she’s seeded first in both at 12.86 and 26.73 seconds, respectively. She’ll also run on top-seeded 400 and 800 relays after helping both to wins in 2021.
Division 2
Team forecast: West Iron edged Ishpeming by 3½ points at last season’s Final and can match star power with any of the contenders with three-event champion Danica Shamion returning. Ishpeming with another returning three-event champ in Lola Korpi should be in the mix again despite just a third-place Regional finish. Bark River-Harris especially in relays and field events and St. Ignace across the board have enough potential scorers to make this a close meet.
Mckenzie Hoffmeyer, Bark River-Harris sophomore: Her Finals debut last season included the long jump championship and second places in the 100 and 200. She’s seeded first in long jump (15-11½), second in the 200 (27.99) and third in the 100 (13.57) this weekend, and also could run on the top-seeded 800 relay.
Lola Korpi, Ishpeming sophomore: This fall’s UPD2 cross country champion also is the reigning track champion in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. She’s seeded first in those three in 2:31.91, 5:47.79 and 13:09.59, respectively, but in the 3,200 she’ll have to hold off UPD3 cross country champion Kaylen Clark from Newberry. Korpi also is slated to run on the top-seeded 3,200 relay.
Danielle Lund, Manistique sophomore: She placed sixth in shot put in UPD1 last season, and she enters this weekend seeded first in shot put (33-4) and discus (96-0) in UPD2. She’s also slated to run on the top-seeded 1,600 relay.
Chloe Maycroft, Iron Mountain junior: She’s set to compete in the high jump, long jump and run on two third-seeded relays after winning high jump last season. She’s seeded second in that event (4-8) this time.
Danica Shamion, West Iron County sophomore: She burst onto the scene with championships in the 100, 200 and 400 last season, and she’s seeded first in all three this weekend in 13.2, 27.01 and 1:01.23, respectively. The 200 and 400 meet records could be hers with major performances. She’ll also compete in high jump.
Division 3
Team forecast: Ontonagon broke Lake Linden-Hubbell’s three-season Finals winning streak last spring, and won a closely-contested Regional two weeks ago that saw the top five teams all finish less than 11 points from each other. Relay strength and qualifiers throughout the meet should have the Gladiators in the mix, with Pickford’s potential for a number of meet champions make it another favorite.
Lucy Bennin, Pickford senior: Last season’s 200 champion will run that race again and also is seeded second in long jump (14-3¼) and expected to run on the top-seeded 800 relay and second-seeded 400 relay.
Abi Codere, Lake Linden-Hubbell sophomore: The reigning champion in the 100 hurdles is seeded first in that event (17.45) and also will compete in pole vault.
Ellie Delene, Baraga sophomore: The reigning high jump champion is among 10 qualifiers who went between 4-6 and 4-8 at Regionals. She’ll also run both hurdles races.
Daisy Grinsteiner, Stephenson junior: The returning pole vault champion is seeded first (8-6) by a foot, and she’ll also run on two relays.
Emily Jokela, Lake Linden-Hubbell freshman: She’s set up for a major debut seeded first in the 200 (28.48) and 400 (1:03.00), fourth in the 100 (14.01) and second in the 300 hurdles (52.52).
Landry Koski, Rock Mid Peninsula senior: One of the finest distance runners in the peninsula during her career, she’ll look to add to two 1,600 championships and a 3,200 title she’s won over her first two Finals. She’s seeded first in the 800 (2:39.04), 1,600 (5:44.73) and 3,200 (12:56.05), and third in the 400 (1:04.79).
Lilly McIntyre, Ontonagon junior: She won the 100 last season and will run that race again as well as three relays, including as part of the top-seeded 400 and 1,600 groups.
Tristin Smith, Rudyard senior: Last season’s 400 champion will run that race again, is seeded second in the 1,600 (5:48.64) and will run on two relays including the second-seeded 3,200.
Lizzie Storey, Pickford senior: The reigning 300 hurdles champ is seeded first in that race (50.07) and second in the 100 hurdles (18.18) and also will run on the top-seeded 800 and second-seeded 400 relays.
Makennah Uotila, Ontonagon junior: Last year’s long jump champ is seeded first (14-10½) in that event and fourth in the 400 (1:05.19) and will also run the 800 and potentially as part of the top-seeded 1,600 relay.
PHOTOS Ishpeming's Lola Korpi (1) takes the early lead in the 1,600 at the May 13 Negaunee Lions Invitational, with Negaunee's Marlee Plaxco (3) following close behind. (Middle) Marquette's Julia Ott wins the 200 that afternoon. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)