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.)
Oak Park Makes Up for Lost Time with Another Championship
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
June 5, 2021
KENTWOOD – Nonah Waldron has run in all kinds of challenging conditions, but nothing like this.
The Oak Park sophomore pushed aside tough headwinds which all runners struggled with to win a pair of events at Saturday's Lower Peninsula Division 1 Girls Track & Field Finals at East Kentwood.
Waldron said she's run in heat, freezing cold and soaking rain, but never has she met up with the strong winds that buffeted Falcons Stadium. The conditions didn't seem to detract from the results, however, as she swept to victories the 100 hurdles (13.72) and 300 hurdles (43.17). The 100 hurdles time was seventh-best in state history.
"I fought them the whole races," Waldron said of the wind. "It was more mental than physical. My mind was where it was supposed to be – focused and believing in myself. But it was harder, a challenge."
Waldron said the wind wasn't going to keep her from success.
"It was definitely my goal," she said of winning twice. "I ran a 13.4 at nationals in Oregon, so I knew I had a chance."
Waldron helped Oak Park to the team championship with 86 points. Detroit Renaissance was runner-up with 62 points, and Ann Arbor Huron third with 45.
Oak Park coach Brandon Jiles said his team has been eyeing Saturday’s championship for months. Last season was canceled due to COVID-19, but Saturday’s win ran Oak Park’s title streak to three and six over the last seven seasons.
"Excellence is part of our tradition, and the kids work hard. We put a lot of work into this," he said. "We battled through adversity and made up for missing last year. We've been tough and resilient, and I think that improved our chances this year."
While the conditions were rugged for all runners, Birmingham Seaholm senior Audrey DaDamio had a fantastic meet in winning the 800 (2:11.95), 1,600 (4:44.38) and 3,200 (10:22.11). She now owns school records in the 1,600 and 3,200 and is second in the 800.
DaDamio, headed to Stanford this fall, said a clean sweep of all three events has been a goal since a successful indoor season.
"It's been something I've been looking to do all season. I thought, 'Why not?'" she said. "My season has had some ups and downs since I came off the indoor season (and indoor state record) which blew my mind. But I didn't feel like I have been able to showcase my talent in some races (this spring). That's been tough."
DaDamio said she felt strong after the 1,600 and despite temperatures in the high 80s, winning two more events seemed possible.
"I thought the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward," she said. "If I lead in a race, fine. If not, I just relax. I had confidence."
Kaila Jackson of Detroit Renaissance was also a double winner, capturing the 100 (11.70) and 200 (24.01). Jackson said she doesn't necessarily have an opinion as to which race is stronger for her.
"They are pretty much the same," she said. "The wind held me back, but you've still got to be out there pumping your arms. Considering the wind, times weren't as fast, but it was still tough. I train hard in both events and I'm pretty strong. It's a challenge.
"I thought I had a chance because I've trained so hard. I looked at the times and thought I could do well."
Among the other winners were Lincoln Park's Karrington Gordon, who won the high jump in 5-7. Gordon, who will play basketball next season at Central Michigan, was only a ninth seed in the high jump – which she said prompted extra effort.
"I wanted to prove them wrong," she said. "I did 5-7 and a quarter three weeks ago, so I knew I wasn't far off. I knew there was good competition, and I knew I had to be ready."
Among the other individual champions were Traverse City's Leah Doezema in the discus (145-4), Sophia Mettes of Dexter in the pole vault (12-6), Opal Jackson of Macomb L'Anse Creuse North in the shot put (47-3), Alaina Diaz of Hudsonville in the long jump (19-9) and Jada Roundtree of Oak Park in the 400 (55.13).
Among the relays, Renaissance won the 800 (1:36.99) and the 400 (45.56) while Ann Arbor Pioneer won the 3,200 (9:09.43) and Oak Park the 1,600 (3:46.63).
PHOTOS: (Top) Oak Park, led by double winner Nonah Waldron (far right) dominated both hurdles races Saturday at East Kentwood. (Middle) Birmingham Seaholm’s Audrey DaDamio celebrates one of her three championships. (Below) Oak Park climbs the champion’s podium for the third straight season. (Action photos by Ike Lea; team photos by John Brabbs/RunMichigan.com.)