HOUGHTON — Dan Juntilla more than likely would have enjoyed a day like this past Tuesday at Houghton High School.

Although the former Houghton boys track & field coach couldn’t be there in person, he was probably enjoying the sunny and seasonably cool afternoon in spirit during the third annual memorial invitational held in his honor.

“He was a special guy,” current Houghton boys head coach Erik Johnson said. “I had the privilege to coach with Dan, and this is something which would have been special to him. He was always there for everybody.”

The Gremlins dominated this year’s version of the Dan Juntila Memorial Invite with 250 points. They were followed by Negaunee with 86 and Dollar Bay with 74.

“Dan was such a nice guy,” Dollar Bay coach Ben Tampas said. “He wanted to see everybody do well. Even if his team won, Dan was quick to point out how well everybody did. During the coaches’ meetings, he always had a quick joke to lighten everything up. He wanted to keep everything from getting too serious. He was always willing to answer your questions. He never turned his back on anyone. He was always willing to help. He would have loved this, too.”

The Houghton girls also won with 118½ points. Calumet was runner-up at 104 and Negaunee, which brought a partial team, placed third with 86.

Juntilla, who died unexpectedly on Jan. 9, 2022, graduated in 1970 from Wakefield High School where he was class president and lettered in football, basketball, tennis and track.

He lettered in football at Michigan Tech and earned a master’s degree in social work, counseling and secondary education at Northern Michigan University.

Juntilla coached track and football for decades at Houghton, where he taught English and local history.

“Dan was my coach when I was a freshman,” Gremlins’ senior Brody Mattila said. “He had a lot of influence on our program. This is a real special day.”

Mattila, who will be attending the University of Michigan on an academic scholarship this fall, won the 110-meter hurdles in a school-record 15.26 seconds, long jump at 19 feet, 8½ inches, and anchored the winning 400 relay (45.74) in his final home meet.

“I was excited when I found out I got the record,” he said. “I’ve been shooting for this all year. We had perfect conditions, and my warm-ups went great. I’m looking forward to the U.P. (Division 1) Finals (Saturday at Kingsford).”

Mattila’s hurdles record was one of at least five set Tuesday.

“This was another good day for us,” Johnson said. “Our 3,200 relay has been strong all year, and Brody setting the record in the 110s helped set the tone. We’ve struggled in shot put and discus for many years, but this year we’ve been doing quite well. The field events have been coming through for us. Everybody was stepping up.”

Chassell junior Kalvin Kytta took the boys 3,200 in a school-record 10:08.69, and West Iron County senior Danica Shamion collected four victories, setting school records in three of her races.

“It has always been my goal to go under 10 minutes in the 3,200,” Kytta said. “This takes some of the pressure off for Saturday. Now I can just go after a sub-10.”

Shamion set records in the 200 (25.79), 400 (56.74) and high jump (5-5) and captured the 100 (12.75).

“Running in the 56s in the 400 was my goal since last year’s U.P. Finals,” she said. “This feels amazing. I had a Hancock girl (senior Brielle Kero) right beside me, and it was close all the way. She really pushed me. Getting the 200 record is also something I wanted to do for some time, and I’ve been working on high jump a lot. This takes a lot of the pressure off, but I still have one more high school meet left and I’m going to give it my all. I’m not done. I’m not stopping now.”

Kero was runner-up in the 200 (26.73) and 400 (58.92).

Juntilla also served as a Little League coach, hockey manager and a mentor to many and was recognized by the MHSAA for 40 years as a registered game official as he refereed basketball at the high school, middle school and elementary school levels.

John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

PHOTO Houghton's Brody Mattila crosses the finish line during a downpour in the 400 relay at the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference championship meet May 22 in Ishpeming. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)