Did you see that? (9/10-9/16)

September 18, 2012

One of the state's premier regular-season cross country events plus some big-time volleyball in the Upper Peninsula highlight the non-football highlights from the week that was Sept. 10-16.

(Click for the Drive for Detroit football report.)

Cross country

Elite meet at MSU: The Spartan Invitational, run at Michigan State's Forest Akers East Golf Course, is arguably the most competitive regular season event in this sport and draws a number of top teams from all over the state for a series of races. Champions on Friday were the Waterford Mott boys and Grosse Pointe South girls in the Elite races, the Ithaca boys and North Muskegon girls in the White division, the Haslett boys and the Spring Lake girls in the Bronze division, and Bloomfield Hills Lahser boys and Jenison girls in the Green division. Click the "Playmakers" link for results and the others for coverage. (Playmakers.com) (Grand Haven Tribune) (Lansing State Journal)

Volleyball

Capital of  UP volleyball: Calumet, ranked fourth in Class C this week. defended its title at the Articatz Invitational Autumn Classic in Marquette by winning all 12 of its games. The field also included Marquette, Houghton and Escanaba among others. (Marquette Mining Journal)

Trojans at home above the net: More of the Upper Peninsula's top teams met nearer the Wisconsin border. Crystal Falls Forest Park, ranked No. 6 in Class D, defended its home tournament title with a 2-1 win over No. 10 Lake Linden-Hubbell in the final. (Iron Mountain Daily News)

Golf

Lakeview owns Battle Creek: Lakeview continues to rank among the state's best teams in Division 2, at No. 3 this week. And there's no question it's the best in Battle Creek, as evidenced by a sixth-straight All-City championship won with a score of 176 -- 45 strokes better than runner-up Harper Creek. (Battle Creek Enquirer)

Recognition

Clawson names Judy Hacker Field: Hacker, who died in 2011, was a pioneer of girls sports in the southeastern corner of the state during her time at the school from 1963-95. She coached basketball, volleyball, softball, track and field and field hockey at the school. The school dedicated its softball diamond in her name Saturday. (Oakland Press)

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).

Rock Mid Peninsula track“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).

Click for full results.

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.)