State Track, Field Qualifiers for Jackson County Teams

(June 3, 2022 8:16 AM) Jackson County will be well represented at the Michigan High School Athletic Association state finals on Saturday.

Western’s girls’ team and Concord’s boys’ team should be near the top in their respective team competitions.

Last year Grass Lake won both of the Division 3 titles. 

The top two finishers plus athletes who had state-qualifying times, heights, or distances at regional events two weeks ago qualified for the state meet on Saturday. The top eight in each event earn medals and all-state honors at the state finals. 

Stay tuned to JTV.TV for results later on Saturday night.

Here are the student-athletes hoping to be on the podium Saturday afternoon from Jackson County. 

Division 2 boys: Jacob Singleton of Western High School won the 3,200-meter run with a time of 10:04 at the D-2 regional two weeks ago to qualify for the state meet. Lincoln Raczkowski of Western finished second in the 300-meter hurdles to qualify for the state meet with a time of 40.68 seconds. The Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 finals will be held at Forest Hills Eastern High School with field events starting at approximately 9 a.m. 

Division 2 girls: Alyna Lewis of Western High School won the 800-meter run for Western in 2:24 at the regional meet to qualify for the state finals. Western finished third in the 400-meter relay (51.78), but qualified for the state meet based on time with Jocie Berry, Emma Berdiner, Lewis, and Lilli Luma. The same team won the 800-meter relay for Western in 1:47.58 and the Panthers won the 1,600-meter relay in 4:08 with a team of Anna Burk, Lillian Heydenburg, Luma, and Lewis. Western finished second in the 3,200-meter relay with a team of Kaelyn Pluta, Justice Prins, Cami Boldt, and Heydenburg in 10:28.

Division 3 boys: Graham Gumper of Hanover-Horton won the 100-meter dash (11.41) at the regional meet two weeks ago to qualify for the state meet; Andrew Stockton of Grass Lake was the regional champion in the 200-meter dash (23.65); Austin Brown of Hanover-Horton finished second in the 800-meter run (2:01) to qualify for the state meet; Jacob Walker of Columbia Central won the 1,600-meter run (4:29), Rogan Melling of Hanover-Horton was second (4:31), and Matt Rankin of Grass Lake was third (4:34) with a qualifying run; Walker also won the 3,200-meter run (10:00); Holden Van Poppel of Napoleon won the 110-meter hurdles (15.34) and Jack Easterday of Grass Lake was second (15.78) to qualify for the state meet; Easterday flipped the script winning the 300-meter hurdles (40.99) and Van Poppel was second (42.46); Grass Lake finished second in the 800-meter relay (1:33.56) with a team of Robert Anderson, Gus Vitale, Jack Easterday, and Stockton; Easterday of Grass Lake was second in the high jump (6-0) to qualify for the state in that event; and Gumper of Hanover-Horton finished second in the long jump (20-9); and DeVonta Habern of Napoleon had a state-qualifying jump (20-5.25) for third place.  

Division 3 girls: Lexus Bargesser of Grass Lake finished third in the 400-meter dash (1:00.36) with a state-qualifying time at the regional meet two weeks ago; Madison Osterberg of Lumen Christi won the 800-meter run (2:22) and Sophia Reynolds of Hanover-Horton was second (2:25); Osterberg won the 1,600-meter run (5:08) and teammate Faith Smith was second (5:14); Smith also won the 3,200-meter run (11:16); Grass Lake was second in the 400-meter relay (52.58) with Grace Bullock, Makenna Horodeczny, Kate Starkey, and Layne Terry and Napoleon had a state-qualifying time (53.00) with Alysa Budd, Alexa Burgess, Alexis Kermans, and Maggie VanWagnen; Grass Lake finished third in the 800-meter relay (1:51.67) but had a qualifying time with the same team as the 400-meter relay; Hanover-Horton finished second in the 1,600-meter relay (4:17) with Olivianna Watkins, Morgan Kuhl, Chelsea Russ, and Sophia Reynolds and Lumen Christi finished with a state qualifying time (4:19.2) with Lily Beebe, Smith, Sydney Fazekas, and Osterberg; the Titans won the 3,200-meter relay (9:58) with the same team; Elly Trefry of Michigan Center won the pole vault (10-9); and Budd of Napoleon won the long jump (17-9.25). Kaylee Kopulos finished third in the discus, but had a state standard with a toss of 105 feet for the Spartans to qualify for the D-3 state finals. The MHSAA Division 3 finals will be held at Kent City High School with field events beginning at approximately 9 a.m. 

Division 4 boys: Concord High School finished second to Summerfield, 146.5 – 138.5 at the D-4 regional at Webberville High School two weeks ago. Concord won all four relays at the regional meet; Mekhi Wingfield won the long jump for the Yellow Jackets (21-5.5) and was third in the high jump (6-1) but met the state-qualifying height. Tyler Carpenter finished second in the 100-meter dash for Concord (11.97); teammate Adair Artis was second in the 400-meter run (53.8) to qualify for the state meet; Jonathan Mikovits won the 1,600-meter run (4:42) and the 3,200-meter run (10:26) for Concord; Omarion Culliver of CHS finished second in the 110-meter hurdles (16.32); and Kyle Styles of Vandercook Lake finished fourth in the discus (126-3), but qualified for the state meet with the toss. 

Division 4 girls: Kaitlyn Pilch of East Jackson won the 100-meter dash (13.53) and the 200-meter dash (28.53); Brynn Mericle of East Jackson won the 100-meter hurdles (16.88) and the 300-meter hurdles (49.60); East Jackson won the 400-meter relay (53.9) with Pilch, Mericle, Addisyn Rudd, and Savana Stewart; the Trojans finished second in the 800-meter relay (1:53.22) with the same team; Mariah Kerley of East Jackson won the shot put (31-6); and Rudd of East Jackson won the pole vault (9-0). Lily McCabe of Concord qualified for the state finals by finishing second in the shot put (28-11.25).  The Michigan High School Athletic Association D-4 meet will be held at Baldwin Middle School in Hudsonville with field events beginning at approximately 9 a.m.