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- #40 - Indoor Nationalspalooza
#40 - Indoor Nationalspalooza
Jeff Hollobaugh
March 16, 2024
Inside This Issue
NCAA Highlights
From left: Aasia Laurencin, Grace Stark, Kaila Jackson. (Ravi Smith photo)
Boston—The queens of Michigan track gave us fans a fantastic NCAA D1 Championships! Georgia’s Kaila Jackson (Renaissance) repeated as runner-up finisher in the 60, zipping to a 7.08 finish. In the heats she ran 7.07, the fastest-ever by a Michigander. (It’s also distinctly superior to the 7.07 she ran last year in the high altitude of Albuquerque). She came back in the 200 to place 4th in 22.63 (after running a PR 22.55 in the heats).
Florida’s Grace Stark (White Lake Lakeland) came back from a year of injury, surgery and rehab to place 2nd in the hurdles in 7.81. That’s the No. 3 time by a Michigander, after the 7.78 that she ran in winning NCAAs two years ago and the 7.80 that Tiffany (Ofili) Porter ran in winning silver at the European Championships in 2011. Just a half hour earlier, Stark placed 6th in the 60 in 7.20 (7.18 heat).
Michigan’s Aasia Laurencin blasted a PR 7.99 in the hurdle heats, then placed 6th in the final at 8.04. She is the eighth Michigander to break 8-seconds. We are a hurdle-rich state on the women’s side!
Pole vaulter Jessica Mercier (Waterford Kettering) placed 8th at 14-5.25 (4.40). She had earlier been Big 10 runner-up for Indiana with her PR 14-7.25 (4.45). Only two Michiganders have ever gone higher.
MSU’s Heath Baldwin (Kalamazoo Hackett) led our men, with a surprising runner-up finish in the heptathlon. He scored a stunning 6238, breaking the state alumni record by 164 points, and that record was set by Olympian Steven Bastien at the World Indoor Championships in 2022. He PRed in 4 of the 7 events.
South Carolina’s Dylan Targgart (Coldwater), the SEC runner-up in the shot, placed 3rd with a near-PR 65-5.5 (19.95). He is the No. 2 indoor thrower in state history (No. 1 is Steve Manz with his 66-7).
Michigan’s guys had mixed success. Dubem Amene (Southfield Christian) placed 12th overall in the 400 heats (46.39) and did not advance. Nick Foster (Pioneer) ran 3:57.85 (his ninth career sub-4) in the mile heats to advance, then placed 9th in a tactical final at 4:05.32. Michigan’s distance medley, running less than 2 hours after Foster’s heat race, ended up 12th and last in 9:38.40. True freshman Trent McFarland (Utica) led off with a fine 2:56.66, Amene ran 46.00, Miles Brown (Novi) ran 1:48.21 to hand off in 5th. Foster, however, clearly exhausted, could only manage a 4:07.31.
Two surprises turned up in the women’s DMR, as neither was listed in the original entries. Sophie Novak (Lake Orion) led off Notre Dame’s runner-up 10:53.14 effort with a 3:20.78. Zofia Dudek (Pioneer) led off Stanford with a 3:22.02; the team ended up 10th in 11:03.99.
NCAA Division II
Just noting Michigan HS alum here, not everyone on a Michigan-based team. Grand Valley’s men placed 2nd overall, and the women placed 4th.
Women:
800: 4. Taryn Chapko (GVSU-St Johns) 2:09.15.
Mile: 4. Klaudia O’Malley (GVSU-McBain) 4:43.71 PR.
3000: 7. Lauren Kiley (GVSU-Plymouth) 9:27.58 PR.
5000: 3. Anastasia Tucker (GVSU-Midland Dow) 16:08.43 PR.
PV: 4. Taylor DeHommel (GVSU-Hudsonville) 13-6.25.
SP: 1. Erika Beistle (GVSU-BighRapids) 53-8.5.
4×4: Kylie Ray (Pinckney) anchored Findlay to 7th in 3:44.31
DMRL 2. Grand Valley 11:22.63 (Kate Zang-Rockford on 400, Taryn Chapko on 800, Klaudia O’Malley on 1600).
Men:
800: 7. Scott Spaanstra (GVSU-Brighton) 1:51.66.
Mile: 6. Dominic Suliman (SVSU-Warren Cousino) 4:19.93.
SP: 1. Myles Kerner (GVSU-GR Kenowa Hills) 63-4.25.
WT: 5. James MacKey (GVSU-East Kentwood) 68-9.75; 6. Ben Haas (Hillsdale-Clarkston) 67-11.75.
4×4: 4. Grand Valley 3:10.99. Zach Pray (Fruitport) ran leadoff.
DMR: 4. Grand Valley 9:45.99 (Scott Spaanstra on 800).
NCAA Division III
Women:
400: 7. Sara Schermerhorn (Hope-Traverse City West) 56.45.
Men:
200: 8. Jordon Brown (Olivet-Niles) 21,83.
HJ: 6. DeVondre Chandler (Olivet-Bath) 6-8.25 PR.
NAIA
Women:
400: 8. Charity Jones (Madonna-Waterford Kettering) 55.51.
600: 1. Hannah Antkoviak (Olivet Nazarene-Allegan) 1:28.80 PR; 5. Lauren Hamilton (Madonna-Grand Ledge) 1:33.20; 7. Ronnie McMillan (Aquinas-Grand River Prep) 1:33.70.
800: 6. Jacqueline Albo (Lawrence Tech-Grosse Pointe North) 2:16.40.
Mile: 3. Noel Vanderwall (Taylor-Petoskey) 4:55.63.
60H: 2. Hannah Antkoviak (Olivet Nazarene-Allegan) 8.39 PR.
HJ: 1. Emma Valentine (Siena Heights-Morrice) 5-9.75 PR; =6. Kaylee Diamond (Aquinas-Lowell) 5-7.25.
PV: 6. Tatum Townsend (Cornerstone-Frankfort) 12-4.5 PR; 8. Emma Stewart (Spring Arbor-Salem) 12-0.5.
LJ: 7. Kaylee Diamond (Aquinas-Lowell) 18-3.25; 8. Morgan Vargo (Cornerstone-Rockford) 18-2.25.
SP: 7. Lena Korte (Concordia-Clinton) 46-1.5.
4×4: 1. Olivet Nazarene 3:42.90 (Antkoviak on anchor).
Men:
200: 3. Vincent Giuliano (Olivet-Nazarene-Concord) 21.21.
400: 6. Vincent Giuliano (Olivet-Nazarene-Concord) 47.43.
5000: 1. Luke Pohl (Indiana Wesleyan-Plymouth Christian) 14:28.14 PR.
LJ: 1. Robert Atwater (Midland-Lincoln Park) 24-8.25 PR; 5. Matthew Gipple (Siena Heights-Coldwater) 24-0.75.
WT: 4. Mason Darden (Madonna-Lansing Waverly) 64-7.25.
DMR: 3. Spring Arbor 9:55.29 (Jacob SIngleton-Parma Western, Caden Kyser-Spring Lake, Isaiah Romeyn-Ellsworth, Camden Khon-Armada).
New Balance Nationals
The Motor City A Team sprint medley finished 2nd in the nation. (Instagram)
Motor City TC made a big impression, taking 2nd in the sprint medley in 3:57.66, the No. 2 performance in Michigan history (Morgan Roundtree, Carrie VanNoy, Nevaeh Burns 55.55, Kylee King 2:10.27). King’s anchor is the No. 3 fastest ever, after an Alice Hill 2:09.39 and an Ursula Farrow 2:09.45.
On the last day, Motor City ripped 3:47.81 for 4th in the championship 4×4. It’s a tribute to the club’s tradition that the performance is only 11th in state history. The top 10 times are all from Motor City! The foursome: (Dayshana Kellogg 57.04, Nevaeh Burns 57.45, Morgan Roundtree 56.81, Kylee King 56.52). Track Life finished in a nothing-to-sneeze-at 3:53.13.
Motor City also had a foursome of girls make All-American with their 5th in the shuttle hurdles at 33.70. Unfortunately, their names did not end up in the results. And the club’s boys 4×4 took 8th in 3:20.80, the No. 15 performance ever.
Of course, there were more Michigan teams there than Motor City. In the 800, Brendan Herger took 6th in 1:51.57. TJ Hansen ran a 4:09.42 mile, Jessie Jazwinski 4:51.80. Layla Jordan clocked 2:13.14 in the 800. Jayden Harberts ran 10:46.01 for 2M.
Quincy Isaac impressed with his 4th-place in the long jump. His 23-6.75 makes him No. 10 in history. All of his fair jumps were over 23-feet. Merrick Hocking threw 62-7.25 in the weight.
In the heats of the championship 4×2, Ann Arbor Youth TC (ie. Belleville), blasted a 1:28.83 to record the No. 4 time in state history (Schmar Gamble, Will Jaiden Smith, Colin Williams, Elijah Dotson). In the finals, they made All-American by placing 4th in 1:30.04.
One to watch out for is Motor City 8th grader Janae Coleman. On Thursday she won the middle school 400 in 56.20. The next day she took the 800 in a stunning 2:11.76 that lopped nearly three seconds off Amelia Bannister’s 2005 state record for 8th graders.
We put together a “complete” account of Michigan competitors and how they did. Sorting through the NB results was a chore and I’m sure we missed people. Let me know who! LINK
Nike Indoor Nationals
Abigail Russell - national champion in the weight throw. (Instagram)
On a national level, it if weren’t for top distance runners such as Elizabeth Leachman from Texas (9:44 & 15:28), the Nike production would be fast on its way to joining this weekend’s adidas Championships as a second or third-class “national” meet. On the Michigan level, participation at the Armory dropped to the lowest level in memory, but we still had some great events to celebrate.
Three athletes reached All-American status by placing in the top 6 in a championship event. The best was Allen Park’s Abigail Russell, who won the weight throw with her 56-5.25, just missing the state record once again. It is the No. 2 heave in state history. Her series: (f, 54-8.25, 53-5.75, 56-5.25, f, f).
In the high jump, Milena Chevallier placed 3rd at 5-8.75 and in the shot, Rylan Finstrom placed 5th at 43-5. A compilation of all the Michigan results is at this LINK. Please let us know if we missed anyone!
2003 D1 Track Finals Mystery
Yes, that’s right, 21 years ago. Anyone out there have pictures or video of the boys 3200? Dustin Voss of Saline won in 9:08.53. But according to our notes, there was a timing discrepancy for the people behind him. A picture of Dustin finishing would likely solve the mystery, as the runner-up, Frank Tinney of Ann Arbor Huron, was either 0.18 behind or 4.84 seconds behind. Please let me know if you can shed light on this! [email protected]
College Signings
If you know of one that wasn’t previously reported here, please let us know! [email protected]. This has been a feature since issue #28. To check back issues, go here.
Nikki Carothers (Brighton) - Central Michigan
Libby McCarthy (Manistee) - Marquette
Ciara Rosenzweig (Rockford) - Central Michigan
Little Things
Michtrack Results Archive: The Archive now includes 11,309 old results and clippings, thanks to the many people who have scanned old results and sent them. Check out the Archive!
Past Issues of the Michtrack Newsletter: Can be found here.
The Michigan Track & Field Hall of Fame: A work in progress. See where we are.
Michtrack Books:
XC! High School Cross Country in Michigan 1921-2020
The Fleet Feet of Spring: Michigan's High School State Championships in Track & Field (includes 2023 season)
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