What State Records Are In Trouble?

On the one hand, our state records are in many cases brutally tough. On the other, we have some very talented, hard-working athletes preparing to go after them. So which of our all-time bests in the standard MHSAA events are in the most trouble? Permit me to prognosticate, while keeping in mind that the last time I tried this, I was wildly wrong on multiple counts!

Girls Sprints (11.37, 23.01, 52.03): Going to call these very safe. Kaila Jackson put that 200 out of sight last year but even she couldn’t touch Shayla Mahan’s 100 mark. And that 400, let’s give Neveah Burns a few years.

Watch Shamar Heard’s 46.02 state record from last summer.

Boys Sprints (10.23, 20.21, 46.02): Udodi Onwuzurike put the short sprints on an otherworldly level in ‘21. They’re safe unless we see a major revelation from Braxton Brann, Shamar Heard or Jaiden Reed. But that 400 mark? As good as it is, Heard set it last year as a sophomore, and as you read in our interview with him in Newsletter #2, he has big goals and the drive to make them happen. Don’t sleep on that one.

Girls Distances (2:05.05, 4:37.73, 9:49.9): With her return to form, I’d call Rachel Forsyth a threat to get both the 800 and 1600. Recall she holds the indoor 800 best at 2:06.30, and that in the early season, her speed looks better than ever with a 56.78 PR at 400. Note that last year indoors she also ran 4:38.8 on a DMR anchor and 10:02.12 for 3200.

Boys Distances (1:47.55, 3:56.6, 8:36.3): We have some great talent coming up, but so far no one looks like they’re challenging the 800/1600 marks set by Donavan Brazier and Hobbs Kessler. However, Kessler’s 3200 mark could face an attack from Hunter Jones and company. The big Shepherd race this weekend might be the best chance we’ll see before nationals.

Girls Hurdles (13.16, 42.17): All eyes are on Oak Park’s Nonah Waldron and Morgan Roundtree here. You have to figure that 300 mark is in grave danger, since Morgan set it last year and still is only a junior. And Nonah is no slouch at the long hurdles, with a 42.66 plus the state record at 400H, 58.10. The 100 mark is a lot tougher, set by the legendary Grace Stark. Waldron has a best of 13.56. She recently had the fastest-ever early season time in state history, a 13.71 into a headwind. So there’s a chance…

Boys Hurdles (13.48, 35.90): The 110 mark from Thomas Wilcher is now 43 years old. Kenneth Ferguson’s 300 mark is 21 now. So yeah, they’re very good. Braxton Brann (14.07 PR) looks to be the best challenger this year. He’ll be focusing more on the 110s than the 300s. Fingers crossed.

Girls Jumps (6-0, 13-9, 19-9.75): The HJ and PV look safe, as no one shows signs of getting to those altitudes. The long jump, meanwhile, will take some luck. Maya Anderson of Rockford (18-5.5 PR/19-0.25w) and Woodhaven’s Maya Justice (18-10 PR) both are promising. But they will need not just the right weather, but the right meet management. A wind reading is required for the state record. That means their best bets will come at State, the Champion of Champions Festival or Nationals.

Boys Jumps (7-2.25, 16-9.5, 25-2.5): While I would love more than anyone to be surprised here, I’m not holding my breath.

Girls Throws (51-11, 166-5): Allen Park’s Abigail Russell is our most promising shot putter, but at 46-7 she still has a long way to go (but hey, she’s a junior!). Discus could be another story. Let’s see how the season unfolds for Russell (148-1 PR), not to mention Maeli Hope of Whitehall (153-0), Savannah Breitwiser of Walled Lake Central (144-9) and indoor recordholder Sophia Snellenberger of Quincy (144-0).

Boys Throws (69-4.25, 210-1): Hmmm. Like I said, I’m not very smart about the future, but so far, I’m not seeing a threat.

Girls Relays (45.56, 1:36.29, 3:36.72, 8:48.29): The shorter relay marks, owned by Renaissance, are probably safe until the Phoenix develop another big headliner or two. The Oak Park 4×4 mark is also out of sight this year, but give Coach Jiles another year or two to develop his talent. The 4×8 mark by Grosse Pointe South has lasted for 11 years, but if anyone has a chance, it’s Ann Arbor Pioneer.

Boys Relays (41.17, 1:25.0, 3:12.53, 7:36.36): Not seeing a threat in the 4×1 or 4×2 yet. That 4×2 mark is now 29 years old, and it’s going to take an incredible team. Sadly, every time I think there might be a chance, the state finals schedule destroys hope. All of our sprinters are already thrashed from prelims and the 100 final by the time they get to the 4×2. Go to a 2-day state finals and we might see these teams run to potential. The 4×4 mark can be threatened—Chippewa Valley (3:18.64 indoors) looks great, and with state record holder Shamar Heard on anchor… And don’t count out Ann Arbor Huron, which ran 3:19.14 indoors. That 4×8? I’m looking at you, Northville, to give it a good scare.

Hot High School Results

The latest Michtrack Elite Lists: Boys - Girls

A Tuesday tri featuring Pioneer, Monroe and Saline saw Rachel Forsyth and Mia Rogan tangle in the 400. Forsyth again bettered the state best with a 56.78, while Rogan clocked 58.98. Earlier Forsyth had run on a 2:14.9 leg on a 9:12.8 relay for Pioneer, then she won the 800 in 2:17.07 and closed with a 56.9 on the 4×4.

At Dexter on Tuesday, Huron’s Braxton Brann hurdled a list-leading 38.74. He also produced straightaway wins of 10.74 and 14.53.

Allen Park’s Abigail Russell boomed a big 147-7 in the discus in a tri-meet at Woodhaven. That moves her to No. 2 on the year list, No. 31 in Michigan history.

Royal Oak’s Elyse Finch produced a great throws double with her 42-11.5/133-7 win against Troy.

West Bloomfield frosh Kamryn Tatum sprinted a list-leading 12.12 in the 100 into a slight headwind against Seaholm. She backed that up with another leader in the 200 at 25.39. In between, she ran 58.27 in the 400.

Nothing is better than a meet that comes down to the final relay. In a great dual meet, two of the state’s top boys teams tangled, Rockford emerging the 1-point winner, 69-68, over home team East Kentwood. The 4×4 did not disappoint, as the Rams topped the Falcons, 3:28-72-3:29.93

At Friday’s Don Lukens meet in Kalamazoo, Joshua Hurt of East Kentwood unleashed a 14.23w in the hurdle heats, then came back with 14.44 in the final. Andrew Berryhill of Lakeview improved his state lead in the shot at 60-0. Adalyn Liang of Portage Central produced a surprising 12.23w/25.70w sprint double.

On Friday, some of the state’s top distance runners gathered in Romeo for the Barnyard Mile. Rachel Forsyth won the girls race in 4:52.90 over Woodhaven’s Payton Scheffler (4:59.90) and Emily Cooper of Pioneer (5:03.42). In the boys race, Anchor Bay’s Thomas Westphal triumphed in 4:11.62 over Freeland soph TJ Hansen (4:15.46) and Utica’s Trent McFarland (4:18.07). Earlier in the day, Mia Rogan of Saline won the 800 by nearly 10 seconds with her 2:13.98.

Kellen Kimes of Hart had a nice throws double at the Kent City Elite, with wins at 56-5.75 and a PR 173-3.

On Saturday, I had the fun of announcing at the Elmer Ball Oxford Invitational. Called a new state leader from Damarcus Rouse of Rochester Adams (48.29 in 400). Teammate Parker Orlowski impressed with a 1:54.55 win at 800 (plus 1:53.6 relay), and the two were the two fastest legs on a list-leading 3:22.94 relay. Great West Bloomfield sprint doubles by Kamren Flowers, 10.80 (1.5) & 22.10 (0.7) & Kamryn Tatum: 12.18w (2.4) & 24.86 (1.1), the latter a state leader. On the field, the best mark was the PR 148-1 by Allen Park’s Abigail Russell in the disc.

At the Courageous Invitational, Braxton Brann of Huron went a little nuts, nailing state leaders in the 100 (10.61), 110H (14.07) and 200 (21.63) all with legal wind. Michael Davis-Hawkins of Cass Tech won the 300H in a PR 38.96. Kylee King of Oak Park ran the 800 in 2:12.54. Nonah Waldron won the 100H in 13.84 (1.6) with teammate Morgan Roundtree 2nd (14.36). They switched in the 300s, Roundtree 43.05-Waldron 43.52. Renaissance relayed 47.71 in the 4×1, but Oak Park took the 4×2 in a list-leading 1:39.92; ditto for the 4×4 (3:49.66).

At Brighton’s Bulldog Invitational, Maya Rollins of Pioneer blistered a 14.22 in the 100 hurdles. Brighton’s Liam Kinney bettered his list-leading vault at 15-1.

Grand Rapids Christian took over the DMR lead with a 10:47.72 at the East GR Classic.

At the Grand Rapids Elite Invite, the mile proper was run. Benne Anderson of Ottawa Hills won a thriller in 4:08.62, moving to No. 9 on the all-time mile list (no converted 1600s), with Seth Norder of Grand Haven in 4:10.01 and Hunter Jones in 4:10.88. Anderson’s split at 1600 was 4:07.33—that rates him No 12 all-time for 4 laps (including the converted mile times). For the girls, Selma Anderson of Ottawa Hills ran 4:57.29 to beat Annika Sandman of Lowell (4:59.34). Sandman came back to run a state leader 10:31.45. On the field, GR Catholic Central’s Joseph Mullett stunned with a 6-9 in the HJ.

Buckley junior Aiden Harrand, ran a 4:53.52 followed by a 2:11.46 and 10:54.90 to win the distance triple at Reed City’s Coyote Invitational.

The Alumni Beat

Kayla Windemuller (Holland Christian alum) won the steeplechase for Michigan at the Penn Relays. Her PR of 9:51.60 makes her the No. 5 alum ever. Samantha Tran (Forest Hills Northern alum) won the 1500 in 4:15.47.

Taylor Manson (East Lansing and Motor City TC alum) captured the 400 in 51.47. Brighton alum Jack Spamer, running for Michigan, hit a steeple PR of 8:52.01 to place 4th.

Legend: Kim Turner – Detroit Mumford 1979

“I learned that you have to take some beatings because I’ve lost a lot of races. And I’m still losing but I keep doing what I have to do,” said hurdler Kim Turner. That ability to keep getting back up and fighting is what made the Detroit Mumford/Motor City TC great an Olympic medalist.

Even as a senior at Mumford High, she knew big things were in her future. “The Olympics is my goal,” she told a reporter. “I think 1984 will be my year. I’m not quite ready yet.”

The Detroiter finished her high school career in 1979 with two state titles in the 100 hurdles and another on the 4x2 with her Mumford teammates. At the time, Michigan preps were running the low (30”) hurdles. At the AAU Junior Champs she got a chance to run the 33-inch college height and flew to a 13.83.

Turner signed with UTEP, where she flourished. In 1982, the first NCAA Championships for women, she placed 3^rd . The next year, runner-up in a PR 12.95. And in 1984, she won the NCAA title. A few weeks later, she won the Olympic Trials in 13.12 in one of the tightest finishes ever. Places 2-3-4 all clocked 13.13.

At the Los Angeles Olympics, Turner tied for the bronze medal in 13.06. “I can’t believe it,” she said. “I guess somebody up there likes me after all.”

As a pro—competing under the last name McKenzie—she stayed in the sport through 1992, when she did the fastest running of her life, clocking 12.77 at the Mt. SAC Relays that year. Her best time indoors came at the World Indoor Championships in Budapest in 1989, a 7.92.

“Track & field is the thing that I was born to do,” she told a reporter in 1991. Yet she was unable to get back to the Olympic stage. In 1988, she just missed, placing 5^th in the Trials. In 1992, before the Trials she said, “Is this my last hurrah? I don’t know. I’m certainly going to put everything I have into this effort, and then we’ll just have to see.” She finished 6^th in her semifinal and did not advance.

Turner won a total of four USA titles in addition to her Olympic Trials victory. She was ranked among the top 10 American hurdlers of the year by Track & Field News a remarkable 10 times from 1981-1992. She later coached at Alabama A&M for 19 years.

Interview: Braxton Brann, Ann Arbor Huron

Huron’s Braxton Brann was promising last year, with bests of 10.71 (10.44w), 21.25 and 14.37. He made All-State in the D1 110H, finishing 3rd. This season, however, working with Huron head Andre Bouldin and assistant Rod Wilson, he has become a force. With a 6-3/203 build that often dwarfs his competition, he blazed MITS titles in the 200 (21.24) and 60H (8.07). At New Balance Nationals in Boston he finished 5th in the hurdles (7.90 after a 7.85 heat) and 6th in the 200 (21.14 state record after a 21.16 record in the heats). Earlier, at the UM Invitational, he had recorded the fastest indoor 200 leg in state history, a 20.49. He has kept his momentum outdoors, producing state leaders in 4 events: 10.61, 10.45w, 21.63, 14.07 and 38.74 so far.

Michtrack: You had a fantastic indoor season. How did you feel about it?

Brann: It was definitely nothing that I could have even predicted. Everything, all the pieces were just falling right into the puzzle… Everything that I was really working for and more. I didn't know I would go out there, run a 21.1, run a 7.85. I was just trying to be better than I was the last time. Just constantly trying to improve.

Michtrack: That last day at Nationals you had a packed schedule. How did you approach that?

Brann: Ever since I was a freshman, even before that, during AAU season, my day used to go 100, 400, 200. So running a whole lot of times during one day and still trying to run them all fast isn't anything new to me. Especially in high school. When my events went from three in one day to four, I just knew I could trust my body. I've done this multiple times before, so just don't overthink it and go out there and execute.

Michtrack: In doing my research for this talk, I found results for you going back to kindergarten. How did you get into track so young?

Brann: My mom has a coworker, one of their kids ran for Ann Arbor Track Club. And so she wanted me to be active at a young age, get me to sports really quick. That way, I could go in there, grow up, have a passion for it, and eventually have something to keep me busy. And it was either track or basketball. And basketball, I didn't like sharing the ball too much. For track it was just get up and go.

Michtrack: Did you ever do football?

Brann: No. I would've loved to play football but my mom was like, “Oh, it's too dangerous.” She's like, “Plus you’re getting all this attention for track.” I was like, “Ah dang, I could have maybe gone pro.”

Michtrack: Have you done anything different this year in training to step up to this new level?

Brann: More like I've just been trying to constantly improve, watching a whole lot of film of my own workouts. Like, “Oh, am I swinging my arms clean enough? Am I getting my legs out quick enough?” Just some fine tuning.

Michtrack:  You’re good all over the place. What events do you think you'll end up running at regionals and state?

Brann: I plan on running the 110 hurdles, the 200 and the 4x4.

Michtrack: No 100?

Brann: Nah, the 100’s usually just a workout. Anytime we run the 100 it's really just a workout meet. That way we can take advantage of just running against different people and just getting some stuff down like, is your start good.

Michtrack: After that 10.47, it looked like you were ready to be one of the fastest in state history.

Brann: Yeah, I am proud of that one. My old teammate way back when I was a sophomore, he was running 10.50 and I thought he was moving. So really just running anything that I can compare to one I used to look up to is just great in my eyes.

Michtrack: As an aside, if you end up going under 14, you're getting to the territory where we need a wind gauge on you because state records do not count without that gauge.

Brann: I definitely wish we had more wind gauges all around the meet because I see these times from Texas, like, dang, they have a wind gauge every meet.

Michtrack: Tough question: what is your best event?

Brann: Ooh, my best event. I'm definitely gonna say my 200. Ever since I first started, ever since I can remember 200 was my favorite event and that was definitely the event that gave me the most love back. The 200 was the first event that I medaled at Junior Olympics in. It's also the event I most recently medaled in Junior Olympics in going into the summer of my recruiting. That 200 was my best time overall and was really a big reason why I got the kind of attention from colleges that I did. So really, the 200 is my best event.

Michtrack: What would you say your goals are for the rest of the season?

Brann:  Of course, I'll obviously want to hit that sub-14 in the 110 hurdles. For the 200, anything under 21 and then really should go from there. For the 300 hurdles, I’m not really looking for any time in particular. Just looking for a good workout, just execution. Our main focus really as far as long hurdles goes is the 400 hurdles. The 300 hurdles is really just like a good setup. The 400 hurdles, anything 53 or faster would be something we're looking for.

Michtrack: For nationals, are you thinking Nike or New Balance?

Brann: For Nationals we're thinking definitely New Balance after indoor season with all those fast people I was running against, Issam [Asinga] and Brody [Buffington]. I definitely don't think I'm going to get that competition at Nike, so I want to go running back with them.

Michtrack: I’m sure you saw Issam’s 9.83 race. Does that blow your mind?

Brann: Oh yeah. That's pretty crazy, especially since I was just running with the guy in Boston in the 60 and the 200 multiple times, to go see him turn around this outdoor season running against Noah Lyles. It's like, “Dang, is this the same guy I was just running against?” It makes the whole experience really seem surreal. I watch Noah Lyles on TV cook everybody in the entire world. And now I'm seeing this high school kid that I was right there next to at a big meet do the same to him. Dang, maybe that puts things more into perspective.

Michtrack: Looking ahead to your future, what convinced you about Ohio State?

Brann: It was really an easy choice with the coaching staff over there. Plus with the location, going to the SEC was really far in my first year in college and I didn’t really know how far I was going to go. Meanwhile, Big 10 is something I've always been looking at. I grew up as a Michigan State fan. My cousin went to Michigan State, so the Big 10 is always in my face. I go to school in Ann Arbor here, so Michigan’s campus is right there, so hey, why not go to the best Big 10 school I could go to, and that’s Ohio State?

Michtrack: How far do you want to go with your track career?

Brann: Really, I couldn't even predict that. Right now I'd love to just be a Big 10 champion, just win a conference. Especially since USC and UCLA are coming to the Big 10. So just win in that kind of conference and maybe make it to nationals. Maybe run against dope people from Michigan who used to be blow-torching me, blowing by me back when I was a sophomore, like Udodi [Onwuzurike] and Brandon [Miller]. Maybe go race them again but at the D1 level, that'd be nice too.

Michtrack: Now you get to tell me about your little brother Ashton. Is he going to be good?

Brann: Definitely. He's basically on the same path I was on. He’s had a growth spurt. He was dealing with the same exact growing pains, his indoor season he was hurt so he was only doing relay legs and all that, but he shot up a good 3-4 inches and now he's really stretched out. I think he'll be a real good 400 hurdler… I’m definitely seeing his improvement and next year once his muscles get adjusted to his body, he's going to start moving. He has a great future though. When he focuses and figures out what he wants to get recruited for specifically, he can go after it.

Michtrack: Wrapping this up, is there anything important we didn’t hit?

Brann: Well, I'm not sure yet if I'm going to complete this outdoor AAU season though. My season might be over after outdoor nationals. If that's the case then it just makes me have to lock in a bit more. Or I might just go back in [the AAU] outdoor season, instead of just settling for a medal, try to win that whole thing.

This and That

Recently saw an article explaining the flurry of record-breaking in track. The two prime reasons given were lighter running shoes that are “easier on the feet” and laboratory research into track composition, yielding faster track surfaces. The article also noted other factors—that sprinters no longer stood at the start and instead used a crouch start, with their feet in pits. And posture and speed were improved by “proper holding of the arms”. Turns out this article was published in June 1937 in the Detroit News, and the writer concludes that John Owen, the Detroiter who set the World Record for the 100 in the 1890s at 9.8, would be just as fast as, if not faster than, Olympic champion Jesse Owens if he had the advantaged of modern shoes, track & technique. I suspect that the writer, H.G. Salinger, would have had his mind blown by carbon-fiber spikes and Mondo surfaces!

Michtrack is not just about this newsletter. This time of year means a lot of list-keeping as well. In addition, though work on the Results Archive has slowed down because of the craziness of track season, we’re still plugging away. We passed the 10,500 files mark today, and just got a box of old Oakland County results to go through. Updates are also on the way for both of our histories, the track state finals and the XC finals.

Tough one: This newsletter was the toughest one yet! Nowhere in my plans did I have “getting sick Saturday night and feeling like an Amazon van hit me.” Passed my COVID test, so I guess this was just a nasty common cold. Please forgive my typos this week!

Again, thanks to those who are keeping this venture going with your donations. A little bit goes a long way. Consider joining them with a monthly coffee donation, or whatever feels right to you. Tax-deductible, and our processer, Zeffy, specializes in non-profits and so has no extra or hidden charges for you or Michtrack, so everything goes to the cause.

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