#76 - Sachs & Stiverson Rule Day 1

March 09, 2025

Inside This Issue

Hot Saturday Action At CMU

Stiverson is the best sophomore in US history.

The headlines from day one belong to Helen Sachs, the West Ottawa senior who ran the fastest ever 3200 on a 200 flat track, and Addy Stiverson, who launched the No. 2 shot put in state history. All the details:

  • Girls DMR - The Bolt TC came in with the top seed time but for much of the race it didn’t look rosy for the girls from Midland Dow, as they lagged behind the leaders. At the final exchange, D1 XC champ Victoria Garces got the stick more than 10 seconds behind the leaders from Runners High (Romeo). Over the next 8 laps, first Romeo’s Emmerson Clor got caught by Jessica Jazwinski, anchoring for Saginaw Striders. Then with little more than two to go, Jazwinski was passed by Garces, who won going away in 12:14.82. Splits: Emilia Garces 3:51.3, Gwen Thill 67.1, Sydney Roberts 2:24.6, Victoria Garces 4:51.8.

  • Boys DMR - Breen had the top seed time by 12 seconds, so its win wasn’t much of a surprise. The early stages of the race played out strangely, with Project 131 going to a commanding lead for the 1200 leg but then missing the hand-off when their 400 leg wasn’t on the line. For much of the race afterward, Breen battled with Alma and Martian Elite, but in the final laps Cayden DeGrendel pulled away for a commanding win in 10:30.06. Splits: Ryan Barnes 3:13.7, C. McLaughlin 51.1, Joshua Ellingsworth 1:58.7, Cayden DeGrendel 4:26.6. (Three from Clarkston, McLaughlin is at Rochester)

  • Girls SMR - The Saginaw Striders had no problem with this one. Having to beat the 4:14.08 put down by the Shore TC in the previous race, they went to the lead from the start and were unchallenged. Jordynn Young of Heritage led off in 60.3, followed by Kaya Arnold of Heritage (25.6) and Claire Long of Nouvel (26.1). Anchor Sydney Kuhn of Swan Valley glided home with an easy 2:18.3. (Note, this is the relay order as published; if it’s different, please let me know.)

  • Boys SMR - The Michigan Racers had a time to beat: the 3:38.41 that the Unity TC had run n the previous section. They had to contend with Elite Performance XL first. After a back-and-forth battle, the Racers got to the final handoff in second, then anchor Abenezer Cerone of Shrine put it away with a solid 800 to clock 3:37.30. Their splits: Caleb Washington of Saline 51.8, Rodney Endsley of Walled Lake Western 22.7, Timon Dogan of Walled Lake Western 23.1, Cerone 1:59.7.

  • Girls 3200 - In one of the most impressive performances in indoor state history, Helen Sachs slashed 17 seconds from the meet record, her 10:07.63 registering as the fastest performance ever on a 200 flat track. For all 200 tracks, it ranks her as the No. 4 performer ever with the No. 6 performance. The race started inauspiciously, with Emma Hoffman taking the early lead. By 1200, it was Sachs at the front, and after the halfway point (5:02.6) she ran alone. Despite having to run wide because of lapped runners, she kept the pressure on, passing 3000 in 9:30.7 (the No. 2 time in state history) before powering to the finish. Her splits: 73.8, 76.9 [2:30.7], 76.0 [3:46.7], 75.9 [5:02.6], 75.6 [6:18.2], 76.9 [7:35.1], 77.4 [8:52.5], 75.1. Natasza Dudek, in 2nd, shattered the 9th grade state record with her 10:15.82, and Alexandra Scappaticci ran 10:53.23 in 7th to break the 8th grade record.

  • Boys 3200 - Edison Lopeman of Parma Western didn’t take the lead till it counted, content to hang back during most of the race. It wasn’t until the final 400 that he started charging hard. On the final backstretch he pulled even with Howell soph Jack MacGregor and the two waged a hellacious battle, Lopeman prevailing in the final strides to win in 9:18.76. His final 200 took just 28.9. His splits: 71.1, 72.4 [2:23.5], 71.5 [3:35.0], 70.8 [4:45.8], 70.6 [5:56.4], 70.8 [7:07.2], 70.8 [8:18.0], 60.8.

  • Girls 4 × 200 - The Michigan Mustangs were unpressed. Taryn Henderson of Mercy delivered a big lead on the opening leg, and Madelyn Piotrowski of Troy Athens and Brooklyn Cotton of Royal Oak (25.9) carried through to bring the baton to D1 outdoor champ Kamryn Tatum from West Bloomfield. She closed with a 24.8 to take the win with a 1:41.55. Grand Rapids Fire placed 2nd in 1:43.88 and defending champs Track Life University were 3rd in 1:44.00.

  • Boys 4 × 200 - Bucs in the Blocks wasn’t placed in the fast heat, but the team delivered a performance that couldn’t be topped. Andrew Willemsen led off, passing to David McMullen, who put them solidly in the lead. Keavion Korenstra split 22.9 and handed off to Jackson Gee, the only team member not from Grand Haven. The Spring Lake senior split 21.9 to finish a 1:30.26. That held up, as the Michigan Mustangs won the final race in 1:30.70.

  • Girls PV - It took just three jumps for Katie Blue of Grand Ledge to maker herself the state champion. The state leader at 13-4, she started at 12-0, clearing on her first attempt. Same with 12-6 and 13-0, a height no one else could clear. She then had officials set the bar at 13-7, a meet record that would be the No. 2 leap in state history. Alas, that was not to be, not just yet. Behind her was one of the deepest competitions in state history, with a total of 5 athletes over 12-feet.

  • Boys PV - Traverse City Central senior Asher Paul cleared 15-0 to tie Reece Emeott’s state lead. That was enough for the win over Spring Lake frosh Ben Goran, who cleared 14-6. Emeott, the D1 champ outdoors, entered the competition at 14-0 but no-heighted.

  • Girls HJ - Senior Keirra Taube of the Michigan Racers, who placed 2nd in D2 last year for Yale, won with a perfect record through 5-6, then took three tries at 5-8. Concord frosh Annie Saenz placed 2nd at 5-4, the same height as 3rd and 4th-placers Emily Cuthbertson and Natalie Formsma. The huge 28-athlete field did not include Greta Caprathe, who holds the state lead at 5-9.

  • Boys HJ - Walled Lake Central senior Giovanni Charles, only 7th last year, dominated this time around, with nary a miss through 6-8, a height that was good enough to win. The only other athlete to clear 6-6 was Chesaning’s Eric Barancik. Charles had the bar raised to 6-10, but couldn’t nail that height.

  • Girls WT - Runner-up last year, Sturgis senior Eleena Kelley moved to the top of the podium. She led from her first throw, 42-4.75, then improved to 44-11.25 in round 3. On her final toss she went a PR 45-10.5 to tie the state lead held by Shelbie Choponis, who was 2nd at 44-0. The mark also makes her No. 14 in state history.

  • Boys WT - Third last year, senior Liam Takace of Portage Central has dominated the 25lb weight throw all season. He didn’t come close to his list leader of 74-5.75 here, but he still won by over three feet. Opening at 63-3.75, he was actually behind Mason Mayne of Lawton at first. But a second throw of 68-5.75 gave him a lead he didn’t relinquish. He followed with a 67-7, a pair of fouls, and a closing 69-10.75. Mayne’s best was his 66-7.5 in round 3.

  • Girls SP - All eyes were on Addy Stiverson, the Montrose sophomore who has been destroying the record book, taking down both the state record as well as the national standard for 10th graders. Here she opened at 46-11.5, then fouled before launching a meet record 51-0.5 in round 3, the No. 2 throw in state history. Two more fouls followed, and then a 49-5.25 wrapped it up. Behind her, Leigha Stoepker (PR 44-1.25) and Lorelai Zielinski (43-11.25) waged a spirited battle for 2nd.

  • Boys SP - The final flight got interesting fast, as Zach Cowper added nearly 6 feet to his PR with a 59-1 on his opening throw. The senior from Gaylord is the son of former WMU throws great Dale Cowper. It took list leader Brennan Vainner of Parma Western some time to find his form but finally in round 4 he launched a 59-4.5 to take over the lead. That held up for the win.

  • Other Events - In the middle school 800, Hudson Doll smashed the 8th grade state record with his 1:58.69. Alexandra Scappaticci won the girls race in 2:23.83. Alana Coleman the middle school 200 in 26.63; the boys race went to Ronald Adams II in 24.55. Molly Katic won the wheelchair 60 in 24.22.

BIG THANKS to freetracklive.com for putting up a live stream for all of us who couldn’t make it there in person!

College/Pro Names In The News

  • At the Missouri Valley Conference, Evan Watson (Troy Athens/Illinois State) ran 8th in the 400 in 48.80 (48.66 heat).

The Horizon League was among the loops we didn’t get to last week, but lots of Michiganders in action:

  • 200-3. Julian Bailey (Detroit Ford/Oakland) 22.03

  • 400-1. Jonas Morris (Chippewa Valley/PurdueFW) 48.74

  • 800-1. Tyler Donovan (Fraser/Oakland) 1:53.04

  • Mile-1. Josh Otten (Lansing Catholic/Detroit Mercy) 4:13.53; 2. Yami Albrecht (Caro/Oakland) 4:14.00; 3. Anthony Hancock (Divine Child/Oakland) 4:15.68.

  • 3000-2. Albrecht 8:30.76.

  • 4×4-1. Purdue Fort Wayne 3:21.49 (Noah and Jonas Morris from Chippewa Valley ran the last 2 legs)

  • DMR-2. Purdue Fort Wayne 10:05.64 (Boden Genovese from Coloma on 800)

  • SP-1. Alex Mansfield (Monroe Jefferson/Oakland) 56-1.75

  • 200-1. Ke’Vina Finch (L’Anse Creuse/Oakland) 24.72.

  • 800-3. Ashley Quinn (Romeo/Oakland) 2:13.69

  • 5000-3. Erin Hegarty (Divine Child/Oakland) 17:15.66

  • DMR-2. Purdue Fort Wayne 12:05.19 (Ava Genovese from Coloma anchored)

  • PV-3. Alexa Messina (Yale/Oakland) 12-2

  • SP-2. Jamie Giese (Dexter/Oakland) 45-3.75

Follow Michtrack On Social Media

  • Facebook: Michtrack

  • Instagram: @jeffhollobaugh1

  • BlueSky: @michtrack.bsky.social

    Note we are no longer posting on Twitter/X, but have kept the account open for now as we are still receiving messages there. We are doing regular posting of breaking news, records, etc., on BlueSky.

Reply

or to participate.