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- #71 - Early State Qualifying A Reality
#71 - Early State Qualifying A Reality
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Inside This Issue
The EQs Have Dropped!
The long-awaited moment has arrived: early qualifying for the state finals is now a reality. And while this is historically quite important (and will definitely get a line or two in our history of the championships), the fact is that the new set-up will not create the revolutionary change that many coaches had hoped for.
Partly that’s by design. Rather than a wholesale reimagining of state qualifying, the committee went in cautiously, dipping its toe in to get a starting point, with the acknowledgment that they see it as an important precedent that leaves much room for fine-tuning in the future. Fair enough.
The standards are so challenging that many, if not most, programs will not be directly affected. In the girls D1 1600, for instance, the mark is 4:52.00. Last year, the only D1 girl in the state to better that mark before regionals was Pioneer’s Rachel Forsyth, and she did it at the Barnyard Mile, a race format that won’t be eligible for qualifying this season.
Understandably, the coaches who had hoped the new system would deliver advantages to their programs are a bit disappointed with the answer to the “What’s in it for me?” question. However, as MITCA’s Carey Hammel has pointed out, by freeing some of those top athletes from state qualifying concerns, some teams will be able to focus more on actually trying to win the regional meet rather than strictly on getting qualifiers through.
What we like about the set-up is that the committee is requiring a 6+-team meet for qualifying FAT and certified officials at each event. What we don’t like is that they didn’t take this opportunity to require wind gauges for affected events. It would have been a huge step to getting a handle on BS sprint/hurdle times in the state. The guidelines are requiring implement weigh-in, though, which is kind of ironic. We’re not going to let throwers gain a 1% advantage by having an implement that’s a half-ounce light, but we’re fine with letting sprinters have a 1.8% advantage with a 10mph tailwind.
Here’s all the details from the MHSAA site: Early Qualifying FAQ
EQ Standards at a Glance
Avoiding Tragedy In Our Sport
Many of you have already seen the news stories from Colorado about the man killed at a track meet after a 25lb weight throw went over the barriers into a nearby seating area. It is abundantly clear that the safety provisions at the meet were not adequate. There will be lawsuits and settlements, but nothing will erase the trauma that the victim’s family faces, not to mention that of all of the fans, officials and competitors who witnessed it.
Could it happen here? I hope not. The weight throw is contested as part of our MITS indoor circuit, but only at venues that can safely host it. Usually it is scheduled away from the other events (both physically and on the meet schedule) in order to reduce the risk as much as possible. The officials know what they’re doing and I would hope that any athlete, parent or fan would speak up if they see an unsafe situation.
Often, after a throwing tragedy, there are voices that demand that the event in question be discontinued. That’s what led to the elimination of the hammer and the javelin (and for 45 years, the discus) as outdoor state championship events in Michigan.
However, with every sport there is inherent risk. In 2023, 16 athletes died playing football in the U.S., 9 of them middle and high schoolers. Yet football’s not going to go away. Deaths in the throws are relatively rare, and with proper safety measures, they can be avoided in most cases.
Take the javelin—folks who don’t know the sport recoil in horror at the perceived risks involved. Yet many inside the sport feel it’s safer than the discus. A javelin can be aimed; a discus, not so much. I’ve seen plenty of discuses fly out of bounds over the years. And while once a year or so we see a frightening news item about someone being hurt by a javelin, it’s almost always someone in the landing area who wasn’t alert or was violating safety protocols.
We at Michtrack are in support of the efforts of our throwing community to provide safe access to the throws for all interested athletes. Fourteen states offer official statewide competition in the javelin and we believe Michigan is denying our athletes opportunity by not doing so.
We also believe that athletes should have access to hammer throw outside, but in a controlled fashion as we do indoors—only at safe facilities with qualified officials… and not, at this point, as part of the MHSAA championships.
Safety and opportunity are not mutually exclusive.
HS Names in the News
Eliza Schwass gets the interview treatment! (Gazelle Sports Instagram)
The Gazelle Sports Elite miles at Grand Valley produced some very interesting results. In the girls race, it was Ludington 8th-grader Eliza Schwass who won with a dazzling kick, coming from nearly 7 seconds behind at the bell to win in 4:50.47 to Jessica Jazwinski’s 4:51.60. Eight girls broke 5:00, 7 of them from Michigan. Schwass’s time is the fastest ever indoors by an 8th-grader, and is superior to the 4:53.94 that Anna Jensen ran for 1600 in 2015 (also on an oversized track). It is also better than the outdoor marks at the distance. Note that Schwass came back and won the 800 in 2:14.03.
In the boys elite race, Grand Haven soph Luka Hammond, only 9th at the UM Showcase, came through with a big win in 4:17.97, ahead of Seth Conner’s 4:18.96.
Another Grand Haven soph, Andrew Willemsen, impressed with a 6.90 dash at Grand Valley.
Kuhn is bound for Michigan.
Sydney Kuhn of Swan Valley continues to roll. At SVSU she won the 200 in 24.76 ahead of Nevaeh Burns (24.94). They faced each other again in the 400, with Kuhn again crossing first, 55.10-56.10.
Reed City’s August Rohde, who recently signed with MSU, ran 1:57.15 at GVSU.
Liam Takace joined the greats in the weight throw, smashing his PR with a 71-3 in Allendale. The Portage Central senior is only the third in Michigan history to top the 70-foot barrier.
Grand Ledge junior Katie Blue cleared 13-0 in the vault at GVSU. She is the seventh in state history to make that bar indoors.
There has been some great jump coaching happening at Stevensville Lakeshore! Last year the program had ninth-graders Kaden Griffiths (22-9.25/23-0w), Declan Doroh (6-7.5), and Leigha Whitman (18-4). Now Whitman has popped a big one indoors, 18-7 to lead the lists.
The discus at the LAB last weekend produced a big throw for Traverse City Central soph Lorelai Zeilinski. She hurled the platter to 138-6, which makes her No. 4 in history indoors.
Victoria Garces will be racing the 2-mile at The Circuit meet in Chicago on Friday.
Collegiate Names in the News
Brendan Herger (ex-Northville) won the 800 in 1:49.29 at the Wolverine Invitational in his first collegiate race for Michigan.
Elle Adrian is making headlines. (MSU Athletics)
In high school, Elle Adrian of Standish-Sterling had throws marks of 40-6 and 132-5. Good stuff, but not the sort of recruit that D1 schools come clamoring for. Luckily, the 3-time all-stater (runner-up in both events at the D2 finals as a senior) landed at Michigan State, where the coaches spotted her as a potential hammer prospect. As a junior she has bloomed, with a weight best past 70-feet (21.39 / 70-2.25)—only 5 Michiganders have ever thrown farther. Adrian is currently ranked No. 12 in the NCAA.
Now at Oregon, Evan Bishop (ex-EGR) placed 4th in the mile at Nebraska’s Graduate Classic in 4:03.44; he also has run a PR 7:54.37 for 3000.
Aasia Laurencin (ex-Oak Park) won the hurdles in 8.14 in Indianapolis. She is No. 11 in the NCAA.
Former Rochester Adams star Parker Raymond is now competing for UCLA. He recently placed 4th in the Spokane Sports Showcase 600, running 1:18.12.
Nonah Waldron (ex-Oak Park) is at 8.17 in the hurdles for No. 16 in the NCAA. She is at USC.
Trevor McFarland (ex-Utica) has run his second sub-4:00, winning the Crossroads Invitational in Indianapolis in 3:59.72.
MSU’s Valadian Pallet (ex-Farmington) is at 69-2.5 (21.09) for No. 18 in the NCAA weight throw standings.
Federico Bruno (ex-Benzie Central) is now at Virginia Tech. He won the triple jump at the Hokie Invitational at 51-8.25 (15.75).
Erika Beistle (ex-Big Rapids) of Grand Valley leads the nation’s D2 shot putters with her 56-5.25 (17.20). Only three Michiganders have ever thrown farther.
BYU’s Ben Barton (ex-Seaholm) is being hailed as a possible contender for some big points in the NCAA indoor heptathlon as well as the decathlon. He recently scored 5814 in the heptathlon (No. 6 ever MI and No. 2 in the NCAA this season) and won the hurdles at the Dr. Sander Scorcher in 7.82.
Grand Valley’s Shelby UIven (ex-Zeeland East) is No. 2 in D2 in the weight throw at 63-2.75 (19.27).
Dylan Targgart (ex-Coldwater) won the shot at the Gamecock Invitational at 63-6.75 (19.37). The South Carolina thrower is now No. 8 in the NCAA.
Katie Sayles (ex-Napoleon) of Hillsdale is ranked No. 5 in the D2 weight at 62-8 (19.10).
Cass Dobrowolski (ex-Port Huron Northern) is currently ranked No. 3 in the D2 high jump for Saginaw Valley at 7-2.5 (2.20). (He’s behind Grand Valley’s two star jumpers, Eli Kosiba and Marcus Gelpi).
Hannah Antkoviak at the Olympic Trials (Instagram)
Hannah Antkoviak (ex-Allegan) is rated No. 1 in the NAIA nationally at 600 meters with her 1:31.00 and No. 2 at 60H at 8.47. Last year she was national champion for Olivet Nazarene at 400 hurdles.
Cass Tech grad Tamaal Myers has transferred to UCLA, and has opened his season with a 1:20.07 for 600m.
Dolan Gonzalez (ex-Saline) is currently No. 7 in the D2 pole vault at 16-10.75 (5.15), with GVSU teammate Wyatt Alwine (ex-Constantine) at No. 8 (16-9.25/5.11).
Sienna Heights’ Emma Valentine (ex-Morrice) leads the NAIA with her 5-10 high jump.
GVSU’s Myles Kerner (ex-Kenowa Hills) leads the D2 shot at 63-9.5 (19.44).
After two years at Houston, Comari Hawkins, the former East Lansing & Track Life standout, has transferred to MSU.
Clarkston alum Ben Haas is rocking the weight throw for Hillsdale. His 72-7 (22.12) makes him the nation’s top D2 thrower.
Post-Collegians Busy Too
Trevor Stephenson (ex-East Kentwood) vaulted 18-0.5 (5.50) at the Pole Vault Summit in Reno.
Gabriela Leon (also EK) won the vault at the Crossroads Invitational in Indianapolis, leaping 14-6.75 (4.44).
Competing in the pentathlon in Champaign, Illinois, Cheyenne Nesbitt (Ex-Essexville-Garber) took the win with 4506 points. That’s the most ever scored by a Michigander. Her breakdown: 60H 8.24, HJ 5-10.5, SP 42-2.25, LJ 19-10.25, 800-2:15.96.
Freddie Crittenden (ex-Utica) took 2nd in his season opener at the Lumberjack Challenge in Flagstaff, hurdling 7.56.
Anna Cockrell, former middle schooler at Detroit Country Day and current Olympic silver medalist, won the 600 at the Arkansas Invitational in 1:29.07.
We hear that Hobbs Kessler is in decent shape. He’ll be running the 3000 at the New Balance Grand Prix next Sunday. It will be on NBC/Peacock from 4-6 p.m. And don’t miss Grant Fisher (1500), Grace Stark (60H), Udodi Onwuzurike (60), Freddie Crittenden (60H) and TJ Hansen (junior boys mile).
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