GAYLORD - May 18, 2007 - The Ogemaw Heights girls track and field team brought home nine regional medals from Friday's Division 2 Region 16 meet at Gaylord on Friday, with Holly Mester and Kayla Brindley grabbing coveted state finals berths.

The Falcons finished 11th as a team with 24 points as Alma (99.5) and Gaylord (94) ran away with the top two spots.

Mester and Brindley each earned state berths by achieving state qualifying marks despite not taking one of the top two regional spots, which earns an automatic trip to the finals.

Brindley finished fourth with a best throw of 111-3, just over the qualifying mark of 110-11.

"For (throwing coach / boys coach) Doug Grezeszak, this is like 20 (straight years) he's had a discus thrower (boy or girl) qualify for a state finals," said girls coach Rick Frank. "Wow, that gives a little idea of how awesome a discus coach we have at this school.

Grezeszak has had at least one discus thrower in every state finals since 1987.

"Kayla being a sophomore and qualifying for the state finals is just great. Hopefully it will be a great experience and just make her work harder the next two years."

Mester qualified in the 3200 in 2005 as a sophomore and Frank said she made huge strides in the last week to earn herself a return trip.

"She had a goal and ran like she was on a mission," he said. "Somehow she hit qualifying time, which a week ago seemed like it was impossible."

In pre-race planning Frank said they decided she should clock a 5:50 in the first mile and 6:00 in the second mile, which would give three seconds to spare as the qualifying time was 11:53.2. Her first mile split was 5:49.2, but in the second mile started to fall behind the pace she needed to sustain. Entering the final lap, she needed to finish in 1:26 after running the previous three in no better than 1:30 in the previous three laps.

"I didn't think we could (at that point)," Frank said. "I said, 'Senior, if you want it you have to sprint now.'

"Doug Grezeszak and Tim Hansen were on the backstretch, many Ogemaw athletes and parents were on the last curve and with one lap to go she began her drive pushing with everything she had."

Mester finished her final lap in 1:26,3, giving her 3.2 seconds to spare and punching her ticket for the state finals in Zeeland on June 2.

Regional medals were earned for top-eight finishers. Falcon medalists included Brittney Stein in the pole vault (7th, 8-6); Kami Shields in the discus (6th, 98-8); Kelsi Rutherford in the discus (7th, 96-9_ and shot put (7th, 32-10.5); Rilee Palm in the shot put (8th, 32-4); Noelle Mester in the 800 (8th, 2:33.80); and Holly Mester, Noelle Mester, Chelsea LeForce and Heather Villarreal in the 4x800 (6th, 10:15.80).

Also competing were Renee Wangler in the shot put (30-6.75); Brindley in the shot put (29-8.5); Maggie Edward in the 100 hurdles (17.90) and 300 hurdles (52.80); Selina Tabayoyong in the 100 (13.80); Chelsea LeForce in the 1600 (5:44.50); Morgan Stansberry in the 800 (2:42.30); and Kalena Franklin (27.10) and Brittney Stein (28.90) in the 200.

"We had many improved performances, as we expected with nice weather and awesome competition," Frank said. "Now we will practice Monday, mentally get ready and make the lineup as perfect as possible so we can try to achieve our team goal of winning the NEMC girls track title on Wednesday."

Pinconning brought home medals in three events, including a fifth-place finish by Nicole McKay in the long jump (15-2.5). Also medaling were Rachel Kerkau, Rachel Hauk, Bessie McCollough and McKay in the 4x100 (8th, 54.49); and Jessica Vidalez in the 3200 (8th, 12:47.81).