Ashlyn Gulvas, SSC, D3 State Champ shot put & discus
Kane Dietzel, W-P, D4 2nd place shot put
David Garske, AGS, D4 2nd place long jump
Alex Rose, Ogemaw, D2 4th place shot put
Zach Putnam, Hale, D4 4th place 110 hurdles
Sean Siegrist, W-P, D4 5th place, 400
Titus Brown, Fairview, D4 6th place 3200
Casey Potts (shown) , Ashton Gulvas, Trent Fouchey, Austin Collier, SSC D3 4x200 relay 7th place
Cole Walderzak, SSC, D3 8th place discus
Austin Collier, SSC, D3 8th place 400
Billy Raushi, W-P, D4 8th place high jump

GRAND RAPIDS - May 31, 2008 - A healthy contingent of local athletes competed at the state track and field finals at three different venues on Saturday, bringing home a pair of state championships, a big cache of medals and several school record performances.

Standish-Sterling's Ashlyn Gulvas had the biggest day of all for local athletes in the Division 3 meet at Comstock, winning state championships in both the discus (130-3) and shot put (44-6.25). Gulvas earned her twin titles after taking second in both a year ago.

“Ashlyn loves what she does, and nobody works harder at her art,” said SSC assistant coach Dennis Pruder. “She’s a perfect role model for our sport and community. She inspires everyone around her with her drive, focus and charisma.

“Since the state meet last spring she has had only one goal in her mind: to win the state title in both events.”

SSC's boys competed in six events and brought home medals in three.

Austin Collier placed eighth in the 400 with a time of 50.82, while Cole Walderzak also finished eighth in the discus (142-6). Collier, Casey Potts, Trent Fouchey and Ashton Gulvas took seventh in the 4x200 relay (1:33.37).

Also competing were Mark Stawowy in the shot put (12th, 47-10.25), Potts in the 300 hurdles (14th, 41.71) and Collier, Gulvas, Mitchell McFarland and Kris Hazeltine in the 4x100 relay (21st, 45.42).

Tawas Area's Jeff Janis ran in the 200 and advanced to the semifinal heat, where he finished seventh with a time of 23.24. The Braves' 4x100 relay team took 23rd with a time of 45.44.

Oscoda's Ashley Schonfeld competed in the 300 hurdles, finishing 17th (49.21).

 

In Division 2, Ogemaw Heights and Pinconning sent a total of seven athletes to Zeeland.

The Falcons' Alex Rose reaped the biggest reward, finishing fourth in the shot put to earn a state finals medal with a throw of 54-1.75. The top eight finishers earn medals and all-state status.

"On his third and final chance to advance to the finals Alex launched a near-perfect projectile that touched down at 54-1.75," said Ogemaw coach Doug Grezeszak. "It was a personal best and a new junior record for Ogemaw Heights."

Rose also competed in the discus, where he just missed out on a medal by placing ninth with a toss of 154-3. Teammate Anthony Carollo placed 13th with a throw of 148-5.

"Both are only juniors in an event dominated by seniors," Grezeszak said. "We had a very stiff wind at the discus area that gave us a lot of trouble.

"Alex was passed up on the last throw to finish ninth. It was neat to get that far as only a junior but it was tough to be oh-so-close."

Greg Simmons ran in the 300 hurdles and placed 19th with a time of 42.84.

"He was hoping for better," Grezeszak said, "but he is still happy he got to compete at that level and had such a good season."

Kayla Brindley also just missed out on a medal, taking ninth in the discus with a throw of 120-10. Kami Shields took 16h in the discus with a toss of 108-10.

"It was a repeat of the boys competition," Grezeszak said. "Kayla ... finished one spot out of the medals for the second time in two years."

Falcon sprinter Kalena Franklin competed in the 200-meter dash and advanced out of the preliminary heat into the semifinals, where she took sixth in her heat with a time of 26.55. The top four heat finishers advanced to the finals.

"She's a sophomore," Grezeszak said, "and surely will get chances in the future for a state medal."

Pinconning's Josh Federspiel earned a 16th-place finish in the discus with a throw of 143-8.

 

Division 4 may represent the state's smallest schools, but it featured the largest local contingent of competing athletes.

Whittemore-Prescott brought home three medals, while AuGres-Sims and Hale each picked up one.

W-P's Kane Dietzel earned a second-place finish in the shot put with a throw of 50-0.75 and also took 11th in the discus (126-3). Sean Siegrist earned a medal in the 200 (5th, 23.28) and just missed out on one in the 400 (10th, 53.68). Billy Raushi took eighth in the high jump (6-2) and finished fifth in his preliminary heat of the 110 hurdles (16.35) and 24th in the long jump (18-7).

Matt Ackerman competed in the 100 and took sixth in his preliminary heat with a time of 11.95.

Hale's Zach Putnam earned a fourth-place medal in the 110 hurdles, with a time of 15.15 while Eldon Barclay also competed for the boys, taking 25th in the 3200 (10:55.95).

For the Hale girls, the 4x800 team of Tarra Caverly, Kelsey Scott, Liz Lerczak and Ashley Malin won their heat with a school-record time of 10:27.32 but finished 12th overall. The 4x400 relay of Caverly, Lerczak, Malin and Terra Kelso finished 14th (4:30.29, winning their heat), while Caverly took 17th in the 300 hurdles (52.41) and seventh in her preliminary heat of the 100 hurdles (18.21). Malin also took 17th in the 400 with a time of 1:04.98, good for second in her heat.

For AuGres-Sims, David Garske was the state runner-up in the long jump with a leap of 21-0.25. A.J. Baker competed in the 1600 run and finished 12th in a school-record time of 4:39.93,

Fairview's Titus Brown placed sixth in the 3200 (10:03.64) and Kendra Handrich earned a seventh-place medal in the pole vault (8-9). Mio's Michael Kosoksy took ninth in the pole vault to just miss a medal at 12-6.

Boys Full Results

Division 2

Division 3

Division 4

Girls Full Results

Division 2

Division 3

Division 4