Balanced effort lifts Inland Lakes girls to second consecutive regional track title

PELLSTON – The home stretch of track and field season has officially arrived, with Pellston hosting a MHSAA Division 4 regional meet on Friday.

One area team captured a championship, while multiple athletes claimed first place in their respective events. Overall, it was a beautiful and exciting day for action at Sam McClutchey Field.

Here’s some main takeaways from Friday’s regionals.

LAITH GRIFFITH:Pellston speedster Laith Griffith to continue track and field career at Davenport

COACH WELLER:Weller has goal of building Cheboygan track and field into perennial state contender

'Blue-collar' Bulldogs champions again

With what the Inland Lakes girls graduated from last season’s team that finished third in the state, repeating as regional champions was probably a huge ask for a young group of Bulldogs.

But while the Bulldogs didn’t finish first in any event, they grinded out enough points to finish with 104 total and win the regional for a second consecutive year, outlasting second-place Harbor Springs (95).

“I told them there would be nothing flashy or glamorous about what we were going to go. It was going to be very blue-collar; we were going to go to work in every single event, and they bought into it and trusted the plan,” Inland Lakes coach Sarah Furman said. “I don’t know if that’s their youth or just the type of workers they are, but I said we’re probably going to surprise some people."

With another regional crown in the bag, the Bulldogs will focus on winning a third straight Ski Valley Conference crown when they travel to Mancelona on Wednesday, May 22.

“I needed them to know that they could pull this off. You’ve still kind of got to step on the track and act like, ‘Hey, we can do all this,’ and they did it,” Furman said.

SZYMONIAK COLUMN:Commentary: Keeping Szymoniak in charge of Onaway football would have been right move

TY KOLLY:Fearless Kolly continuing to flourish as young star with Inland Lakes baseball

Usual suspects impress

Individually, the Onaway Cardinals saw multiple athletes take first, including senior boys high jump Xavier Santiago, whose jump of 6-5 was good enough to take home another title. In the hurdles, fellow senior Jadin Mix cruised to first at 41.82, while junior Trinity Splan claimed the girls shot put title with a 31-8.5 throw.

Inland Lakes’ lone regional champion was junior Jack Wilson, who won the boys shot put with a throw of 40-10.25.

AOTW WINNER:Wolverine's Ashton Stewart voted Tribune's Athlete of the Week for May 6-11

PRESLEY CHAMBERLAIN:'She's fun to have around': Chamberlain having a dynamite sophomore year with Cheboygan softball

First-time qualifiers

There were some memorable moments on Friday, led by Inland Lakes senior Ashley Murray, who qualified for the state finals by finishing second in the shot put with a 30-7.5 throw. Following the throw, a thrilled Murray was congratulated by coaches, teammates and family members as she became another I-L athlete to make it to states.

“It was amazing, I was really happy,” Murray said. “My senior year, going out like that, it’s amazing. I’ve been doing shot put since sixth grade, so this has been a lot of fun.”

MHSAA DIVISION 4 REGIONAL RESULTS (NOTABLE FINISHES)

INLAND LAKES GIRLS

2. Ashley Murray, Shot Put, 30-7.5

2. Frankie Wabanimkee, Pole Vault, 8-0

3. Kaylee Taglauer, 100, 13.27

3. Lexi Kovtun, Shot Put, 30-5

3. Kaylee Papenhagen, Long Jump, 14-5

T3. Chloe Robinson, High Jump, 4-5

3. 4X100 Relay (Mary Myshock, Chloe Robinson, Josie Cooper, Kaylee Taglauer, 55.84)

4. Kaylee Taglauer, 200, 28.97

4. Mary Myshock, 100 Hurdles, 17.79

4. Elizabeth Furman, 800, 2:45

4. Chloe Robinson, Shot Put, 29-9

4. Ashley Murray, Discus, 85-10

5. Kaylee Taglauer, 400, 1:09.02

5. Josie Cooper, 300 Hurdles, 57.03

5. Teague Meckstroth, Discus, 81-2

INLAND LAKES BOYS

1. Jack Wilson, Shot Put, 40-10.25

2. Sam Schoonmaker, Discus, 124-9

2. Sam Schoonmaker, High Jump, 5-9

3. Jack Wilson, Discus, 115-2

3. 4X100 Relay (Alex Willis, Jake Feagan, Tanner Toward, Sam Schoonmaker, 47.16)

5. Austin Friske, Pole Vault, 8-6

ONAWAY BOYS

1. Xavier Santiago, High Jump, 6-5

1. Jadin Mix, 300 Hurdles, 41.82

2. Levi Rigot, Shot Put, 40-2.25

3. 4X200 Relay (Brendon Brewbaker, Xavier Santiago, Jadin Mix, Trenton Soik, 1:37.15)

4. Lelin Splan, Discus, 113-9

5. Trenton Soik, Long Jump, 18-7

ONAWAY GIRLS

1. Trinity Splan, Shot Put, 31-8.5

2. Trinity Splan, Discus, 92-8

4. Ellie Crull, 1600, 6:22

PELLSTON BOYS

3. Laith Griffith, 200, 23.70

5. Laith Griffith, 100, 11.41

5. Joshua Grondin, 300 Hurdles, 45.47

GIRLS TEAM SCORES: 1. Inland Lakes, 104; 2. Harbor Springs, 95; 3. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 79.5; T4. Rogers City, 65; T4. Alcona, 65; 10. Onaway, 25; 14. Pellston, 5

BOYS TEAM SCORES: 1. Alcona, 148.5; 2. Fairview, 99.5; 3. Harbor Springs, 89.5; 4. Inland Lakes, 59.5; 5. Onaway; 55; 10. Pellston, 21

Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf atjgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter@sportsCDT