GRAND HAVEN - If runners across the state weren't paying attention to the rise of the West Ottawa sprinters - they are now.
The Panthers ran the second-fastest time in state history in the 4x200-meter relay and followed that up with the fourth-fastest ever race in the 4x100 at the Division 1 regional championships on Friday at Grand Haven.
"It meant a lot. It is crazy," senior Desmond Chapa said. "It is like a dream. I don't know tons about times, but knowing we were second-fastest ever, I think we were all blown away - but we knew we were capable of it."
Both times are fastest in the state this season and qualified the Panthers to the Division 1 state finals on June 1 at East Kentwood.
The 4x100 was Charlie Sanders, Ruben Esparza, Andrew Spilotro and Desmond Chapa, finishing in 41.66 and the 4x200 (1:25.99) was the same quartet.
"This was a humongous step," Esparza said. "We knew we had the weapons and we did what we had to do. It is crazy to be second-fastest ever, but we want to be No. 1. We are coming for that No. 1. This is 20-times more motivating. We will be hungry."
West Ottawa coach Daniel Blake kept his sprinters fresh by not running the 100 individually - just the 200.
"This is faster than we expected. The 4x200 was a huge drop. But we also knew that holding them out of the 100, they would be fresh for the 4x200," Blake said. "That was outstanding. It just shows what we (are capable of). It is really taking off. We still have a lot we can improve on, but this has been fantastic. It has definitely surpassed where I thought we would be at this point."
Chapa won the 200 meters at 21.74, followed by Esparza (21.85) and Spilotro was third (22.31).
West Ottawa's Craig Traylor Jr. took fifth in the 110-meter hudles (15.20) but was fast enough to qualify. John Beetham took fourth in the long jump (21 5 3/4) and qualified.
West Ottawa finished fourth overall as a team with 74 points, just ahead of Zeeland West (73.5) and Zeeland East (46). Rockford won the meet (112), followed by Grand Haven (109.5) and Jenison (76).
Zeeland West's Keaton Hendricks won the 300 hurdles (38.87) and took second in the 110 hurdle s(14.62) to qualify for state, breaking the school record in the process.
"It means a lot," Hendricks said. "It is all the training and the coaching. I worked my way up and through and I just had to run my race. Hoping to bring home an all-state."
Gael Garcia, Rolando Robelin, Parker Holman and Brandon Holman took sixth in the 4x100 (43.47) but were fast enough to qualify for state. Robelin, Micah Henry, Hendricks and Brandon Holman took fourth in the 4x200 (1:28.90) to qualify as did Hendricks, Brandon Holman, Nick Lloyd and Henry in the 4x400 (3:23.75).
Zeeland West's Andrew Kraft won the high jump at 6-2. Teammate Orion Yant also jumped 6-2 but Kraft had fewer attempts. Both qualified for state. Ethan Faucher took second in the pole vault (13-6).
Zeeland East's Garrett Weeden won the shot put in 54 feet, 8 inches and Parker Williams was third (53.9 1/2) to qualify for state. Weeden also won the discus (156-10). Zeeland West's Carson Arnould was third (152-7) to qualify and Williams was fifth (144-10) just missing state by two inches.
West Ottawa girls take third
The West Ottawa girls finished third (104) ahead of Zeeland East (73) and Zeeland West (66). Rockford won with 173 and Grand Haven was second with 116.
West Ottawa's Helen Sachs won the 1,600 (4:53.12) and 3,200 (10:32.21).
"It couldn't have been a much better day," Sachs said.
Sachs was fourth in the 800 (2:17.74) to qualify for state. She teamed with Emma Gunnett, Ella Wierks and Collette Wierks to win the 4x800 relay (9:07.78).
Gunnett won the 400 (59.29). Ella Wierks was second in the 800 (2:17.06). Ava Porras was fifth in the 3,200 (11:08.55) and qualified for state.
West Ottawa's Alyssa Danek, Allinna Teav, Victoria Tulloch and Julia Frampton won the 4x100 (49.73). Teav, Collette Wierks, Ella Wierks and Frampton won the 4x200 (1:45.03).
Gunnett, Collette Wierks, Addie Birkholz and Ella Wierks took second in the 4x400 to qualify (4:00.39).
Teav took third in the long jump (17-3 1/4) and qualified for state.
Zeeland East's Emma Drnek took second in the 1,600 (5:02.21) and the 3,200 (11:04.05), while teammate Allison Kuzma was third (11:06.35), who also qualified.
Zeeland East's Meredith Cook took fifth in the 800 (2:17.83) to qualify. Cook and Drnek teamed with Kat Wilson and CC Kuras to take fourth in the 4x400 (4:07.17) and qualify.
Cook, Kuzma, Drnek and Taryn DiLaura took third in the 4x800 and qualified for state (9:24.88).
In the field events, Zeeland East's Anna Tilden won the discus (139-1) in a personal best, and took third in the shot put (37-6), qualifying for state in both.
"I have had a lot good practices lately. With all the good throwers today, I was able to whip that one out. PR by two feet in disc," Tilden said. "In shot, I started slow and started to build. I pulled from what I know and did it. With Zeeland East throws, it means a lot to win and set another example to what Zeeland East is all about."
East's Mirra Fenlon took fourth in the long jump (17-3 1/4) and qualifie dfor state.
Zeeland West's Avari Peddie won the 200 meters (26.42) and took second in the 100 meters (12.76).
Peddie teamed with Elysia Alejandro, Kendall Ruster and Jordin Robelin to take second in the 4x100 (50.46).
Jordyn Klaasen, Greta Hondorp, Evie Kleinheksel and Caiti Grant took fourth in the 4x800 (9:42.73) and qualified for state.
Isabel Assink took second in the discus (126-10) in a personal best, and fourth in the shot put (37-5 1/2) to qualify.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
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