Select boys and girls from both track teams participated in the Mid-Michigan Meet of Champions meet Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Only the top eight runners in the region were able to participate in the laned races and the top 12 throwers, pole vaulters, and jumpers in the region participated in their select events. Boys and girls from several schools participated including: Alma, Beal City, Breckenridge, Clare, Coleman, Farwell, Fulton, Harrison, Ithaca, Montabella, Mt. Pleasant and Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, Remus Chippewa Hills, and St. Louis.

The Mid-Michigan Meet of Champions started as the “Morning Sun” meet, but after funding ran out, coaches in the area kept the meet alive. Now it is used by track and field teams to prepare for state finals. 

For the boys, Ignatius Jackson came in first place for the 100-meter dash. Andrew Taipalus was fourth in the 400m dash. For the 800m dash, Nate March received sixth place. Aaron Bowerman and Keegan Honig came in seventh and eighth for the 1600m dash with their personal records [PR] of 4:45.22 minutes and 4:47.90 minutes. Joe Erickson came in sixth for the 3200m dash. Caleb Noak came in sixth place for the 110-meter hurdles. The 4×200-meter relay team of Gavin Wenzlick, Taipalus, JT Starry, and Jackson came in second. The 4x800m relay team of Dylan Marr, March, Craig Bebow, and Honig came in first. Ben Dousah came in third for shot put, fifth for discus, and first for long jump with a jump of 20-00.50 feet. 

The girls’ track team didn’t send everyone to the all-star meet since they had the MITCA track meet Saturday. However, the girls that they sent did great. Jenna Abell PR’d in the 3200m dash with a time of 13:33.24 minutes. Natalee Hoyt PR’d as well in pole vault with a height of 9-00.00 feet. Korah Honig came in third for shot put and discus. She shared, “I feel like I did pretty well. I PR’d so much at regionals, and I have been trying to reach it again. I’m happy where I am at, and I am very excited to perform at states.”

Coach Puffpaff is happy with his team’s readiness for state finals and how they performed. He voiced, “We had some great performances. It was a great day to get a final tune-up for our state qualifiers. We have been preparing for the state finals all season long. These last couple of weeks we have been getting ready for the best that the state has to offer at the state finals. The team is excited and ready to perform on Saturday.”