“Total Team Effort” in Petoskey

Sault High Blue Devils track and field had their first outdoor meet of the season in Petoskey earlier this week. Both teams came in second place behind Petoskey. The boys had 65 points, while the girls had 61. Boys head coach Jim Martin was excited about both teams’ performances. “First of all, this was a total team effort. I don’t think we have beaten Alpena in over a decade. They and Petoskey have great programs to be sure. And Petoskey St Micheals is no slouch either especially considering the size of their school.”

Several Blue Devils placed in the top eight, earning points for their team. A number of athletes had a personal record (PR) At the meet as well. Ryver Ryckeghem had a “fantastic day.” He placed second (11.53) and third (24.11) in the 100m and 200m dashes. Dean Roe “made quite a splash in his first varsity meet” placing seventh (24.66) in the 200m and Donnie Dykraaf finished eighth (12.06 – PR) in the 100m. AJ Gerrish placed sixth (2:26.15 – PR) and Evan Huyck finished seventh (2:26.94 – PR) in the 800m run. Eli Hills “ran a great race” taking fifth (5:13.90 – PR) and Chase Aldridge finished seventh (5:30.91 – PR) in the 1600m run. Shea Armstrong (11:56.17) “led a pack of Blue Devils who swept the two mile run”. Armstrong was followed by Adam Brandt (12:21.26 – PR), Isaac Brindley (13:20.46 – PR), Easton Hills (13:20.62 – PR), McKal Berry (13:31.74) and Neal Gallagher (14:04.72 – PR). Isaac Niebuhr placed fifth (18.35), Owen Rice placed sixth (18.45 – PR), and Wyatt Peabody came in eighth (20.26) in the 110m high hurdles. Rice was runner up (44.70), and Niebuhr finished fourth (47.59) in the 300m low hurdles. 

The boys did well in their relays. The 4×100 relay team of Dykraaf, Jaden Rishmawi, Max VanDoren, and Ryckeghem (finished third (47.95). The 4×200 relay team of Caleb Klier, Rishmawi, Rayce Rizzo and VanDoren finished second (1:43.13). Aldridge, Eli Hills, Klier and Rice finished fourth (4:04.87) in the 4×400 relay. The Sault had two teams in the 4×800 relay. Klier, Brandt, Huyck and Armstrong finished third (9:20) while Arlin Alcorn, Berry, Owen O’Connor and Gerrish finished fourth (11:01).

The team performed well in the field events, with a few Blue Devils coming out on top. Talon Thomas-Holm and Nate Koepp “continued to show their dominance in the high jump” by placing first (5’6) and second (5’4), Niebuhr was seventh (5’0). Rizzo won pole vault (12’0) and took third (17’10.25) in the long jump. Niebuhr took fourth (16’9.25 – PR) and Peabody took fifth (16’7.75) in long jump. “The Blue Devils showed tremendous depth and ability by taking three of the top five places in the long jump.” Brady Ditmyer was runner up (38’07 – PR) in shot put, and seventh (88’07) in discus. 

The Lady Blue Devils had a number of athletes place in the top eight as well, contributing to their second place finish. Bella Smith was sixth in both the 100m (14.02) and 200m (28.94) dash. Dayna Szabo was runner up (1:03.81) and Alyvia Coullard placed eighth (1:12) in the 400m run, and Abby Walther finished third (2:40.61) in the 800m run. In the 1600m run, the Blue Devils had five of the top eight places. Walther was third (6:02.64), Regan Sporte was fifth (6:20.73), Elise Proulx took sixth (6:27.83), Stephanie Jones finished seventh (6:41.58 – PR) and Leighton Nyboer was eighth (7:27.84). Sporte won the 3200m  run (14:00.84), with teammates Calla Armstrong in second (14:41.73), and Nyboer in third (16:28.48). Annabelle Fazzari placed third (17.71) in the 100m high hurdles. 

The girls’ relay teams performed well in Petoskey. Talyah Pace, Grace Mayer, Natalie Heyrman, and Smith finished second  (55.86) in the 4×100 relay, while Mayer, Coullard, Heyrman, and Smith placed second (1:59.22) in the 4×200 relay. Ava Mayer, Mayer, Coullard and Szabo took third  (4:44.66) in the 4×400 relay, and Armstrong, Sporte, Szabo and Walther crossed second (11:21) in the 4×800 relay. 

The girls made their presence known in the field events, with Maddy McLean winning the long jump (14’7.25 – PR), Jolene Elkins jumping seventh (12’9.5), and Jordyn Giffen jumping eighth (12’9 – PR). Gracie Akridge placed fourth (4’6) in the high jump, and Grace Mayer placed fifth (4’6). Fazzari was runner up (35’01 – PR) in shot put, Abby Kachur threw seventh (24’01) and Lexi Landis finished eighth (23’08 – PR). Fazzari took third (86’05) in discus while McLean placed seventh (71’05 – PR). 

“This was a great way to start our outdoor season. Congrats to all the Blue Devils on a job well done!” The Blue Devils head to Marquette next week to compete in the Queen City Relays.

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