Kessler Wins 800-1,600 Double, Splits 1:47 Anchor On Runner-Up 4x800

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

A week after his record-smashing performance in the 1,500 meters at the Portland Track Festival, Hobbs Kessler donned his Ann Arbor Skyline uniform for the final time and competed at the Michigan state track and field championships at East Kentwood High. 

Kessler, who has qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 1,500 after running faster than any college runner in history (3:34.32), had little to prove at the Michigan state meet but wanted to procure as many points as possible for his team. 

A distance triple was out of the question due to the compactted schedule, so he chose the 800 and 1,600 double and also anchored his team's 4x800. 

In the relay, Kessler recorded a 1:47.7 split but came up just short of catching Novi anchor Miles Brown. Novi pulled it out with 7:48.53 to 7:48.56. 

Kessler won 1,600 in 4:16.68 before coming back to the the 800 and winning in 1:54.13, beating Brown (1:54.45). 

Brother Rice sprinter Udodi Onwuzurike won a tough sprint double into a strong headwind, taking the 100 in 10.55 into a -6.0 wind. And he won the 200 in 21.23 (-3.8). 

Kaila Jackson of Detroit Renaissance swept the girls sprints with 11.70 (-1.2) and 24.01 (-5.1).  

Oak Park dominated the girls sprints and hurdles, with Jada Roundtree taking the 400 in 55.13 and Nonah Waldron, Morgan Roundtree and Emon Miles going 1-2-3 in the 100-meter hurdles. Waldron paired 14.07 with another victory in the 300 hurdles in 43.17.

Oak Park won the 4x400 relay in US#10 3:46.63 to cap a team championship performance with 86 points.

Fenton and Rockford tied for the boys title with 34 points each. 

At the Division 2 meet in Zeeland, freshman Brook Simpson from Belding scaled 5-10 in the high jump to win a state title. She also placed second in the 400 meters (58.36) and third in the 200 (26.26). 

Emma Squires led the Petoskey girls to the D2 team title with her victories in the 800 (2:14.00) and 1,600 (4:55.05) and second place in the 3,200 meters (11:03.80). She also ran on the winning 4x800 relay. 

Brothers Sam and Daniel Barger played big roles in lifting Frankenmuth to the D2 boys title, contributing points in the sprints and running on the winning 4x100 relay. Frankenmuth also got second place points in the 4x200 and 4x400 relays. 

Alex Mansfield from Monroe Jefferson won the boys shot put by eight feet, with 59-2.50. 

At the Division 3 finals in Jenison, Sarah Marvin of Byron was the star of the meet. The Michigan signee won the shot put with 50-9.50 and also launched a new personal best in the discus with 160 feet. 

Lani Bloom from Ithaca won the the 1,600 meters in an impressive PR time of 4:48.89. 

Abby VanderKooi from Muskegon Western Michigan Christian won the 3,200 meters in 11:05.55. 

Pewamo-Westphalia and Grass Lake tied for the girls title with 41 points apiece. Grass Lake got key points with a second-place finish in the 4x400 to earn a tie but could not catch Shepherd for the relay title, finishing about a second behind.

Lexus Bargesser won the 100 (12.12w), 200 (25.30w) and 400 in 55.54 for Grass Lake. 

Pewamo-Westphalia's Sophie Thelen was third in the 100, second in the 200 and third in the pole vault in addition to running on a relay. 

Brennan Bargesser, Lexus' older brother, won the boys 100, 200 and 400 -- giving the family a clean sweep of the sprints and six individual titles. Bargesser also ran on the winning 4x100 and led the team to a victory with 68 points. 

Dean Reynolds from Hanover-Horton won the boys 800 in 1:55.15.

In Division 4, at Hudsonville, Benny Diaz from Saugatuck won the 100 hurdles (14.77), 300 hurdles (39.59) and was top-three in both sprint events. 

But the Carson City-Crystal boys pulled out the team victory thanks to Zane Forist's dominance in the throws and Coleman Clark's prowess in the distance events. Forist won the shot put with 62-4 and the discus with 196-5 -- smashing meet records in both events. Clark ran 9:52.53 to win the 3,200 and also scored in the 800 and 1,600. 

Tara Townsend from Frankford tied the meet record in the pole vault with 12 feet. 

Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart won the team title with  victories in the 4x200 and 4x400 relays, and Nicole Olivieri's win in the 400 (57.47).

Team Champions 

Division 1 - Fenton and Rockford boys 34 points (tie), Oak Park girls 86 points - RESULTS

Division 2 - Frankenmuth boys 45.75 points, Petoskey girls 48 points - RESULTS

Division 3 - Grass Lake boys 68 points, Pewamo-Westphalia and Grass Lake girls 41 points (tie) - RESULTS

Division 4 - Carson City-Crystal boys 68.5 points, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart girls 51 points - RESULTS