Advertisement

No sooner are most established, then theyÕre broken the next meet. ItÕs a pattern thatÕs just fine with coach Andy Place. HeÕd like to see it continue all season, on through the regional and state competition.

"It is nice to see the improvement in everyone," Place said after the Ramblers finished third at a Lake Michigan Conference quad meet Monday, April 23 in Charlevoix.

The team left town in a misty fog, but the sky cleared and the sun came out in time for the meet. EveryoneÕs spirits raised as the gloom lifted. "It was just what the girls needed to perform their best," said Place. Even the girls who did not finish in the top five scoring places enjoyed their best days on the track.

Charlevoix took first place with 87 points, Harbor Springs finished second with 76, Boyne third with 59 and Elk Rapids scored 25 points. The Ramblers began their string of personal best performances in the field events.

In the pole vault, Caitlyn Wonski eclipsed her previous best height when she cleared 10 feet for the first time in her prep career for first place. Perry Fish set personal bests in both the shot put and the discus. In the shot, Fish took second place with a throw of 29 feet, 1/2 inch, while she was third in the discus with a heave of 94 feet, 5 inches.

Kristina LaVake placed fifth in the shot with her best effort of the year, a throw of 28 feet, 3 inches. She also took a second place in the 100-meter dash.

Lindsey Mansfield finished second in the 3200-meter run with a time of 13:38.0 for a personal best. Casmear Kerr was third in the pole vault with a personal best height of 6 feet, 6 inches.

Erin Haley turned in a pesonal best time of 6:24.5 in the 1600-meter run. The winning 800-meter relay team of Red Nichols, Sarah Lounsbury, Wonski and Natasha Bell had their fastest time of the season in 1:57.3.

Kerr, Bell, Klancie Argue and Wonski combined for a seasonÕs best time of 4:43.2 in the 1600-meter relay, which was good enough for third place.

Bell took first place in the long jump with a leap of 15 feet, 6 inches.

"She had jumps over 15 feet, so she is becoming more consistent," Place said.

Nichols finished second in both the high and intermediate hurdles.

The 3200-meter relay team of Kerr, Mansfield, Argue and Patty Kurtz took second place. Sammy McLeod was fourth in the high jump. Ramblers fourth at 9th/10th meet HARBOR SPRINGS - Last Wednesday, the Ramblers competed in a Lake Michigan Conference freshman/sophomore meet at Harbor Springs and took fourth with 68 points.

Sault Ste. Marie was first with 114.33, followed by Harbor Springs with 104 and Charlevoix with 71.33. East Jordan had 60, Elk Rapids 47 and Kalkaska 24.33.

Bell broke the meet record, and her school record, in the 200-meter dash in a time of 26.74 seconds. She also won the 100 meters in 12.91, and the long jump with a leap of 14 feet, 7 1/2 inches.

LaVake had a first place in the shot put with a throw of 27 feet, 9 inches and finished sixth in the 100 meters.

The 400-meter relay team of LaVake, Jade Ward, McLeod and Bell was second.

Kerr had a medal-winning performance with a third place in the pole vault.

McLeod, Ward, Emma Stuewer and Argue took a fourth place in the 800 relay.

Haley was fourth in the 3200-meter run, and sixth in the 1600 meters. Lounsbury took a fourth in the shot put.

"We have a great group of underclassmen," Place said. "A meet like this gives the athletes a chance to compete in several events. Everyone was involved in scoring points for the team.

"Sammy, Jade and Emma provided the depth we needed to run relays. I was very excited for Kristina and Laura in the shot put. This was a wonderful team effort."