ALLENDALE – One by one, they climbed to the podium.
Seven Holland-area athletes earned first-place finishes to lead the Grand Valley State track and field teams to a sweep of the GLIAC Outdoor Championships on Friday, May 1, at GVSU.
Megan Postma, Alaina Diaz, Shelby Ulven, Paige Westra, Garrett Weeden and the Chapa brothers all earned victories.
“It is great to see West Michigan people doing what they love and doing bigger things in college – finally on a team together,” Diaz said.
The GVSU women scored 245 points to hold off Wayne State (150.5), Northern Michigan (113), Wisconsin-Parkside (102) and Saginaw Valley State (82.5).
The GVSU men scored 285 points to finish ahead of Wisconsin-Parkside (147.5), Saginaw Valley State (129), Davenport (88), Purdue-Northwest (58.5), Ferris State (52), Michigan Tech (20), Lake Superior State (12) and Roosevelt (11).
Zeeland East graduate Paige Westra won the shot put in a personal-best 15.42 meters (50 feet, 7 1/4 inches). She led a 1-2-3 finish with Avery Lahti (14.31, 46-11 1/2) and Emily Stinson (44-8 1/4).
“Going 1-2-3 was awesome,” Westra said. “I have been working on some new parts of my technique and it worked really well. I am really happy with how it went. I switched up my start, so I am starting a little lower. It feels a lot better.”
On Thursday, Zeeland East graduate Shelby Ulven won the GLIAC title in the hammer throw. She threw 184 feet and went 1-2 with Stinson (175-3).
“I performed where I wanted to but didn’t throw where I wanted to. We started a new lifting program,” she said. “My body crashed a little bit, but I still finished first. It was surreal being on top of the podium. I didn’t realize I would feel this way. I am getting more emotional each meet – and there are only two left.”
GVSU’s Zoe Zeiser won the long jump (18-10). Nyla Reed was third (18-5 3/4) and Zeeland East graduate Mirra Fenlon was fourth (18-4 1/2). Fenlon also took fifth in the triple jump (35-7 3/4). Lauren Rokos was second in the high jump (5-4 1/2).
Zeeland East graduate Garrett Weeden won the GLIAC title in the discus with a personal-best 51.06 meters (167-6).
Weeden also finished fourth in the shot put (50-9 1/2). Gerald Capaccio was second (54-7 1/2). Prentice Gardner Jr. was second in the triple jump (45-5 3/4).
“It was an awesome start. I didn’t think it was going to be that far. I just wanted a mark. I love the cheering and the community. My previous PR was 49.68, so that was big. I just think I was ready to go big.”
The Lakers had a 1-2-3 sweep in the men’s hammer throw with Michael Griffey (69.25 meters/227-2 feet), Sebastian Tesch (65.94) and Lucas Lesher (West Ottawa), who threw 62.27. GVSU’s Camryn Battjes won the men’s pole vault (15-11 3/4).
GVSU did well on the track, too.
West Ottawa graduate Megan Postma got the winning rolling with a victory in the 1500 meters. She crossed the line in 4 minutes, 34.09 seconds to hold off the field by less than a second.
“It was good. I got what I wanted. I wasn’t going for a PR or anything, I just wanted to win,” Postma said. “Getting more points for the team means a lot. It builds my confidence heading into nationals.”
West Ottawa graduates Desmond Chapa (47.73) and DeMarcus Chapa (47.98) went 2-3 in the 400 meters. They also teamed with Joshua Page and Ayden McCarey to win the 4×400 relay in 3:10.77.
Aliana Diaz sprinted to a win in the 200 meters. The Hudsonville graduate crossed the finish line in 23.91 through the chilly air.
“I decided to just focus on my form at the end because I broke down a little bit (Thursday). I wanted to stay a little more relaxed and I executed very well today,” Diaz said. “It feels great to win. I didn’t quite get the time that I wanted but I did my best. That is all I can ask for in this weather.”
Diaz teamed with Catherine Guckenberger, Gianni Harris and Adalyn Long to win the women’s 4×100 relay (45.52). Mia Barnett was second in the 100 hurdles (14.11). Madison Cooke took second in the 400 meters (56.35). Harris won the 100 meters (11.59). Addison Washler (2:11.28) and Daisy Speet (2:11.63) went 1-2 in the 800. Kate Aniolkowski (1:01.53) and Keira Zorski (1:01.67) went 2-3 in the 400 hurdles. Annika Sandman was second in the 5K (17:14.25).
GVSU’s Aaron Gholston, Jason Hamilton II, Sam Coyle and Page won the men’s 4×100 (40.40). Joshua Hurt (13.81), Dominic Downes (13.88), Parker Campbell (14.02) and Jackson Hayward (14.25) went 1-2-3-4 in the 110 hurdles. Coyle won the 100 meters (10.46). Sam Allen won the 800 (1:48.67). Colin MacGregor was third (1:49.89). Lance Riddle was second in the 400 hurdles (52.70). Hamilton II won the 200 (21.04) and Page was second (21.06). Owen Westerkamp (14:23.53) and Flynn Pumpa (14:24.03) went 1-2 in the 5K.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: GVSU sweeps GLIAC track & field finals behind stellar Holland-area winners
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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