BATTLE CREEK – Everyone in the state will be chasing DJ Wood, to see if they can knock off the champ.
Harper Creek’s Wood has the top time in Division 2 in the 110-meter hurdles and the 300 hurdles as the Michigan High School Athletic Association State Track Championships are on tap on Saturday, May 30.
Wood is the top seed in the 110 hurdles with his school-record time of 14.18 and is the defending state champ in that event. He is also the defending state champ in the 300 hurdles and shares the top time in the state heading into the finals at 38.44, also a school record.
Wood is part of an impressive group from city/area schools heading to the state championships. Harper Creek will compete in the Division 2 finals at Hamilton High School.
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Harper Creek’s Christian Ayres (1,600) and Cash Simpson (110 hurdles) are also competing in individual running events for the Beavers. In field events, Sean Johnson, Cam Converse and Cohen Deskins will all represent the Beavers in the shot put. Johnson will also compete in the discus with Nolan Oaks and Gavin Chapman going in the long jump.
Harper Creek is sending two relay teams to the state finals as well. The 400 relay is seeded No. 12 with the team of Nolan Oaks, Carter Brenner, Alex LaFluer, Brody Wallace. The 3,200 relay is seeded No. 10 with the team of Josh Ilgenfritz, Logyn Katsarsky, Cooper Gardner, Ayres.
In the girls meet, Harper Creek will be respresented by Jasmine McBride (400) in the individual events. The Beavers are also sending the 400 relay (Bristol Latimer, Olivia Hensell, Niatalia Hoyt, McBride), 800 relay (Latimer, Hensell, Hoyt, McBride)
More Division 2
Marshall is sending a handful of athletes to the state meet, including Abraham McHugh, who is seeded 12th in the 3,200 and is also in the 1,600.
Also heading to the championships for the Redhawks are Landon Patton (100), Matthew Waito (400), Ty Wynchell (800), Zach Hudson (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles), Jaylen Wharton (shot put). Marshall has three relay teams qualified, sending their 400 relay (Patton, Waito, Hudson, Akin Olapade, Haidyn Woods), the 800 relay (Hudson, Waito, Patton, Olapade, Woods), 1,600 relay (Hudson, Anthony Ours, Winchell, Waito, McHugh, Woods).
In the girls state meet, Marshall will have Ollie Rozell (100) and Emily Dietrich (300 hurdles) in the state meet.
Division 1
Battle Creek Central and Lakeview are sending athletes to the Division 1 state meet at Rockford.
Competing in the state finals for Lakeview are Karson Lewis (1,600), Marcus King (110 hurdles), 1,600 relay (Carter Hughes, Lewis, Hazeion Smith, Devyn Brown, Elijah Demlow), 3,200 relay (Hughes, Lewis, Demlow, Brown).
Heading to Rockford for Battle Creek Central is Yoshua McDonald (110 hurdles).
In girls action, heading to the finals for Lakeview are Arenn Starks (300 hurdles), 400 relay (Lilamae Frank, Aaliyah Smith, Lailah Jones, Starks), 1,600 relay (Abbigail Kline, Frank, Starks, Gianna Burgos).
Gull Lake has the top-seeded runner in the 800 with Lane Isom at 2:10.37. Her sister Annie Isom is the No. 9 seed in the 400.
Division 4
Climax-Scotts, Athens, Bellevue are sending athletes to Division 4 state finals at Hudsonville.
Heading to the championships for the boys for Climax-Scotts are Maximus Wurtzel (100, 400), Gabe Walliczek (shot put, discus), Hunter LaSala (shot put), Liam LaSala (discus), 400 relay (Tyler Peck, Alexander Albarran, Elijah Bowron, Maddox Wyman), 800 relay (Albarran, Bowron, Alexander Wurtzel, Maximus Wurtzel).
In the state finals for the girls for Climax-Scotts are Sophie Braithwaite (100), Paige Amos (200), high jump (Annabelle Edwards), Addy Reeves (long jump), 800 relay (Braithwaite, Amos, Nina Garcia-Delgado, Annabelle Edwards).
Qualifying for Athens are Charley Williams (100), Ava Albert (pole vault).
Qualifying for Bellevue are Emily Murphy (shot put, discus), RyAnn Goodrich (high jump).
For a complete list of Battle Creek-area qualifiers for the MHSAA state track and field championships, go to www.mhsaa.com .
Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @billbroderick
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: MHSAA state track finals are Saturday. Who is going from Battle Creek area?
Reporting by Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer / Battle Creek Enquirer
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