HUDSONVILLE — Hillsdale Academy’s boys track and field team saved its most dramatic moment for the final race of the season.
Tied for the team lead entering the 1,600-meter relay, the Colts delivered under pressure, as senior Dawson Scharer surged down the final straightaway to secure the MHSAA Division 4 state championship — the first in program history. This past weekend’s state title run became the second cornerstone moment for the boys team this season, following up a MITCA Division 4 state title at their home track in Hillsdale (their first MITCA title since 2021).
Hillsdale Academy totaled 46 points, edging Eau Claire (44) and Royal Oak Shrine Catholic (39) in a tightly contested meet that came down to the final event.
“We sent our largest number of boys to the state meet this year and their camaraderie and grit resulted in our first MHSAA state championship in track and field,” headmaster and longtime coach Mike Roberts said.
The Colts finished with points in eight events, led by a standout senior group.
Scharer played a central role in the title run, winning both hurdle events and anchoring the 4×400 relay.
He captured the 110-meter hurdles in 14.63 seconds after posting the fastest preliminary time (14.83), then added a victory in the 300 hurdles with a season-best 38.52.
He later anchored the 4×400 relay team of Jordan Perry, Luke Molenkamp and Tim Gaebler to a seventh-place finish in 3:32.93 — a result that proved decisive in the final standings.
“We were tied with Eau Claire heading into the final event,” Roberts said. “All three of us had teams in the final heat of the 4×4 relay. We were seeded behind both teams but had to beat them to win. Dawson received the baton just ahead of them but was passed with about 200 meters to go, and then on the final home stretch he gave us one final kick to win the MHSAA team state title. It was an exciting way to win it.”
Senior Grayson Rorick also delivered a key performance in distance events, placing third in the 1,600 run (4:23.58) and fourth in the 800 (1:59.14). He anchored the state championship 4×800 relay team that helped set the tone early in the meet.
The winning 4×800 team — Luke Molenkamp, Jonah Cuthbert, Stephen Holm and Rorick — clocked 8:09.28.
“The boys 4×800 team … really set the tone for the day, dropping well over 10 seconds off their best time of the year to win the event,” Roberts said.
Additional points proved crucial in the Colts’ narrow victory. Zane Socha placed seventh in the high jump (6 feet), and Henry Rorick finished eighth in the 3,200 (10:06.59).
“Socha’s high jump and Henry Rorick’s 3,200 gave the team three additional points which became crucial as we won the meet by just two points,” Roberts said.
Other contributors included:
Roberts credited the team’s depth and resilience across multiple events — particularly in high-pressure moments late in the meet.
“The 4×400 is always a battle at the state meet,” he said. “Our guys knew what was at stake, and Dawson was just Dawson. There is nobody else I’d want anchoring this group.”
The Hillsdale Academy girls team added a strong showing, finishing 11th overall, following up its own MITCA D4 state title in late May.
Junior Lucy Cote led the way, finishing runner-up in the 100 hurdles (15.71) after posting the fastest preliminary time (15.41). She also earned all-state honors in the 300 hurdles with a personal-best 46.88 and anchored the Colts’ all-state 4×400 relay team.
Amelia Heath earned all-state honors as a freshman, placing eighth in the 100 hurdles, while Evelyn Meyer finished eighth in the 3,200 (11:58.80).
The 4×800 relay team of Elizabeth Caspar, Eliza Roberts, Mary Schlueter and Allie Miller placed sixth (10:07.51) to earn all-state recognition.
Senior pole vaulters Anne Gray (sixth, 9-3 PB) and Eliana Stemme (eighth, 8-9) closed their careers with all-state finishes.
Division 4 roundup
In addition to the Colts, area athletes produced a series of resilient and notable performances across the Division 4 finals, highlighted by all-state finishes, injury comebacks and multi-event contributions.
Reading’s sprint group turned in one of the top finishes outside of Hillsdale Academy, with the 4×100 relay team of Aidan Clark, senior Gaven McKibbin, Will Elder and senior Brayden Wright placing fifth in 44.48 seconds to earn all-state honors.
Wright’s performance was particularly notable given the circumstances. The senior sprinter suffered a leg injury at the Hillsdale Area Best meet leading up to the state finals but still competed in both the 100 and 200-meter prelims before helping lead the Rangers to a podium finish in the 4×100 relay. Reading’s 4×200 relay team, also featuring the same runners, placed 11th in 1:34.30, just outside of all-state position, while the 4×400 (Elder, Mckibbin, Parker Riddle, Wiler Williams) relay finished 31st and the 4×800 (Riddle, Mckibbin, Connor Trott, Cooper) relay placed 24th.
Camden-Frontier junior Brandon Menchaca earned all-state honors in the pole vault, clearing 12 feet to place seventh in a competitive field. Teammate Dominic Kurtz added an 11th-place finish in the high jump at 5 feet, 10 inches, while the RedHawks’ 4×200 relay team (Matthew Draheim, Skylar Walston, Kurtz, Dylan Drake) placed 27th.
Pittsford contributed across multiple sprint and field events, led by junior Brendon Nave, who competed in both the 200 dash prelims, placing 19th in 23.37 seconds, and the long jump, placing 16th with a mark of 19 feet, 6 inches. Senior Jacob Drawe added an 18th-place finish in the long jump at 19 feet, 3.75 inches. The Wildcats’ 4×100 relay (Nave, Drawe, senior Mondale Knepfler, Gavin Leggett) finished 17th with a 45.60. The same team placed 17th again in the 4×200 relay with a 1:35.29.
Litchfield sophomore Logan Perkins competed in the 100-meter prelims one day after playing in a district baseball game, highlighting the quick turnaround many athletes faced at the end of the spring season. He took 29th with a 11.94.
In the girls finals, Camden-Frontier sophomore Zailey Conroy delivered one of the area’s top individual finishes, placing third in the 400 meters in 1:01.19 to earn all-state honors. She also competed in both the 100 and 200 prelims earlier in the meet.
Reading’s girls posted a 17th-place finish in the 4×100 relay (Caylee Whinnie, Makenzie Badgley, Lindzey Penza, London Trott) in 53.46 seconds, while Pittsford’s 4×200 relay (Tania Williams, Ellie Bump, Jaycee Kerspilo, Brielle Clark) placed 16th in 1:54.81 and its 4×100 (same team) finished 26th. Pittsford also saw contributions in field events, including senior Laura LeMar, who placed 15th in the discus with a throw of 100 feet, 1 inch, along with three pole vaulters led by Alivia Hoover and Brielle Clark, who each cleared 8 feet, 3 inches to tie for 15th. Tania Williams took 30th.
Up Next
While the MHSAA finals mark the end of the high school season for many athletes, several competitors from Hillsdale County and the surrounding area are expected to continue their seasons at upcoming national level meets, as well as the MITCA Champion of Champions event, extending their opportunities beyond the state stage.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale Academy boys track state title marks end of milestone season
Reporting by Joseph Flaherty, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Joseph Flaherty, Hillsdale Daily News | USA TODAY Network
