By Jacob Arvidson
LocalSportsJournal.com

HOLTON – Reeths-Puffer junior Maryssa Depies quite literally ran away from the pack at Friday’s Greater Muskegon Athletic Association City Track Meet.lsj-fb-logo

Depies inked her name in the meet record books four different times, the first time such a feat has been accomplished in the history of the event.

“It feels really good,” said Depies, who set new city meet records in the 800-, 1600- and 3200-meter run and as part of the Rockets’ 4X800 meter relay team. “It feels good to do something that I wasn’t sure I could do. I choose targets around the track and I race toward those. It makes it go by a lot faster and a lot easier.”

Depies’ amazing day helped her Reeths-Puffer girls squad claim its seventh straight city title. Fruitport won its third straight boys championship.

Reeths-Puffer's Maryssa Depies leads the way for one of her four first place finishes. Photo/Tim Reilly

Reeths-Puffer’s Maryssa Depies leads the way for one of her four first place finishes. Photo/Tim Reilly

Depies’ first record came as part of the 4×800-meter relay team. The Rocket foursome of Lilah Parker, Jayme Brantsen, Kendra Irvine and Depies blew away the competition, finishing with a time of 9:36.23. The time broke Whitehall’s 1998 record of 9:54.7.

The next three records were solely the work of Depies.

Her blistering pace in the 1600-meter run allowed her to finish in 5:03.06, shattering Reeths-Puffer alumna Alexis Lund’s record of 5:13.40 set in 1993.

The 800-meter run was no different, though it was more of a sprint than a run for Depies. Again she distanced herself from her fellow racers to finish in 2:19.51, just edging out Mona Shores’ Amy Laswell’s record of 2:20.8 set in 1977.

In her fourth, final, and longest race of the meet – the 3200-meter run – Depies posted a time of 11:04.72 to break her own record of 11:14.81 set in 2015.

The 800-meter record stood out for Depies.

“I doubt myself a lot in that race, and to do it, I feel proud of myself,” she said.

Fruitport's Noah Hendricks crosses the finish line first in the 400. Photo/Tim Reilly

Fruitport’s Noah Hendricks crosses the finish line first in the 400. Photo/Tim Reilly

The Reeths-Puffer girls team ran away with the team title, totaling 161 points, more than double second-place Whitehall (73).

Taking third was Montague (66), followed by Mona Shores (62), Fruitport (49), Western Michigan Christian (40), Muskegon (29), Orchard View (21), Ravenna (17), Oakridge (5) and Muskegon Catholic Central (4).

The Rocket girls won every relay event.

The 4×100-meter relay team of Iyanni Shyne, Bayroni Lopez, Riley Jacobs and Ariana Burt finished in 51.22 seconds. The 4×200-meter relay team of Shyne, Lexi Fortenberry, Melissa Powell and Burt finished in 1:49.33. The 4×400-meter relay team of ,Grace Sweet, Ida Mauseth, Fortenberry and Powell finished in 4:15.67.

The Rocket girls also won three of the five field events. Freshman Bridget McHugh’s 5-foot leap won the high jump, Burt’s 15 foot, 11.5 inch leap won the long jump and Irvine’s 9 feet, 6 inch effort won the pole vault competition.

In the boys meet, Fruitport claimed its third straight title with 121 points, beating out Whitehall (79), Mona Shores (73), Reeths-Puffer (69), Orchard View (42), Western Michigan Christian (27), Muskegon (26), Oakridge (24), Muskegon Catholic Central (23), Ravenna (22), Montague (18), North Muskegon (2) and Holton (1).

This title was emotional for Fruitport Coach Chad Brandow.

Western Michigan Christian's Braxton Snuffer leads the pack. Photo/Tim Reilly

Western Michigan Christian’s Braxton Snuffer leads the pack. Photo/Tim Reilly

“This is my kid’s senior year,” he said with tears in his eyes. “All these boys are like my sons. It’s an honor, they’re good kids.”

The Trojan boys won three of the four relay events.

Chris Kramer, Cameron Brandow, Noah Hendricks and Wyatt Kendra took the 4×200-meter relay with a time of 1:32.07. Brandow, Aaron King, Nic Kramer and Seth Glover claimed the 4×400-meter relay with a time of 3:30.57, while Kody Brooks, Cameron Oleen, Glover and King won the 4×800-meter relay with a time of 8:18.13.

Fruitport’s Nic Kramer won the discus competition with a heave of 56 feet, 9 inches. Hendricks won in the 400-meter dash, crossing the finish line in 49.83 seconds. King won an individual event for the Trojans as well, finishing the 800-meter run in 1:59.98.

“Wee just came out and did everything we were supposed to do and we did it the way we always do,” Coach Brandow said. “That’s a testament to these boys. I taught them ‘team, team, team’ and they took it to the next level.”

Mona Shores’ Darece Roberson repeated as champion in the 100-meter dash (11.16) and the long jump (21-feet-8.5-inches). Reeths-Puffer’s Nate McCrary repeated as champion in the 200-meter dash (22.69).

GREATER MUSKEGON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION CITY TRACK MEET

BOYS EVENT CHAMPIONS

100 Meter Dash – Darece Roberson, Mona Shores (11.16).

200 Meter Dash – Nate McCrary, Reeths-Puffer (22.69).

400 Meters Dash – Noah Hendricks, Fruitport (49.83).

800 Meter Run – Aaron King, Fruitport (1:59.98).

1600 Meter Run – Braxton Snuffer, Western Michigan Christian (4:30.34).

3200 Meter Run – Alex Dennis, Whitehall (10:10.04).

110 Meter Hurdles – Justin Tokarczyk, Mona Shores (15.31).

300 Meter Hurdles – Robert Taylor, Oakridge (42.17).

4×100 Relay: Reeths-Puffer (Parker Aerts, Jordan Cooley, Armund Gordon, Nate McCrary), 43.40.

4×200 Relay: Fruitport (Chris Kramer, Cameron Brandow, Noah Hendricks, Wyatt Kendra), 1:32.07.

4×400 Relay: Fruitport (Cameron Brandow, Aaron King, Nic Kramer, Seth Glover), 3:30.57.

4×800 Meter Relay – Fruitport (Kody Brooks, Cameron Oleen, Seth Glover, Aaron King), 8:29.95.

Shot Put – Cain Priese, Whitehall (51-02).

Pole Vault – Brendan Postema, Ravenna (12-06).

High Jump – Armund Gordon, Reeths-Puffer (6-00).

Long Jump – Darece Roberson, Mona Shores (21-08.5).

Discus – Nic Kramer, Fruitport (156-09).

GIRLS EVENT CHAMPIONS

100 Meter Dash – Mikayla Thomas, Muskegon (13.00).

200 Meter Dash – Abby Christmas, Montague (26.80).

400 Meter Dash – Julie Brown, Whitehall (1:01.92)

800 Meter Run – Maryssa Depies, Reeths-Puffer (2:19.51).

1600 Meter Run – Maryssa Depies, Reeths-Puffer (5:03.26).

3200 Meter Run – Maryssa Depies, Reeths-Puffer (11:04.72).

100 Meter Hurdles – Robbie Berg, Montague (16.37).

300 Meter Hurdles – Robbie Berg, Montague (47.92).

4×100 Relay: Reeths-Puffer (Iyanni Shyne, Bayroni Lopez, Riley Jacobs, Ariana Burt), 51.22.

4×200 Relay: Reeths-Puffer (Iyanni Shyne, Lexi Fortenberry, Melissa Powell, Ariana Burt), 1:49.33.

4×400 Relay: Reeths-Puffer (Grace Sweet, Ida Mauseth, Lexi Fortenberry, Melissa Powell), 4:15.67.

4×800 Meter Relay – Reeths-Puffer (Lilah Parker, Jayme Brantsen, Kendra Irvine, Maryssa Depies), 9:36.23.

Shot Put – Brianna Copley, Whitehall (33-01.5).

Pole Vault – Kendra Irvine, Reeths-Puffer (9-06).

High Jump – Bridget McHugh, Reeths-Puffer (5-00).

Long Jump – Ariana Burt, Reeths-Puffer (15-11.5).

Discus – Janaya Ferrell, Orchard View (101-04).