LocalSportsJournal.com

HUDSONVILLE–Fruitport Calvary Christian sophomore Bradley Richards made the biggest news of the day at the MHSAA Division 4 track and field state finals meet on Saturday.

The meet was at Baldwin Middle School in Hudsonville.

Richards won the high jump event with a leap of 6-10. The jump was one half inch from breaking the all-time Division 4 state record. It was the first time an athlete from Calvary Christian won an individual state title at the track and field state finals. Richards’ jump was the highest of the day in the state finals in Divisions 1-4.

Last season, Richards finished in fifth place in the high jump.

In the boys’ division, Calvary Christian finished in 19th place with 10 points while Pentwater and Mason County Eastern finished with four points and a 37th place tie.

Kalamazoo Hackett took home the state title with 53 points. They were followed by Reading with 47 points and Wyoming Potters House with 42 points.

Photo/Ruth Kramer

Mason County Eastern sophomore Alex Tyndall finished in fifth place in the 3200 meters with a time of 10:01:06 and ninth in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:32:05.

Pentwater junior Abe VanDuinen came in sixth place in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:49:57

The Pentwater 4 x 400 relay team came in eighth place with a time of 3:37.94. The team consisted of Kaleb Brown, Abe VanDuinen, Eli Powers and Lane Rood.

The Mason County Eastern 4 x 800 relay team came inninth place with a time of 8:32:37. The team consisted of Nathan Wing, Alex Tyndall, Noah O’Connor and Dakota Matzen.

In the girls’ division, Western Michigan Christian finished with a 12th place finish with 17 points while Mason County Eastern finished in 19th place with 11 points.

The Buckley Bears won the state title with 52 points just getting by Portland St. Patrick with 49 points and Indian River Inland Lakes with 38 points.

Western Michigan Christian sophomore Grace VanderKooi had another great running day as she took second place in the 3200 meters with a time of 11:20:06. She also finished in third place in the 1600 meters with a time of 5:13:63.

Mason County Eastern sophomore Payton Haynes finished her season on a high note, finishing in sixth place in the 100m hurdles with a time of 16:59. Haynes took second place in the pole vault with a leap of 10-0.

Pentwater junior Emily Schwarz finished in 10th place in the high jump with a leap of 5-0.