HILLSDALE — It took each level and each race for the Hillsdale varsity boys track and area team to chase down a regional championship on its house track.
The Hillsdale Hornets hosted the Division 3, Region 25 finals and added a trophy to the college’s assortment for the primary time since 2024.
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They had to maintain off cross-county rival Jonesville to get it accomplished. Hillsdale completed with 88.5 factors, whereas Jonesville took second with 82.
More: Dawson Scharer looks to add another state hurdles title before college
“It feels amazing,” senior Brayden Taylor stated. “There’s nothing better than winning a regional title, especially your senior year when it’s your last chance in high school. I think we all came out here with a different mindset than I’ve ever seen.”
In phrases of particular person titles, the Hornets had been led by senior excessive jumper Ashton Thornsbury, who cleared 6 ft, 6 inches to win the regional championship with a personal-best mark. The top leaves him only one inch shy of the college document — a mark he continues to chase.
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“Winning in the high jump definitely felt good,” Thornsbury stated. “There were a couple other 6-6 jumpers there but still won. It feels good, obviously.”
Thornsbury additionally turned in robust performances on the track. He completed fourth within the 110-meter hurdles, breaking his personal college document with a time of 14.86 seconds, and took fourth within the 300 hurdles in 41.31 seconds. Both performances certified him for the state finals.
“I felt really good going into finals,” Thornsbury stated. “But I still broke the school record again, so that always feels good.”
Teammate Evan Towne positioned eighth within the 300 hurdles (42.0).
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The team championship was constructed on depth throughout the lineup. Junior Cam Arnold took fourth within the 100-meter sprint (11.32), whereas senior Marshay Harris positioned fifth (11.57). Taylor added a third-place end within the 200 (23.25).
Taylor, Thornsbury, Harris and Arnold additionally certified for the state finals within the 4×100 relay, ending second in 43.71. The group had already secured a state-qualifying commonplace earlier within the season.
Arnold and Taylor, together with Nathaniel Moes and Connor Young, took sixth within the 4×400 relay (3:38.80). The 4×200 relay team of Moes, Laredo Ruffin, Young and senior Kelton Phillipp positioned fifth (1:36.19).
The distance occasions had been led by junior Logan Youngman, who positioned third within the 1,600 (4:28.45) and second within the 3,200 (9:41.26), qualifying for state in each. He was joined by his youthful brother Bryce Youngman, who took fifth within the 3,200 with a personal-best time of 9:57.80 to qualify.
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Seniors Thayden Welch and Kelton Phillipp positioned thirteenth and sixteenth, respectively, within the 400.
In area occasions, freshman Mason Town led Hillsdale County athletes with a fifth-place end within the shot put (44-0) and was ninth within the discus (117-0). Teammate Blaise Mayer led county rivals within the discus with a sixth-place throw of 122-8.
Thornsbury was joined by senior Robert Garcia in qualifying for the state finals within the excessive leap. Garcia cleared 6-2 to place fifth. Senior Carter Myers completed eighth within the pole vault at 12-0. In the lengthy leap, sophomore Nathaniel Moes posted a personal-best 20-10 1/2 to take second and qualify for state.
Next up for the Hornets is a visit to Manton High School for the MITCA Division 3 Team State Finals. Hillsdale at present sits fourth within the team rankings and is in rivalry for a top-two end.
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“Our focus is just doing exactly what we did today,” Taylor stated. “If we do that, I think we’re going to bring home another trophy.”
Head coach Clay Schiman credited the team’s depth and resilience within the championship effort.
“We had a lot of guys that picked up a fifth place here and there, and it all adds up,” Schiman stated. “I’m really, really happy with how they performed today. This was a goal we had and for them to go out and achieve it was special.”
Hillsdale hoists the regional title trophy, its first for the boys program because the 2024 championship.
Hillsdale boys track and area received the Region 25 team championship after a powerful team-effort in lots of occasions.
Jonesville’s 4×400 team certified for the state finals.
Jonesville boys take second at regionals
While the Comets had been unable to deliver house the team trophy, Jonesville completed runner-up and produced a number of state qualifiers.
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Fowler, Blonde and Potwin teamed with junior Collin Fucile to win the 4×800 relay in 8:01.69. The 4×400 relay team of Logan Stanton, Briggs Baker, Harrison Packer and Caleb Blonde additionally claimed a regional title in 3:29.96.
Junior Reece Rundquist took fourth within the excessive leap (6-2) and sixth within the 110 hurdles (15.15) to qualify for the state finals. He additionally positioned seventh within the lengthy leap and ninth within the 300 hurdles.
Already a state qualifier within the 800, junior Caleb Blonde added a fourth-place end within the 1,600 (4:28.65). Sophomore Ashton Potwin positioned eighth within the occasion.
Senior Nick Fowler took second within the 800 (2:02.81) to earn a state berth, whereas Potwin positioned fifth (2:05.94).
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Jonesville’s 4×200 relay team of Harrison Packer, Donovan Baker, Mason Jordan and Logan Stanton completed second in 1:33.70 to qualify for state.
The 4×100 team of Packer, Jorden Duque, Donovan Baker and Stanton positioned fifth (45.15). Duque additionally ran a personal-best 41.81 within the 300 hurdles to end seventh.
Fucile certified for state within the 3,200 with a third-place end (9:44.41). Jacob Gray took 14th within the occasion.
Briggs Baker positioned sixth within the 400 (54.16). Packer took fifth within the 200 (23.81), whereas Donovan Baker positioned seventh (25.14).
In area occasions, Harper Griffiths led the Comets within the shot put with a throw of 37-9 1/2 (14th), and Austin Gatlin positioned eleventh within the discus with a personal-best 107-11.
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Region 25 ladies outcomes
While no Hillsdale or Jonesville ladies certified for the state finals, a number of athletes posted personal-best performances.
Hillsdale’s Emily York ran a personal-best 28.48 to take eighth within the 200, whereas Jonesville senior Payton Nichelson ran 27.31 in prelims and completed third within the finals (27.69). Effie Heckel positioned fifth (27.79). Heckel and York completed fourth and fifth, respectively, for Hillsdale within the 400. Jonesville junior Kira VanKampen positioned ninth within the 800 (2:36.86), adopted by teammate Kendahl Drake in tenth (2:39.94). Hillsdale senior Abby Amburgey positioned seventeenth (2:59.23).
Jonesville freshman Sophia Morgan positioned fourth within the 1,600 (5:50.70). In the three,200, teammate Joleane Gulledge was third (12:30.62), whereas Keira Knight was fifth (12:49.97). Hillsdale’s Ava Evans completed twelfth (14:28.54).
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Jonesville junior Amelia Means led the county in hurdles, inserting fifth within the 300 hurdles (54.36) and 14th within the 100 hurdles (19.61). Hillsdale’s Zara Wolf (19.84) and Jaiden Fisher (20.16) positioned fifteenth and 18th, respectively.
Wolf was eleventh within the 300 hurdles (57.62), whereas Harper James positioned twelfth (57.82).
Jonesville’s 4×200 relay team of Alexa Moore, Ameilia Means, Miley Dunland and Payton Nichelson completed sixth (1:54.65). The 4×400 team of Means, Morgan, Dunlap and Nichelson took fifth (4:25.54), whereas Hillsdale’s relay of York, Kiely Kroa, Brylee Smith and Heckel positioned seventh (4:30.30).
The Jonesville 4×800 relay team of Keira Knight, Kendahl Drake, Joleane Gulledge and Sophia Morgan completed third (10:26.92).
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In area occasions, Hillsdale freshman Anamarie Wentz positioned seventh within the shot put (30-1 3/4). Olivia Broesamle was fifteenth (25-8 3/4). Jonesville’s Brianna Miller and Silvia Blackham positioned twenty seventh and twenty ninth, respectively.
Hillsdale junior Susan Petersen threw 77-1 within the discus to place thirteenth with a private greatest. Broesamle was twenty first, adopted by Miller (twenty third) and Blackham (twenty fourth).
Nichelson positioned fifth within the excessive leap (4-11), whereas Kiely Kroa was seventh (4-11). VanKampen positioned eighth within the pole vault (7-9), adopted by Alivia Martin (ninth, 7-0). Mia Langhann completed seventeenth within the lengthy leap (13-2).
This article initially appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale wins a Region 25 title on their home track