Jacob Walker, left, of Columbia Central High School battles a Hillsdale runner during a home tri-meet last week.
Photo, story by Jeff Steers
Exponent special writer
Columbia Central High School runner Jacob Walker has improved by leaps and bounds in the last two years just by pushing himself to get better.
Last week he made a couple of runs at the school record in the 1,600-meter run.
“Running – especially distance running – teaches you to go above and beyond what you think you can,” Walker said after winning the 800-, 1,600-, and 3,200-meter races at the tri-meet. “I have put in the endurance the past two years.”
The senior is only two seconds behind the record (4:26) in the 1,600-meter run and 12 seconds (9:45) behind the CCHS record in the 3,200-meter run. The latter is a record that has stood for nearly 50 years.
Walker just signed to run at Saginaw Valley State University this fall in cross country and track and field. He will graduate fifth in his class next month with a 4.1 GPA.
Here are the results from last week’s track and field meets – the ones that survived the rainy and cold weather. (more below)
Columbia Central tri-meet: Columbia Central defeated Ida, 73-55, but lost to Hillsdale, (93-43). Jacob Walker won the 800-meter run (2:12), the 1,600-meter run (4:29), and the 3,200-meter run (10:41). CCHS won the 800-meter relay (1:41) and the 3,200-meter relay (12:48).
Vandercook, Grass Lake at Michigan Center: Grass Lake won 12-of-17 events at the tri-meet. Jack Easterday won the 110-meter hurdles (16.63), the 300-meter hurdles (43.09), and the high jump (5-10), and teammate Matt Rankin won the 800-meter run (2:10), the 1,600-meter run (4:55), and the 3,200-meter run (11:11).
Manchester, Hanover-Horton at Napoleon: Holden Van Poppel won the 100-meter dash (11.2), the 200-meter dash (22.7), the 400-meter dash (53.2), and the long jump (20-4) for Napoleon.
Onsted Wildcat Booster Invitational: Onsted High School finished seventh (67.5 points) and Addison was eighth (51) in the nine-team invitational. K.J. Scott of Addison finished third in the discus (123-5), Bradley VanBrundt placed third in the high jump (5-6) for Onsted, Griffin Amthor finished third in the 200-meter dash (24.53) for the Wildcats, and teammate Matt Cunningham was second in the pole vault (10-6). Addison finished second in the 400-meter relay (46.81) with Keelan Mullin, Evan Potes, Spencer Brown, and Ryan Worsham.
Manchester Metrics: Jacob Walker of Columbia Central won the 1,600-meter run in 4:29. Milan won a majority of the relay events and Napoleon took first place in the long jump team event (55-6 feet). Napoleon finished second to Milan at the relay event.
Stockbridge Invitational: Western earned the title with 122 points and Concord placed third with 102. Grass Lake was fifth (58), Hanover-Horton finished eighth (39), Northwest was 10th (15), and Springport was 12th (9). Jack Easterday of Grass Lake won the 110-meter-high hurdles (15.93) and the high jump (6-0). (more below)
Girls’ track and field
Columbia Central tri-meet: The Golden Eagles defeated Hillsdale, 59-56, but lost to Ida, 80-46. Melyssa McJennett won the long jump (13-6) and the 300-meter hurdles (55.1) for CCHS, and Hope Wilkes won the 3,200-meter run (12:58).
Vandercook, Grass Lake at Michigan Center: Grass Lake won 13 of the events at Michigan Center. Kate Starkey won the 100-meter dash (13.79) and the 200-meter dash (28.83), Lorelia Malinowski won the 100-meter hurdles (21.35) and the 300-meter hurdles (56.36), Gabi Lutchka won the shot put (30-9) and the high jump (4-9), and the Warriors swept the relay events.
Manchester, Hanover-Horton at Napoleon: Alyssa Budd of Napoleon won the 100-meter dash (13.1) and the long jump (16-6). Sophia Reynolds won the 800-meter run (2:40) and the 3,200-meter run (13:04) and Olivianna Watkins won the 100-meter hurdles (17.2) and the 300-meter hurdles (50.5) for Hanover-Horton.
Onsted Invitational: Onsted High School won another invitational with 176 points and Addison finished fifth in the nine-team invitational with 80 points. The Wildcat pack turned in some solid first place finishes starting with Bailey Brandly taking the 100-meter dash (13.56 seconds); the cat pack of Rayne Ross, Emmry Ross, Allyson Robarge, and Kennedy Ross won the 800-meter relay with their season-best (1:49.27); distance runner Kara Terakedis dominating the 1,600-meter run (5:19) and the 800-meter run (2:28.10); Emmry Ross won the 400-meter dash (58.87) and 200-meter dash (27.05), and Kennedy Ross won the long jump (15-5); and Emmry Ross, Brooke Borders, Kara Terakedis and Kennedy Ross establishing their season-best in the 1,600-meter relay winning the event (4:09.43). Molly Brown of Addison won the 100-meter hurdles (17.34) and the 300-meter hurdles (50.46), and teammate Gina Hanson won the high jump (4-8).
Manchester Metrics: Napoleon won the 400-meter relay (55.29), won the shot-put relay (87-5 feet) and the discus relay (235-4), and Elly Trefry of Michigan Center won the pole vault (7-6). Napoleon won the relay event with 105 points.
Stockbridge Invitational: Western High School won the girls’ title with 142 points. East Jackson finished fourth (69 points), Grass Lake was fifth (53), Hanover-Horton placed seventh (39), Northwest was right behind the Comets (36), Springport finished 10th (24), and Concord was 14th (7). Lexus Bargesser of Grass Lake won the 400-meter dash (1:02) and teammate Gabi Lutchka of Grass Lake won the shot put (31-3).
