The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
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Milan still in Huron hunt despite losses
League meet in Milan Tuesday will decide Big Reds' fate
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: May 15, 2008
The Milan track teams both saw their undefeated dual meet seasons come to an end May 6 on the road at Airport. But after a strong showing at Friday's Whitmore Lake Invitational, there's reason for both to believe their Huron League title hopes aren't dashed yet.
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The Big Red girls fell 75-53 to the Jets, leaving Milan, Airport and Monroe-Jefferson all even with 6-1 league records. Whichever team can come out on top at Tuesday's league meet — set for 3 p.m. in Milan — will claim an undisputed Huron crown.
"We're still right in it," girls' head coach Steve Porter said. "We're going to have to rely on our balance across the board and our depth, scoring in a lot of different events and picking up points with two or three girls. The relays are going to be real key, and we're right there in all four."
Against the Jets, Milan got first-place finishes from Samantha Harmon in the 400 dash (1:05.1) and 200 dash (27.5); Jordan Tomecek (5:18) in the 1,600 run; Ashley Agar (50.4) in the 300 hurdles; Kara Porter (12:34) in the 3,200; and both the 3,200 relay team (Tomecek, Emily Weber, Tara Lewis, and Porter) and 800 relay team (Minah Johnson, Darian Champagne, Agar, and Harmon). But it wasn't enough to offset a large Jet lead coming out of the field events.
"We made some lineup changes to try and make up that gap, and they didn't work out," said Porter, who compared the last-minute shift to "pulling the goaltender" in hockey.
"It would have been closer if we hadn't, but we had to do something different or we knew they were going to win," Porter said.
For the Milan boys, the loss was even more agonizing as the Big Reds fell by a single point, 64.5-63.5, snapping the team's three-season, 19-meet winning streak. Despite the loss, though, head coach Rich Pellegrini was proud of the way his team performed.
"We came about as close as you can to a victory, but come up short," he said. "Even in defeat, our team had many close wins we had to have if we were going to stand a chance to win."
All four of the Big Reds' relays finished with their best times of the season, with the quartet of Bill Egolf, Randy Butts, Anthony Marshall and Kyle Love winning both the 400 and 800 relays. Matt Chapin, Brian Kirkpatrick, Sam Rowe and Ron Spears won the 1,600 relay in 3:33.76. Spears also added wins in the 100 dash, long jump and 400 dash to go 4-for-4 on the day.
Milan also picked up wins from Marshall in the 200 dash (running a season-best 22.78), Kyle Love (season-best 15.15) in the 110 hurdles and Eric Betts in the high jump.
If Milan can edge the Jets for the top spot in the league meet, the Big Reds will claim a share of their third straight Huron title. If not, Airport will win the crown undisputed.
"It's a rather simple scenario," Pellegrini said.
Both teams will be encouraged after their showings in Whitmore Lake. Although team score wasn't kept, both unofficially placed in first, the boys after grabbing 10 first-place finishes and the girls 40 top-six medals overall.
"That's the most we've ever gotten at this meet," Porter said. "We were able to get some good seed times going into Regionals."
Boys' medalists included Betts (1) and Tyler Borso (6) in the high jump; Spears (1) and Robert Logwood (6) in the long jump; David Box (1) and Scott Kenyon (2) in the shot put; Corey Iott (4), Box (5) and Kenyon (6) in the discus; Love (1), Betts (2) and Joel Michalak (5) in the 110 hurdles; Love (1) and Betts (2) in the 300 hurdles; and Kirkpatrick (1), Anthony Mann (3), and Tim Hochradel (6) in the 800.
Also, Egolf, Love, Marshall and Spears (1) in the 800 relay; Butts, Love, Marshall and Spears (1) in the 400 relay; Marshall (1), Egolf (4) and Leo Pittman (5) in the 200 dash; Joe Martin (2) and Hochradel (4) in the 1,600; Martin (4) in the 3,200; Spears (1), Marshall (3) and Butts (4) in the 100 dash; Matt Chapin (2) in the 400 dash; and Chapin, Kirkpatrick, Mann and Betts (2) in the 1,600 relay.
Girls' medalists included Kai Beverly (2) and Megan Bailey (5) in the discus; Beverly (1), Brittany Westfall (4) and Kali Kison (5) in the shot put; Loren Weber (3), Harmon (4) and Taylor McGovern (5) in the high jump; Agar (2) in the 100 hurdles; Harmon (2), Constance Kelsey (4) and Shaqulaila Green (6) in the 100 dash; and Johnson, Champagne, Agar and Harmon (2) in the 800 relay.
Also, Tomecek (1), Angela Swain (2) and Porter (3) in the 1,600; Johnson, Champagne, Tiffany Kitchen and Constance Kelsey (2) in the 400 relay; Loren Weber (3) and Lewis (4) in the 400 dash; Agar (3) and Chelsea Williams (4) in the 300 hurdles; Swain (1) and Emily Weber (3) in the 800; Harmon (1), Champagne (2) and Johnson (5) in the 200 dash; Tomecek (1), Porter (2), Jenna Manor (3) and Jessica Leacher (5) in the 3,200; and Swain, Emily Weber, Lewis and Agar (2) in the 1,600 relay.
In addition to Tuesday's league meet, Milan will run another big meet when the Big Reds compete in their regional meet Friday in Livonia. Spears, Marshall, Love and Tomecek will all be looking to make repeat trips to the state finals.
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