BELIEVED to be FIRST-TIME EVER

Both Teams Take Home Regional Trophies

The Western Michigan Christian boys and girls track teams made it a clean sweep Friday night at Holton High School, as the Warriors took home both Division 4 regional championships.

The WMC girls scored 142 points to pull away from second-pace White Cloud  (113.5) and third-plaace Pentwater (72).

The Warrior boys took top honors with 115 points, followed by White Cloud (104) and Wyoming Potter's House  (101).

On the boys' side, the 800 relay team of Johnscott Finley, Seth VanderKooi, Tyler Somers and Solomon Waller took top honors in their event with a time of three minutes, 41.47 seconds.

Finley also finished second in the 400 dash (52.4) and was a member of the 400 relay team with Waller, Somers and Dirk Teeter that finished second (46.35).

Somers finished second in the 110 (16.04) and 300 hurdle events (42.51), while Eli Rotman finished third in the 1,600 (4:51.03) and Jack Zuidema finished third in the 3,200 (10:37.81). The 3,200 relay team of Daniel Plaisier, Rotman, VanderKooi and Zuidema took second (8:43.77) to close out the day for the Warriors.

On the girls' side, Sarah Vanderkooi took gold in the 1,600 (2:29.1), while teammate Josie Aardema took top honors in the 3,200 (12:47.49).

The duo teamed up with Ella Buursma and Emma Davis to win the 3,200 relay (11:44.68), while Vanderkooi also joined Buursma, Peyton Allen and Ellie DeKam to win the 1,600 relay (4:28.16).

DeKam finished second in the 400 dash (1:04.02) and was a member of the 400 relay team with Allen, Shantele Wilkinson and Kaitlyn Summerfield that finished runner-up (54.27).

Kylie Luhring finished second in the shot put (31-2.5), while Kylie Luhring finished third in the discus (98-02), Aubrey Goorman finished third in the high jump (4-8), Buursma finished third in the pole vault (6-6) and Meghan Heiss finished second in the long jump (16-1.5).

Back-to-Back Regional Titles for Girls!

"It was a close meet going back and forth against White Cloud all day," WMC coach Beth Annema said.  "It was nerve wracking for their coach!"

"The girls competed for every place and every point. I told them it would be close and they responded. With the win at regionals, the girls qualified for and will join the boys at the MITCA team state next Saturday and nine girls will also move on to individual MHSAA state on June 2."

"After the meet was over, the girls gathered to pray and it was awesome to see them sincerely thanking God for their gifts and talents and for the opportunity to run for Him. Each and every girl contributed tonight and it was great to see them reap the reward of their hard work.

"I can't say enough about these girls - their maturity, their work effort and mental toughness. The boys also ran and jumped amazingly and it was so much fun for the boys and girls to both win regionals together!"

Top 8 Finishes:

100m Dash

7th Kaitlyn Summerfield - 13.92

8th Shantele Wilkinson - 14.00

200m Dash

6th Ellie DeKam - 29.06

7th Kaitlyn Summerfield - 29.50

400m Dash

2nd Ellie DeKam - 1:04.02 * State Qualifier*

4th Peyton Allen - 1:06.95

800m Run

1st Sarah VanderKooi - 2:29.10 *State Qualifier*

4th Ella Buursma - 2:41.21

1600m Run

4th Sarah VanderKooi - 5:50.46

3200m Run

1st Josie Aardema - 12:47.49 *State Qualifier*

100m Hurdles

4th Anika Eenigenburg - 18.89

8th Ema Davis - 20.93

300m Hurdles

5th Kylie Luhring - 55.19

7th Ema Davis - 57.04

4x100

2nd Ellie DeKam, Peyton Allen, Shantele Wilkinson, Kaitlyn Summerfield - 54.27 *State Qualifier*

4x200

3rd Kaitlyn Summerfield, Peyton Allen, Ema Davis, Shantele Wilkinson - 1:56.07

4x400

1st Sarah VanderKooi, Ella Buursma, Peyton Allen, Ellie DeKam - 4:28.16 *State Qualifier*

4x800

1st Josie Aardema, Ella Buursma, Ema Davis, Sarah VanderKooi 11;45 *State Qualifier*

Shot Put

2nd Kylie Luhring 31'2.5 *State Qualifier*

Discus

3rd Kylie Luhring 98'2

7th Anika Eenigenburg 65'10

Pole Vault

3rd Ella Buursma 6'6

High Jump

3rd Aubrey Goorman 4'8

4th Meghan Heiss 4'8

Long Jump

2nd Meghan Heiss 16'1.5 *State Qualifier*

6th Anika Eenigenburg 14'9

8th Shantele Wilkinson 14'7.25

For the Boys, It Was First Time in 45 Years!

"It was a great day for WMC track and field as the boys team wins regionals for the first time in 45 years," WMC coach Josh Scholma said.

  "It was a nail biter for most of the meet with the guys not securing the victory until the final event.

"I am so proud of how the guys ran today.  We had some miscues and misfires and we were 19 points down about halfway through the meet, but the guys continued to fight and claw their way back.  We only won one event but the team really showed their depth by placing two athletes in most events.

"We also had some big performances late in the meet to help us get back in the hunt - freshman Isaiah Visker ran a two second personal record in the 300m hurdles to finish third just behind teammate Tyler Somers.  Jack Zuidema, with less than 800 to go in the 3200m, managed to move up three places from 6th to 3rd.

"This was definitely a team win for us. There were so many gutsy performances today!  We qualified nine individuals in seven events onto the MHSAA state meet."

Andrew Plaisier (4x800), Eli Rotman (4x800), Seth VanderKooi (4x800, 4x400), Jack Zuidema (4x800), Tyler Somers(110 and 300m Hurdles, 4x100, 4x400), Solomon Waller (4x100, 4x400), Johnscott Finley(4x100, 4x400, 400), Dirk Teeter (4x100), Brandon Sytsma (Long Jump)

Those that placed

1st Place

4x400m Relay - Somers, Waller, VanderKooi, Finley (3:41)

2nd Place

Tyler Somers - 110m Hurdles (16.04) and 300m Hurdles (42.51)

Johnscott Finley - 400m (52.40)

400m Relay - Waller, Somers, Finley, Teeter (46.35)

3200m Relay - A. Plaisier, Rotman, VanderKooi, Zuidema (8:43.77)

3rd Place

Eli Rotman - 1600m (4:51.03)

Jack Zuidema - 3200m (10:37.81)

Isaiah Visker - 300m Hurdles (43.88)

4th Place

Eli Rotman - 800m (2:09.21)

Sam Braak - 110m Hurdles (19.13)

Brandon Sytsma - High Jump (5'4)

5th Place

Solomon Waller - 200m (24.15)

Seth VanderKooi - 400m (56.52)

Jack Zuidema - 1600m (4:58.23)

Evan Ruiter - Discus (106'1)

Brandon Sytsma - Long Jump (19'7.5)

6th Place

Dirk Teeter - 100m (12.37)

7th Place 

Daniel Plaisier - 800m (2:14.25)

Andrew Plaisier - 3200m (11:15.63)

Ethan VanOrman - Shot Put (35'0)

8th Place

Eli Rotman - 3200m (11:32.89)

Evan Ruiter - Shot Put (34'5)

Ethan VanOrman - Discus (94'5)