Boy’s Track: Chemics take triangle meet

by Jason Wolverton

The Midland High boy’s track team took first-place in 10 out of 17 events and ran away with the pack in a triangular meet against Saginaw High and Flint Northern Tuesday.

Midland’s depth was on display all evening as the Chemics swept several events in scoring 119 points. Saginaw High was second with 44.

“It was a great first meet and a great early season performance,” said coach Marty Hollenbeck. “What I liked is that they competed. No one backed off even though, in some races, there wasn’t the competition. Yet our kids went out and raced each race. That’s good stuff.”

The Chemics were particularly strong in the distance and field events, finishing with three athletes in the top four of almost every competition.

Leading the way for the Chemics was junior Zach Romer, who won the 3200-meter (10:25) and 1600-meter (4:51) runs while also scoring a victory in the 3200-meter relay along with teammates Nathan Love, Steven Cope, and Matt Fairchild.

After the meet, Hollenbeck was impressed with the mental toughness Romer displayed in running so well despite the lack of opposition.

“In both of [Romer’s] events, he didn’t have too much competition,” Hollenbeck said. “And to go out there and race yourself and run as well as he did is just great.”

In field events, Midland was a long jump victory away from taking first in all five events. Senior Mychael King won the shot put with a throw of 50-8, junior Andrew Grillo took discus with a throw of 124-1, while junior B.J. Ryder cleared 12-feet on the pole vault to get the win. Senior Stephen Matson won the high jump with a jump of 5-8.

In sprints, the Chemics got a victory in the 400-meter from sophomore Adam Stoddard, who finished with a time of 54.99.

Still, out of all the sprint events, it was a second place that got Hollenbeck’s attention – sophomore Ethan Roberson finished second in the 100-meter with a time of 11.79.

“When you’re running against this competition,” Hollenbeck said, “we’re really pleased to get a second place.”

Hollenbeck was also pleased to get out of the meet without any injuries, as pulls, pains, and strains tend to pop up more at the beginning of the season.

“We didn’t have any big injures and that’s a big thing,” he said. “You always worry early in the year in the cold weather.”

Midland now turns its attention to Friday’s meet at Dow High School, a meet Hollenbeck says will be a good indicator of where the Chemics are at considering they will face off against most of the top teams in the league.

“It’s a good test for us to see where we are early in the year against the best of the best,” he said. “This year, the team that will take fourth and fifth team in the Saginaw Valley is going to be a really good team. That’s how tough the Valley is this year in track and field.”