Greene, Blackmer, and Smuda ready for the state track competitions

Kyle Greene, Kristyn Blackmer and Aaron Smuda had already qualified for the state finals last week, but continued to excel at Thursday?s Straits Area Conference meet at St. Ignace. Greene hit the trifecta taking firsts in the high jump (5? 6?), the shot put (49? 4 3/4?) and the discus (135? 9?). Blackmer gave it her all with a personal record and took first in the high jump (4? 11?), while Smuda finished second in the 3200-meter run (10:51.56). Overall in order of the boys? finish, Onaway was first with 118 points, followed by Newberry (115), St. Ignace (109.5) Alcona (94.5), Rogers City (53), and Rudyard (31).

In the girls? order of finish, Alcona was first with 158.5 points, followed by St. Ignace (152), Newberry (78.5), Rudyard (56), Onaway (38), and Rogers City (37). In the boys? events, Eric Kieliszewski took third in the high jump (5? 4?) and Derek McLennan was fourth in the 1600-run (5:04.83) and fifth in the 800-run (2:20.21). McLennan, Smuda, Matt Tomas, and Jeremy Karsten took fifth place in the 1600-relay 4:08.07, while Michael Mierzwinski was sixth in the 3200-meter run (11:45.30).

IN THE GIRLS? events, Jessica Hempel took second place in the discus (87? 11?) and

Chelsea Kreft took fourth in the 3200-run (14:43). Janna Schaedig, Katrina Bruning, Valerie Schultz, and Katy Fryske took fifth in the 3200-relay (13:54.16) and Blackmer, Becky Bruning, Carrie Haselhuhn, and Sara Belusar were fifth in the 800-relay (2:09.40). Blackmer placed fifth in the 100-dash (14.55), while Blackmer, Bruning, Haselhuhn, and Belusar took fifth in the 400-relay (59.86). Bruning placed fifth in the 300-hurdles (1:00.01) and fifth in the high jump (4? 6?).

Belusar, Hempel, Schaedig, and Haselhuhn took fifth in the 1600-relay (5:12.74) and Lacey Kreft took sixth in the 1600-meter run (6:21.78).

Greene, Blackmer, and Smuda will represent the Hurons at the state finals Saturday at Grand Rapids, bringing to a close the 2004 RCHS track season.