Huron runners face blistering heat at state finals

Five Rogers City athletes traveled to Grand Rapids for the Division IV state track finals Saturday but were not able to bring home any medals this year. Coach Nick Rethman said it was the first warm weather meet for the Hurons this season with the temperature reaching 96 degrees. This had an impact on distance runners Derek McLennan and Lacey Kreft. ?It was real hot and sticky. There wasn?t any breeze blowing either,? Rethman said.

McLennan was unable to match his best time of the season for the 3200-meter run in sweltering heat and humidity. Kreft, ranked seventh in the state, was in sixth place for the first half of the 3200-meter run when she had to drop out of the race because of problems with her ankles.

?FROM WHAT I understand, she went to the doctor yesterday and has tendonitis in both her ankles. She?s been having problems with her ankles for the last month and a half. ?I don?t know if it?s an iss

ue of her body getting tired after cross-country and track season. I don?t think she has been over-training because of the persistent problem she has had with her ankles. She had some injuries last year also,? Rethman said. He noted that Kreft is a junior and will be back next year. ?Seeing how we are a younger team, it was nice to get down there and feel the excitement of the state championships. I think it was good for the team to experience that,? Rethman said. He pointed out that the competitive environment caused some nervous reactions on the part of some team members and they had to learn how to deal with it.

?Paula Vogelheim is a sophomore and she ended up missing the finals by only three-quarters of an inch. Hopefully, she?ll continue to improve and be able to get down there in the next year or two and make some noise,? he said. Rethman noted discus thrower Steve Krajnik and high jumper Kristyn Blackmer, both seniors, finished their high school careers with a trip to the state finals.