Sprint for league victory

The Wolves are continuing to stake their claim on the OAA Red as the Boys Track & Field team remained undefeated after their meets against Rochester Adams and Stoney Creek.
“It went pretty well,” said John Bennink, head coach. “It was a nice surprise for the kids. We has some kids doing some kid things as we are finally getting on the track because of the weather.”
He pointed out his sprinters are continuing to their opponents great competition.
“Ian Eriksen in the half is the second or fastest in Oakland County,” Bennink said. “Blake Sutherland has done some good things in the 400-meter.”
Eriksen took first in the 200-meter dash and the 100-meter dash.
His distance runners, Austin Draving and Dan Billette are also showing off their fierceness in their events. Draving took first in the 3,200-meter run and Billette first in the 1,600-meter run.
Our premier sprinters in the county are Ian Eriksen in the half ? be second or fastest time in Oakland County. And Sutherland have seen some good things in the 400.
The girls lost to Rochester Adams but came back with a win over Stoney Creek.
“We raced pretty good against Adams,” said John Yorke, head coach. “Adams was ranked fourth in the state last year and I think they are better this year. They are a tough team to beat. Taylor Beach and Erin Gray led the way in the throws for us. “
The girls took first place in three events in the 87-40 loss. Taylor Beach took first in the shot put with 29’10”; Courtney Roland, high jump; and the 400-meter relay team of Alyssa Bey, Kayla Russell, Taylor Mullins and Madison Wilson, 52.98.
Both teams participated in the 55th Annual Oxford Invitational on Saturday. The boys took ninth place with 34 points while the girls tied for eighth place with Lake Orion, scoring 29 points.
For the boys, the 3,200-meter relay team finished in fourth place, 8:22.18.
Caine Watlington placed in two events. He took fourth in the long jump, 20’11”; and eighth in the 300 hurdles, 40.94. Ian Eriksen took third place in the 100-meter dash, 11.54; and the 200-meter dash.
The boys continued to place on the track, placing in the top eight in four more event – Blake Sutherland, fifth in the 400-meter dash, 50.80; Scott Cousino, sixth in the 800-meter run, 2:02.27; Austin Draving, sixth in the 3,200-meter run, 9:45.92; and Dan Billette, eighth in 1,600-meter run, 4:34.86.
The Lady Wolves placed in seven events with the 3,200-meter relay team finishing in sixth at 10:26.35.
Mullins finished in fourth place in the 300 hurdles, 47.64; and in fifth, long jump, 16’1″. Kaitlin Catania took fifth in the 3,200-meter run, 11:41.04; Erin Billette, fifth in 1,600-meter, 5:07.78; Maicey Peterson, sixth in pole vault, 9′, and Roland tied for sixth in high jump, 4’10”.
The teams opened the week against Rochester on Tuesday. The boys head to the Bay City Western Invite on Friday as the girls team heads to the Saline Invitational.
“There are 20 schools,” Yorke added. “It will be a very tough meet. We have a lot young runners and they are talented young runners. I think we are getting better. More than anything we will start working on things for regionals and move as many kids as we can onto the state championships.”
Both are back on Monday as they host Lake Orion in their last OAA Red dual meet of the season. It begins at 4:30 p.m.
They head to the OAA League Meet on May 9 at Stoney Creek.