The Morgan sisters combined to win four events at the Division 1 track state finals and helped the Clarkston girls track team tie Detroit Mumford for second place in the state.
The Wolves and Mumford each scored 50 points. Ann Arbor Pioneer won the state title with 80 points.
Clarkston’s second place finish was the best in school history. Clarkston Track Coach John Yorke said the finish capped a near perfect season for the Wolves.
‘I couldn’t have asked more from our girls,? Yorke said. ‘They all had really great seasons. I wouldn’t ask more from any of them. They accomplished everything I think they could accomplish. Instead of just one or two kids having a fantastic year, everyone had a great year. There wasn’t any disappointments.?
Senior Jenny Morgan broke the meet record in the 3200-meters to win the state title in the event and won the 1600-meters. Even more impressive is the fact she won just five weeks after returning from an injury
Freshman Stephanie Morgan took second place in the 1600-meters and won the 800-meters out of the slow heat because of her time at regionals.
Both Morgans were on Clarkston’s 3200-meter relay team, which won the state title. Lyndsay Smith and Lisa Sickman were the other two members of the team.
Yorke said he knew the team would rely on the Morgan sisters at the really big meets and they delivered.
‘The Morgan sisters had an unbelievable day,? Yorke said. ‘I couldn’t ask for it to turn out better for the Morgan girls. I don’t know what’s more impressive, Stephanie winning the 800 out of slow heat or Jenny winning three state titles with only five weeks of training. It’s kind of a toss up.?
The state meet marks the end of Jenny Morgan’s high school career. She will run track for the University of Michigan in the fall.
Yorke said he couldn’t think of a way to sum up what Jenny has meant to the team.
‘She’s accomplished more than any runner in Clarkston history in my opinion,? Yorke said. ‘She helped us place in some of these big meets. We took fourth in the state last year and second this year. I don’t know if I can put a finger on exactly how much she has meant to the program. Six first places in two state finals is impressive for anybody. I don’t know how much you can measure what that means for a team.?
Yorke said Stephanie’s two state titles and runner-up finish in the mile as a freshman is quite an accomplishment too and he thinks she is only scratching the surface of her capabilities.
‘In four years, she can really do a lot of damage,? Yorke said. ‘Three first places as freshman is impressive and it’s crazy to think what she can do as she gets older. The really scary thing is she has done so much and has a lot of room for improvement. It’s scary, but a good thing for us.?
Sophomore Stephanie Thorstad was the only other Clarkston athlete to place at the state finals. Thorstad took sixth place in the high jump.
Yorke said even though nobody else placed, almost the whole team had a good day and many of the girls ran their best times of the year, which is something Yorke thinks they should be proud of.
‘We got everything out of ourselves that we possibly could,? Yorke said.
Next season, Clarkston will return both Thorstad and Stephanie Morgan, but Yorke said he has not really thought about next year.
‘I’ll have to wait and see how kids improve for next year,? Yorke said. ‘We will ask for a lot more from our younger girls. It’s wide open what they can do. We’ll wait and see how much people improve.?