GOODRICH- Both the girls and boys track teams have gotten off to a shining start for the Martians to warm up the spring season.
The Goodrich girls keep setting new school standards in the 3200 meter relay.
At the Huron River Relays March 22 at Eastern Michigan University, the team of Michelle Elliott, Samantha Minkler, Janee Jones and Kristin Poulos finished with a time of 10:31.1, good for third place at the relays.
That performance came on the heels of the Saginaw Valley State Tournament March 20. With Natalie Cook in Elliott’s spot on the team, the quartet finished with a time of 10:40, breaking the existing record of 11:06 set in 1990. Their performance was enough for a first place finish in that event.
Goodrich finished in seventh place overall with 36 points in the Division III-IV portion of the meet. Vermontville Maple Valley took first with 61.5 points, while Freeland finished second with 57.5 and Saginaw Nouvel third with 51.5.
Poulos finished first in the 1,600 meter race with a time of 5:38, breaking the old school record of 5:58 set by Becky Duda in 1988. Teammate Janee Jones finished second in the event (5:39).
Other Goodrich placers were: Minkler (fifth, 800 meters, 2:44.70), Michelle Elliott (seventh, 60 meter hurdles, 10.86) and Kate Maciag (seventh, two mile run, 13:09.4).
Coach John Shaw said the team’s performance at the tourney bodes well for the rest of the season. “The girls did an outstanding job,” he said. “We’re going to have a fantastic team.”
Goodrich’s Jeff Misek set a school record in the 800 meters as the Martians took 12th in the Division III-IV part of the Saginaw Valley State University Invitational.
The Martians finished with 15 points at the invite March 20. Bath took first with 86 points, while Hemlock finished second with 60 and Merrill third with 38.5 points.
Misek took second in the 800 with a time of 2:06.5, breaking the old school mark of 2:13 set by Terry Rogers in 1991. In addition, Misek placed fifth in the 1,600 meter run (4:51.1) and the 800 meter relay team of Wayne Coleman, Joe Lettek, Jay MacAbee and Ben Omarrow took sixth (1:45.4).
While Coach Shaw said the boys team had “a ways to go,” he also said there were “a few bright spots” on the team with the performances of Misek and the 800 meter relay team.