The Goodrich boys track team can now experience what the girls team did last year ? a trip to the state track finals.
Both the Martians? boys and girls track teams took first place in Division 3 regional action May 21 to earn their way to the state finals June 4.
The boys team had a little more difficult time of things, barely edging out Detroit Country Day 134-130 to win their meet. Meanwhile, the girls team cruised to their win with 186.5 points, more than doubling the point total of second-place Armada, who finished with 81 points. Country Day finished third with 71 points.
The girls team will attempt to repeat as Division 3 state champions, while the boys team will make their first trip to the finals since 2001.
Goodrich’s girls squad finished first or second in four field events. Kortni Elsworth won the long jump (17?), while Sarah Sweet finished second in both the shot put (31?5?) and the discus (95?). Michelle Elliott placed second in the high jump (5?1?).
The Martians also took first in two different relay events. The 3200 meter relay team of Mary Haiderer, Kelsey Meyers, Kaitlin O’Mara, and Kayla O’Mara won their event in 9:45.97, while the 1600 relay team of Janee Jones, Elliott, Elsworth, and Christina Sweet took first in 4:08.24.
As further proof of their dominance, the Martians took five of the first six places in the 1600 meters, as well as the first four places in the 3200 meters.
In the 1600 meters, Jones, Kayla O’Mara, Kaitlin O’Mara, and Meyers took the first four places, while Haiderer finished sixth. Meanwhile, in the 3200 meters, Jones, Kayla O’Mara, Kaitlin O’Mara, and Meyers took the first four places.
Other first-place finishes by the Goodrich girls were: Christina Sweet in the 400 meters, Elliott in the 300 hurdles, and Jones in the 800 meters.
On the boys end, Charlie Richards continued to excel in the hurdles, winning the 110 hurdles (14.59) and the 300 hurdles (40.48). Brother Ben Richards was just as proficient in the distance events, winning the 1600 meters (4:46.03) and the 800 meters (2:04.91).
Jeff Decator was the other Martian to take first in two individual events, winning the long jump (21?1?) and the 400 meters (50.89).
Goodrich’s other first-place finish came in the 1600 meter relay, as the team of Decator, Wayne Coulman, Kirk Elsworth and Charlie Richards won that event in 3:29.11.
Second-place finishers for the Goodrich boys at the regional meet were Joe Leppek in the pole vault (10?6?) and the 800 meter relay team of Coulman, Elsworth, Decator, and Richards (1:32.42).