MSHS romps

By KURT MENSCHING, Journal Sports Writer
MARQUETTE — If the results of Thursday’s Division 1 girls regional track and field meet in Marquette are any indicator, then Marquette Senior High School might be hard to beat at the Upper Peninsula Finals.


With 67.33 points, the Redettes nearly doubled up second-place Escanaba (37.33) in cruising to the regional title.


“It’ll help us out mentally,” Marquette four-event winner Catherine Angeli said. “We know that we can do it. We know what we’re capable of and we’ll keep pushing hard.”


Gladstone (30.5), Menominee (24), Sault Ste. Marie (23.33) and Gwinn (9.5) rounded out the six-team meet. Team scores are unofficial, as a computer malfunction may affect the final results.


First- through fourth-place finishers — including more than four athletes if there was a tie for fourth place — qualified for the U.P. Finals, which will be held May 31 in Kingsford.


Another region was held in Kingsford Thursday to decide the other Division 1 U.P. Finals qualifiers.


Angeli said the Redettes wanted to capture the regional crown. It was their second dominating victory in two years.


“A lot of us got our personal bests, and we all fought hard to get those first through fourth places,” Angeli said. “We had a little upset in the 800 relay, but we overcame it. Those girls pushed themselves for the rest of the meet.”


Marquette’s 800 relay was disqualified.


Angeli won the 100-meter dash in 12.97 seconds, the 200 in 26.26 and the 400 in 59.67.


She also anchored the 1,600 relay of Valerie Ulrickson, Marlowe Pentecost and Alyssa Erspamer, which won in 4:13.23.


“My 400, I got my P.R. (personal record),” Angeli said. “I broke a minute. That’s what I really wanted to do before the U.P.s. So now I know what I’m capable of and I think I can push myself harder.”


The Redettes finished first through third in the 200 for their best showing, qualifying Katy LaFayette in second and Alyssa Erspamer in third.


Redette Jessica Roche won the 100 hurdles and qualified in the 300.


MSHS’s Richelle Hoxie also won the high jump with a leap of 5-foot-0.


“We’ve got young kids, freshman and sophomores, running phenomenal times,” Marquette coach John Peterson said. “Our distance kids just stepped it up today.”


Andrea Millimaki placed second in both the mile and 2-mile for Marquette. Teammate Tara Dowling will join her in the mile and Katie Holway in the two-mile.


Gwinn’s Meredith Buck won the shot put with a 32-7 toss.


Gladstone’s Lindsay Lusardi was the only other competitor who won two individual events. She captured the mile (5:34.47) and two-mile (12:05.53).