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Exuding confidence: Marquette track teams pull off 2nd sweep in 3 days at Marquette County Meet

Ishpeming’s Grady Kerst, front, finishes in first place in the boys 800-meter run, followed closely by Negaunee’s Colton Yesney on Monday afternoon at the Marquette County Meet held in Gwinn. (Journal photo by Rachel Oakley)

GWINN — Two days after sweeping the Lions Invitational, Marquette continued its high school track and field dominance Monday afternoon with a sweep at the Marquette County Meet in Gwinn.

Marquette sophomore Garrett Zueger said both the Redmen and Redettes are riding high with confidence in the final weeks of their season.

“Both of our (teams) have been very consistent all around this year,” Zueger said. “We expect to win most of our events and we’ve been strong at almost every competition.

“It shows how our coaches teach us nothing but the best for success, and we’re focused on the goals ahead to win regionals.”

Marquette’s boys totaled 209 points, while Ishpeming edged out out Negaunee for second place, 123 to 118.

Marquette’s Izzie Peterson, right, crosses the finish line in the girls 200-meter dash just ahead of teammate Rachael Hunt on Monday afternoon at the Marquette County Meet held in Gwinn. (Journal photo by Rachel Oakley)

Westwood finished with 49 points for fourth place, while Gwinn came in fifth with 14 and Republic-Michigamme had 4.

Marquette’s girls scored 182 points, followed by Negaunee with 137 1/4. Ishpeming earned third with 110 1/2 points, while Westwood came in fourth with 41 1/4, Gwinn finished fifth with 27 and R-M had 15.

For the boys, the Redmen took first in eight

events, led by Collin Shinners and Raphael Millado taking two each.

Shinners finished first in the 110-meter high hurdles and the 400 dash, while Millado did so in the 200 and high jump. Wyatt Goodwin also earned a first-place finish for Marquette in the long jump.

Marquette also topped three relays — the 800, 1,600 and 3,200.

Grady Kerst was the storyline for Ishpeming’s boys, taking three victories in the 300 hurdles, 3,200 and a school-record 800 in 1:59.80.

The finish barely beat his close friend Colton Yesney of Negaunee, whose 2:00.72 time earned second.

“It was an insane race,” Kerst said. “Colton really pushed me through all of it, and I could feel him breathing down me throughout the race.”

For Yesney, the finish was just short of his goals heading into the race.

“I really wanted to break the 2-minute mark, which is what I got on my last race,” Yesney said. “I really wanted to beat Grady. We compete against each other and it makes it more fun.”

Matthew Trawick earned a win for Negaunee in the 100.

Negaunee had three boys rack up first-place finishes, with Yesney winning the 1,600, Chandler Brown the discus and Michael Pizziola the shot put.

Rocco Carlson was Westwood’s solo winner as he took the pole vault.

For the girls’ side of competition, Marquette’s Izzie Peterson led the Redettes with two wins in the 100 and 200.

Molly Welch topped the 400 for Marquette, while teammate Ericka Asmus won the pole vault, Adah Haske finished first in the high jump and Sierra Carlson did the same in the long jump.

The Redettes also won the 400 and 800 relays.

The Hematites took five wins, with Katie Loman topping the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles, while Marissa Maino won the discus and shot put.

Ishpeming girls also won the 1,600 relay.

Two days after earning the most valuable participant award at the Lions Invitational, Negaunee’s Emily Paupore earned a pair of first-place finishes in the 800 and 1,600.

Clara Johnson finished first in the 3,200, while the Miners also took home the 3,200 relay.

Gwinn’s Emily Curtice finished fourth in the pole vault for the young Modeltowner team.

Despite fifth-place finishes for each Modeltowner team, Curtice said her teammates showed encouraging signs on their home track.

“Our team is doing really well this season and we’re going to be very solid in years to come,” Curtice said. “It’s very exciting and beneficial to compete at our own school. It’s where we practice and what we know, and it was a real advantage.”

Ray Bressette can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 251. His email address is rbressette@miningjournal.net.

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