Westwood’s Nate Beckman races in the boys 800-meter relay during the Lions Invitational Saturday afternoon in Negaunee. (Journal photo by Corey Kelly)

By RYAN SPITZA

Journal Sports Writer

NEGAUNEE — The Marquette boys and Negaunee girls each took home high school track and field titles at the Negaunee Lions Invitational meet held in Negaunee on Saturday.

In the boys meet, Marquette won with 121 points, followed by Negaunee with 103.5, Westwood with 78.5, Escanaba 46 and Gwinn 2.

Negaunee scored 128 to claim the girls title, followed by Marquette with 107, Gwinn 48, Westwood 37 and Escanaba 33.

The five-team meet was a good tune-up for the upcoming week as area teams prepare for the Marquette County Meet on Monday and every teams having regional meets on Thursday or Friday.

Negaunee girls coach Vickie Paupore said it was the first time in five or six years her team topped Marquette, a nice first for her seniors.

“It went very well,” she said. “I’m very proud of the girls and their effort. Marquette has a very strong team and it’s been a few years since we beat them.

“It was a nice meet for the girls. We had some personal records and strong performances from all.”

Paupore added that they’re going to try to take things easy before the regional meet on Thursday.

“We’ve had a busy track schedule the last couple of weeks,” she said. “We need to prevent injuries and take it easy at the county meet on Monday going into regionals. We don’t want to overwork our girls.”

Marquette boys head coach Kyle Detmers said he was pleased with his team’s effort with a busy schedule over the last week.

“It’s been a treacherous schedule,” he said. “We were in Marinette (Wisconsin) on Tuesday, Gladstone on Thursday, Negaunee today and then we’ve got the county meet on Monday. That’s a lot of racing in a short amount of time. We have to be smart and not beat up (our) guys too much.

“Other than that everything went well. I’m very pleased with how my guys worked today. It was a good team effort.”

The Redmen won 12 of 17 events and had two meet records in sprints established by junior Ethan Martysz.

Martysz raced to meet-record times in his wins in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, finishing in 11.13 seconds in the 100 and 23.39 in the 200.

The Redmen also claimed all four relays. In the 3,200, Jacob Johnson, Peyton Osborne, Nathan Zika and Mathurin Gagnon won in 8:48.64, beating out Westwood who was well back in second place in 10:14.93.

In the sprint relay, the 400, Ryan Houle, Joseph Carlisle, Kobie Guidebeck and Elijah Pickard finished in 47.01 seconds, edging out Westwood by less than half a second as the Patriots clocked 47.47.

It was also a big day for Colton Yesney of Negaunee. The Miners senior not only won the 3200, but set a school record.

He beat out teammate Dakota Niskanen by almost a minute and a half in 9:36.13, breaking a school record that had stood since 1983. It’s his third school record of the year, previously breaking 800 and 1600 records earlier in the season.

Negaunee boys head coach Kevin Bell praised Yesney for his day and also said his team as a whole is starting to reach its peak.

“Colton had a great day in the 3200,” he said. “We had a great day in the field events also. I’m very proud of our whole team’s improvement. We’re starting to peak at the right time.”

Negaunee took four podium spots in field events. Michael DellAngelo tossed the discus 114 feet, 8 inches to beat out teammate Bryce Jarvi.

The Miners’ Jason Waterman finished second in the long jump with 18-7.5 and third in the high jump after clearing 5-8.

Other notable results from the boys side include Ethan Burke of Westwood winning both the 400 and long jump. Burke clocked 53.13 in the 400, edging Marquette’s Julien Malherbe by 14 hundredths of a second, and leapt 20-3 in the long jump.

Teammate Rocco Carlson won the pole vault for the Patriots, getting over a 12-0 height.

Gwinn’s David Duvall was fourth in the 110 hurdles in 17.46.

In the girls meet, the Miners won seven of 17 events and had 15 podium finishes in all.

A notable finish came in the 3,200, with Negaunee’s Emily Paupore winning in 11:16.07, missing the meet record by just 0.7 of a second. Teammate Clara Johnson finished behind Paupore at 12:07.04 while Tessa Leece from Westwood was third.

Paupore added two other firsts in the 1,600 and in the 3,200 relay with Johnson, Piper Symons and Talon Prusi.

Chloe Norman also had three wins for the Miners, taking the 300 hurdles in 50.00 seconds, as well as the high jump (5-0) and long jump (16-1).

The Redettes also had eight first places. Marquette won the 400 relay with Abby Kroll, Ahnika Puskala, Spenser Waite and Clarissa Remillard clocking 52.72 seconds over Gwinn’s 54.22.

Puskala won the 110 hurdles while Remillard took the 200.

Marquette girls head coach Natalie Messano said the weather played out perfectly, providing a good tune-up for their regional on Friday.

“I’m very proud of the girls’ efforts (today),” she said. “It was a perfect day for running and they all ran well. It was a nice day to get in a good race before regionals this coming Friday.”

Other notable results on the girls side include Brenna Bruce winning the discus throw for Gwinn with a throw of 98-4.5. Teammate Marissa Delmont won the shot put with a heave of 33-2, while Mallory Delmont earned second place and Emily Curtice third in the 100.

Leece was also runner-up in the high jump for Westwood, which had six podium finishes.

Email Ryan Spitza at sports@miningjournal.net.