Negaunee's Sadie Rogers, left, outduels Houghton’s Chloe Serafin by four-tenths of a second to win the girls’ 100-meter hurdles during a quadrangular high school track and field meet held at the Miners’ track in Negaunee on April 23. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

STAMBAUGH — The Houghton boys believe they’re starting to peak as they enter the home stretch of this track and field season.

That was evident here Tuesday as they captured the West PAC title with 172 points. They were followed by Negaunee with 152 and Westwood in third with 72. West Iron County was fourth with 41, followed by Calumet with 31, Iron Mountain 14, Hancock 10 and Ishpeming eighth with 2.

“We performed well in the regional and backed it up here at the West PAC, which is awesome,” Houghton coach Erik Johnson said. “Our regional was tight, too. We had some really good performances. We had a sophomore (Michael Solena) take second in shot put and third in discus and our 4-by-100 relay was solid.”

The Negaunee girls won with 210.5 points, a nearly 70-point victory over runner-up Houghton’s 131.5 as WIC was way back in third with 53. Calumet came next with 46, Hancock had 29.5, Westwood was sixth with 26, Ishpeming seventh with 15.5, IM 7 and Gwinn ninth with 4.

“Houghton has a great (girls) team,” Negaunee girls coach Vickie Paupore said. “They’re very strong in the middle and longer distances. They gave us a good challenge in those events.”

In the boys meet, Houghton senior Luke Hill won the boys’ 800-meter run in 2:02.42 and 1,600 in 4:48.72, while anchoring the Gremlins’ winning 1,600 and 3,200 relays.

“I’ve had great coaching,” Hill said. “They critique my form and tell me where I need to improve.

“In my freshman year I ran with Eric Weise. I had a lot of good competition. I ran in the open 3,200 at the Calumet Invitational and ran (a personal record of 9:53) and missed the school record by five seconds.

“I’m peaking at the end of the season.”

Freshman teammate Brandon Van Karsen took the 3,200 in 10:43.74. Junior Brayden Goudge also provided the Gremlins with a first in the 100 in 12.15 seconds.

Calumet senior Matt Frantti took the shot put with a personal-best throw of 49 feet, 2.75 inches, and discus at 140-10.

“Showing up and coming ready to compete makes a difference,” he said. “I felt quick and aggressive today. It helps when you have people cheering for you.

“I really have an edge at the home meets. I need to be more aggressive in general to increase my distances.”

Negaunee senior Brady Mager was a triple winner, taking the 110 hurdles in 16.96 seconds, 300s in 43.65 and the high jump after clearing 5-8.

Miners teammate Derek McEachern was a double victor after he was triumphant in the 200 in 24.35 and the 400 in 55.34.

Westwood won the 800 relay in 1:40.07 with Ellis King, Trenton Wash, Louis Salmi and Karter Scherer, then Salmi appended a win in the pole vault after he cleared 11-feet even, beating out teammate and runner-up Gavin Comero at 10-6.

Among the girls, Houghton junior Tessa Rautiola led off the winning 3,200 relay and copped the 1,600 (5:38.8) and 3,200 (12:15.93) and was fourth in the 800 (2:36.05).

“The 800 isn’t really my race,” she said. “I do that for speedwork. In the 3,200, I knew I’d have nobody pushing me. I had to push myself. I just focus on keeping a good pace.”

Houghton junior Jovie Williams was runner-up in the 3,200 in a season-best 13:25.65, while Gremlins’ senior Lily Ross took the 400 (1:04.94).

Negaunee sophomore Sadie Rogers joined her schoolmate Mager as a triple winner, taking the 200 dash in 28.05 seconds, 100 hurdles in 17.2 and 300 hurdles in 48.85.

Houghton senior Chloe Serafin was runner-up in the 100 hurdles (17.68) and Negaunee senior Madison Pekrul placed third in 17.88.

Negaunee junior Nori Korsman added a win in the long jump with a personal-best leap of 16-1.75 and placed third in pole vault by clearing 9-feet even, while sophomore teammate Keira Waterman took the 800 in 2:32.61.

“Sadie puts on a clinic every time she does hurdles,” Paupore said. “She has excellent form. Keira had a real strong performance in the 800 and Nori is jumping really well.”

Westwood senior Lexi Olson won the pole vault after getting over without fault at 10-feet even as Houghton senior Emilyn Fay cleared 9-6 for runner-up honors. Olson also took the high jump after clearing 4-10.

Also helping Negaunee’s cause was senior Macyn DellAngelo, who won the 100 in 13.72 seconds and placed second in the 200 in 28.33.

Another triple winner was the Miners’ relays, as they won the 400, 800 and 1,600 quartet competition. The 800 included DellAngelo, Izzy Francisco, Elvera Coyne and Pekrul in 1:57.34, the 400 had DellAngelo, Francisco, Coyne and Rogers in 54.57 seconds, and the 1,600 included Riley Conklin, Pekrul, Josie Mechling and Waterman in 4:29.73.

The Miners grabbed the top three places in the discus, led by junior Baylie Bourdeau’s toss of 90-8, while sophomore teammate Priya Morey took the shot put with a heave of 29-2.25 and was runner-up in the discus with 89-3.

Negaunee junior Alina Nelson placed third in the discus with a toss of 86-10.