Munising’s Olivia Cotey, left, holds off Ishpeming's Nora Jo Anderson as they approach the finish line and the Mustangs win the Division 2 girls 1,600-meter relay at the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals in track and field held Saturday in Kingsford. The Mustangs’ winning unit also included Kate Mattson, Addie Bowerman and Ava Eubanks. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

KINGSFORD — It was a tight race for the team title at the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 2 Finals in girls track and field on Saturday, with eight points separating the top three teams.

Pickford scored 74 points for its first championship since 2007, when it was competing in Division 3.

The Panthers were followed by West Iron County with 71 points, while Munising came in third with 66.

Ironwood and three-time defending champion Bark River-Harris tied for fourth with 53, while Rudyard had 46, Norway 42, Ishpeming eighth with 39, Hancock 38, Iron Mountain 25, Jeffers 15 and Gwinn was 11th with 5.

Pickford junior Talya Schreiber, a two-time U.P. Division 3 cross country champion, proved to be the difference maker on this sunny and mild afternoon, taking the 800-meter run in 2:31.91, 1,600 in 5:12.47 and 3,200 in 11:23.06, while also leading off the Panthers’ winning 3,200 relay (10:50.61).

Senior teammate Brooke Portice added a second place in the discus (94 feet, 7 inches) fourth in the shot put (29-4.5).

Munising freshman Addie Bowerman placed second in the 300 hurdles in 50.59 seconds and third in the 100s (18.14) and helped the Mustangs win the 1,600 relay (4:28.66).

Senior teammate Elizabeth Wing won the discus (96-0) and was runner-up in shot put (31-0.25), and classmate Dayne Behning placed second in 100 hurdles (17.64) and fourth in the 300 (53.01).

Hancock senior Ella Keranen was runner-up in the 1,600 (5:41.92) and 3,200 (12:43.31) and third in the 800 (2:34.5), while also leading off the Bulldogs’ second-place 3,200 relay (11:06.58).

Ironwood senior Aubrey Smith placed second in the 800 (2:34.24) and third in the 1,600 (5:48.38) and 3,200 (12:53.21).

WIC freshman Bristol Shamion was a triple winner, taking the 100 hurdles (17.56) and 300s (49.4) and long jump at 5-feet even, and she also placed second in the 200 (27.59). Her sister, junior Lacey Shamion, was second in long jump (14-11.5) and helped the Wykons take second in the 800 relay (1:54.69) and third in the 1,600 (4:40.55).

BR-H swept the sprint relays, taking the 400 (54.77) and 800 (1:54.57), while junior Mira Johnson won the pole vault (8-0). Sophomore Emma Zawada ran in both relays and provided the Broncos with a third in the 300 hurdles (50.85).

Norway had a double winner in junior Lauren Adams, who took the 100 (12.9) and 200 (27.31) and added a second in the 400 (1:01.66).

Rudyard’s leader was freshman Amelia Fountain, who won the 400 on a lean, tied for second with Ishpeming sophomore Alexis Riley and Ironwood senior Hannah Vaughn in the pole vault (7-6), took third in the 200 (27.83), and fourth in the 100 (13.36).

Junior Emma Wardon added a first for Ironwood in the shot put (36-5.5), and Jeffers got its lone win from sophomore Brielle Anderson with a leap of 15-7.25 in the long jump.

John Vrancic is a regular sports contributor at the Daily Press in Escanaba and was reporting this story for the Michigan High School Athletic Association website, mhsaa.com.