Lions Shine at Home Track Invitational

Lions Compete at Home Track Invitational
Photos and story by Alexis Mercer


Newaygo welcomed 7 teams from around West Michigan to its track on Friday, April 12 for the annual Newaygo Track Invitational. The weather was unseasonably warm (in years past the event has been canceled due to snow on the respective date) and sunny, making for a beautiful day to showcase the athletes’ talent.

Among the participating schools were Hesperia, Comstock Park, Kent City, White Cloud, Reed City, Holton, Mason County Central and Newaygo.

Highlights for the Newaygo boys included Ethan Reyburn taking 5th place with a new PR (12.16)  in the 100 meter dash finals and also 4th place in the 200 meter dash with another PR (24.67).

Jadon Ryman earned a 5th place spot in the 400 meter dash with a time of 56.36 and a PR. In the 800 meter run, Eli Banks took 4th place with a time of 2:15.87, a shiny new PR.

In the hurdles, Tim Dosch earned his way to two medals. In the 110 meter hurdles, he took 5th with a time of 18.43 and in the 300 meter hurdles he ran a season record 46.82 for 3rd place.

The team consisting of Tim Dosch, Cole Hefner, Ethan Reyburn and Chad Saucier flew to a 2nd place finish in the 4 x 100 meter relay. And in the longest distance relay of the day, the team of Eli Banks, Caleb Bays, Jadon Ryman and Gage Sanborn earned a 3rd place medal.

On the field event side of things, Luke Acton vaulted his way to a PR of 9’0” and 4th place! And in the long jump, Newaygo went 1st and 2nd overall with Blake Kerr and Cole Hefner’s respective jumps of 19’11” and 19’8.5”.

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The girls team earned 2nd place overall and took home a team trophy for their efforts.

In the 100 meter dash it was Elsha Jibson with a PR and time of 14.26 who took 4th place in the finals. Jibson then followed it up later in the meet with a 3rd place in the 200 meters with a time of 30.08 (PR). Emma Dosch also earned a medal in the finals of the 200 with a time of 30.85 and 6th place.

Maria Riddering dominated the 400 meter dash with a time of 106.93 (PR) while Elizabeth Chaffee was just behind her in 3rd with a time of 1:10.51 (SR). Freshman Grace Hughes took 2nd in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:40.43. She was joined in the medal standing by Remington Arney whose SR time of 2:52.12 earned her 4th place.

Arney got another season record time for herself, but in the 1600 run, coming in 3rd place with a time of 5:47.97. Also in the distance category, Joseline Sanchez Magana took 5th with a time of 15:18.04 (PR).

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Leah Ruehmeier sprinted and jumped her way to a 2nd place medal in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 18.5 (PR). She then went on to take 3rd place in the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 57.71.

In the 4x100 meter relay it was the team of Elsha Jibson, Keely Verhoy, Rebecca Grandy, and Emma Dosch who took 3rd place with a time of 57.13. 

The 4x800 meter relay took 1st place with a time of 10:53.23. This was the team of Remington Arney, Elizabeth Chaffee, Grace Hughes, and Maria Riddering.

Ending the meet in fine fashion was the lightning quick team of Elizabeth Chaffee, Emma Mortensen, Grace Hughes and Maria Riddering. They closed out the meet with a 1st place finish in the time of 4:39.66, sealing 2nd place overall for the team.

On the field event side Elsha Jibson got her fourth medal of the meet, taking 5th place in the high jump. Rebecca Grandy came in big for the Lions, taking 2nd place with a season record distance of 13’8”.

A full list of results can be found here: https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/484497/results