Regional Champions: Newaygo Lions Track Take the Trophy

2025 Regional Champions: The Newaygo Lions

Some of the team practicing their form for cheering on the 4x400 meter relay in the last event of the day to clinch the title

The trophy traveled with the team to Lake Michigan for a celebratory swim at the conclusion of the meet

“Track isn’t a team sport.” Until it is.

Until it takes every single last point from every single last event and it still comes down to the very final race where not only does Newaygo have to win the 4 x 400 meter relay, but they also have to rely on other teams beating out Saugatuck so they don’t get too many points.

Then it is a team event. In every way. Where the athletes aren’t running, throwing or jumping for themselves as much as they are for the points to get their team a Regional championship.

And that’s exactly what Newaygo Lady Lions did on Friday, May 16.

In an atypically early start time for a Regional, the field events got rolling at 10 am. The temperature was already starting to rise quickly as the sun was shining down on the stadium.

The first running event started out well for the Lions, as the 4 x 800 meter relay team consisting of Hope Pietrzak, Ruby Hughes, Grace Hughes and Ella Foster blew out the competition, winning with a 7 second margin and being the first athletes to qualify for the State meet. They also earned 10 points for the team score.

As the meet rolled on, nearly every event came with huge wins and places for the Lions. Top 8 in each event earns points for the team. The following athletes all contributed to the score before the last event:

Morgan Andres: 100 meter dash - 2nd place*
Kylie Corrigan: 200 meter dash - 2nd place*
Ruby Hughes: 400 meter dash - 5th place
Ella Foster: 800 meter run - 3rd place
Ollie Harrington: 300 meter hurdles - 2nd place*
Hope Pietrzak: 300 meter hurdles - 6th place
Morgan Andres, Kylie Corrigan, Kija Schultz, Hope Pietrzak: 4 x 100 meter relay - 1st place*
Morgan Andres, Kylie Corrigan, Kija Schultz, Cali Butler: 4 x 200 meter relay - 3rd place
Kalleigh Klappholz: discus - 4th place
Kija Schultz: high jump - tied for 7th place
Morgan Andres: long jump - 1st place*
Ruby Hughes: long jump - 4th place
*denotes State qualifying place for the May 31st Division 3 Finals at Kent City

So it was going to come down to the final event. The 4 x 400 meter relay. Where Newaygo’s team of Hope Pietrzak, Ruby Hughes, Ella Foster and Grace Hughes knew they had to win in order to earn the trophy for their team.

The first leg and a half were close. And then passing by the human pyramids and fanatically cheering Newaygo teammates widened the gap more and more until it wasn’t even a question that they were going to win. By 6 seconds.

Within a few seconds the whole team was aware that Saugatuck, the host school and expected favorite to win the title, wasn’t going to score enough points to surpass the Lions. The celebration began. 

The entire team contributed to this win: a margin of only 2.6 points to take home the Regional trophy. 

A team sport at its finest.

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Human pyramids to help cheer on their teammates to victory

All smiles and joy for the Regional Champions

Medals and pink bling make for big smiles for the girls of the 4x800 and 4x400 meter relay teams (l to r): Ruby Hughes, Grace Hughes, Ella Foster, Hope Pietrzak