Each year in Michigan the outdoor MHSAA track season starts out with an indoor meet. Grand Valley State University host the Laker Challenge which is a three day meet. Day one has boys teams from division one and two schools from around West Michigan. This year 29 schools competed. Although no team scores were kept, the team from Rockford and East Kentwood earned the most metals.
The best performance of the day was turned in by Grand Haven junior Seth Norder who open his season by winning the 1600m in 4:12.17 which ranks him in the early season 10 top in the US. The buccaneers also won the 800m with Nolan Clark breaking the tape at 1:56.12 for Grand Haven.
East Kentwood's sprinters dominated in the first meet of the year. Senior Joshua Hurt (8.03) won the 60m Hurdles with his teammate Nakia Willis (8.44) placed second. In the 60m dash Peyhton Wade ran an impressive 6.88 to run away with the crown. In the 200m, teammate Malachi Mosley ran 22.86 to place first for East Kentwood. West Ottawa sophomore, Ruben Esparza placed first in the 400m.
The Laker Challenge runs two early season relays. Being run indoors on a 300m track at Grand Valley State, the 4x600m replaces the traditional 4x800m and the 4x300m replaces the 4x400m. Zeeland West brought how the victory with the quartet of Caleb Smith, Nate Golding, Andrew Kraft, and Andrew Holwerda. In the last race of the day the extremly exciting 4x300m relay was won by West Ottawa feasome foursome made up of: Allen Pane Jr, Ben Monger, Garrett Mulder, and anoched by 400m winner Ruben Esparza.
In the field event action the long jump came down to .75" with Rockford's Carter Bissell winning with a jump of 21'4" and East Kentwood's Nakia Willis landing the the sane at 21'3.25". Ty Anthony the senior from Coopersville won the shot put with a toss of 52'7". Due to melting snow and rain the discus was canceled. Senior Robby Slaughter won the pole vault with a jump of 13'6".
Meet results can be found here:
