Michigan Track & Field: Top 8th Graders this Season

Boys

Ypsilanti Lincoln's Chase Spruill has had a fantastic 8th grade year. At the SEC-MS Lincoln Ms @ Ypsilanti Community Ms meet back in April he clocked his 400m PR, 53.91, which top-three. He's also posted a solid 100m best of 11.85 - which ranks inside the top-15 statewide.

William Buckley of Our Lady of Good Counsel won the 800m at the 6th Whitmore Lake MS Invite, crossing the line in 2:04.40 - the top time by any Michigan middle schooler this year.

OJ DeJonge's star distance runner, Conrad Schwass, won both the 1600m and 3200m at the WMC MS Ludington @ Manistee Meet, the latter in a PR of 10:17.00. Schwass's top 1600m mark on the year came at the WMC MS Hart/Ludington @ Fremont meet, where he went 4:45.52.

Carlos Velasquez of Adrian Madison won both the 400m and long jump at the Madison vs. Hudson Meet. Velasquez leaped a PR of 19-9. He later recorded a 56.63 as he broke the tape in the 400m dash.

Girls

Sylvia Vander Zwart of Byron Center West won the girls' 100m, 200m hurdles, and long jump at the GMS/Byron Center MS Meet. Vander Swart leaped a PR of 16-8 to secure the win and leads the state in her class.

Aubrey Rau of Rudyard won the shot put at the IL Bulldog MS Invite. The top-ranked 8th grader threw 41-2 to claim the title.

The state's fastest 8th-grade 800m runner is Harper Henderson of Jenison. At the East Rockford at Jenison MS Meet, Henderson crossed the line first in 2:26.81 for the 800m and 5:24.75 for the 1600m. She since improved that 1600m time to 5:17.94 at the East Rockford at Jenison MS meet, the #3 time in the state..

East Rockford's Lexi McCloskey won the 400m at the Northview at East Rockford MS Meet. The 8th grader set a lifetime best of 1:01.15 as she broke the tape and is ranked inside the top-10 in the state in the event among middle schoolers.

Ariel Clifton of Ypsilanti Lincoln won the 100m and 200m at the SEC-MS Lincoln Ms @ Ypsilanti Meet. Clifton ran a best of 12.69 in the 100m and 26.37 in the 200m to claim both titles. Clifton is ranked #2 in both events among Michigan middle schoolers.