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5/406-Track
Eaglets shine at West Bloomfield Invitational
BY DAN STICKRADT OF THE OBERSERVER AND ECCENTRIC
WEST BLOOMFIELD-- With a late spring break this season, area track and field teams had to wait quite a while to showcase their top-flight talent.
Consider the West Bloomfield Invitational the first coming-out party of the year.
More than 25 schools showed up for the 47th annual running of the event Saturday, resulting in many eye-popping performances on West Bloomfield's grand oval -- including several that rank among the state's top 10 in numerous events.
In the boys meet, Orchard Lake St. Mary's finished third overall to lead area schools with 38 points, thanks to a fine display of its sprints talent.
Ann Arbor Pioneer won with 57 points. West Bloomfield tied for fifth with 28, with Southfield seventh (27), Lake Orion eighth (26) and Bloomfield Hills Lahser 10th (18) to pace area schools.
"We have a great group of guys, very talented and hard working and you can't ask for more than that," said St. Mary's head coach Mark LaFerve. "Most of these kids are great football players and basketball players, but they bring that same focus to track and field."
The St. Mary's foursome of Taurian Washington, Aaron Gant, Anthony Bowman and Dionte Allen won the 400 relay (43.0), while the Eaglets were second in the 800 relay (1:29.4). Southfield won that event at the finish line, with the unit of Andre Wadley, Lyndon Johnson, Aaron Jackson and Derrick Hunter breaking the tape in 1:29.2.
Southfield's Johnson, Jackson and Hunter joined Donald Brown for a win in the 1,600 relay (3:25.6).
OLSM's Bowman, a transfer from Detroit DePorres who is headed to Iowa for football, also won the 100 in 11.0, edging West Bloomfield freshman Jovan Faulk (11.1).
Lahser's Mike Quick won the 1,600 (4:28.8) and Birmingham Brother Rice's Anthony Wile was second in the 3,200 (9:41.8). Groves' JJ Vercammen improved his school record in the long jump (22-4), beating Lahser's Monte Perkins by seven inches.
Lake Orion's Ben Hopkins was third in the high jump (6-2) and teammate Kyle Johns was second in the pole vault (12-6). Clarkston's Brad Gale claimed third in the 100 hurdles (15.5) and Southfield's Chris Ubokudom was third in the long jump (21-1).
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