By DON EDEN
Dowagiac Daily News

Dowagiac junior Kaisha Martin outdueled three-time All State and Michigan State volleyball recruit Kelsey Kuipers of Otsego Wednesday to highlight the Chieftain thinclads as they hosted a five team Wolverine Conference Jamboree.

Martin broke her school record in the 200 dash with a 25.73 to revenge a defeat from last year to Kuipers, who placed at state in Division 2 and also captured crowns in the 100, long jump and 400 relay with classmate Jacoya Brookins plus seniors Andrea Bradshaw and Cierra Mattix.

“There was some good times considering the cold and breeze, but disappointed with the outcome as a team,” said Dowagiac coach Ken Jordan.  “Kaisha is an explosive starter which gets her going and matched up well against another quality sprinter.”

Kuipers did take a couple firsts in the high jump and 400 and her team took top prize with 110 points compared to Vicksburg’s 96. Rounding out the other scores were Allegan with 63 followed by Dowagiac with 55 to finish ahead of Comstock’s 16 tallies.

“We are a real young team with many talented freshmen but our four seniors provide great leadership,” proclaimed Otsego coach Steve Long.  “This team works very hard and the conference championship should decide the champion between Vicksburg, Three Rivers and us.”

It was a mixture of good and bad for the boys side as seniors Pierre Reed (hurdles) and Jon Myers (200) recorded best times.

“Vicksburg has a very good team and we have a lot to work on but defintely had some positives,” noted Dowagiac coach Mike Stanger.

A total of 146 points were comprised by Vicksburg with Allegan (87), Otsego (67), Dowagiac (46) and Comstock (5) behind in the boys meet.

Wolverine Conference
Mini-Jamboree
At Dowagiac
Boys’ results
1. Vicksburg 146; 2. Allegan 87; 3. Otsego 67; 4. Dowagiac 46; 5. Comstock 5
3200 relay:  (A) Ely, Kemmy, Passorelli, Sausley 8:29.78; 100 hurdles: (A) Radke 15.10; 100 meter: (V) Haines 10.81; 800 relay: (V) Deblek, Boulemour, McGuire, Haines 1:32.65; 1600 meter: (V) Beams 4:36.80; Pole Vault: (V) Craddock 12-0; Shot Put: (A) Stewart 40-8; Long Jump: (O) Vyletel 20; Discus: (O) Perin 124-2; High Jump: (O) Vytel 6-0; 400 relay: (V) Deblek, Chesser, Boulimour, Haynes 44.29; 300 hurdles: (A) Miller 40.43; 800 meter: (V) Beams 2:03.89; 200 meter: (V) Haines 22.50; 3200 meter: (V) Beams 9:57.55; 1600 relay: (A) Wallace, Ealy, Jaco, Miller 3:32.09.

Girls’ results
1. Otsego 110; 2. Vicksburg 96; 3. Allegan 63; 4. Dowagiac 55; 5. Comstock 16
3200 relay: (O) David, Koshar, Owens, Smith 10:57.53; 100 hurdles: (V) Kuri 17.21; 100 meter: (D) Martin 12.87; 800 relay: (V) Kuri, Bittenbender, Kovach, Duke 1:56.13; 1600 meter: (O) Smith 5:20.05; Pole Vault: (A) Davis 9-0; Shot Put: (A) Weems 30-5; Long Jump: (D) Martin 16-4; Discus: (A) Weems 84-9; High Jump: (O) Kuipers 4-10; 400 relay: (D) Martin, Brookins, Mattix, Bradshaw 52.82; 400 meters: (O) Kuipers 1:03.22; 300 hurdles: (C) Taylor 48.41; 800 meter: (O) Smith 2:26.50; 200 meter: (D) Martin 25.73; 3200 meter: (O) Smith 11:42.56; 1600 relay: (V) Kuri, Halseth, Keller, Bittenbender 4:33.19.