Hartman state discus champ

Published 5:12 pm Sunday, June 3, 2012

Daily Star file photo Brandywine’s Evan Hartman, seen here in action from earlier this year, won the Division 3 state discus title with a toss of 167-7 Saturday.

COMSTOCK PARK — Evan Hartman had a quest at the beginning of this track season — to return the Brandywine discus record back to his family.

He accomplished that earlier this year at the Rotary Meet in Benton Harbor and then again a few days later during a regular season meet.

But that pales in comparison to what Hartman did at the Division 3 State Track Finals at Comstock Park Saturday.

The Brandywine thrower set another school record as he captured the state championship in the discus with a toss of 167-7. That throw reestablished a new Bobcat standard that was eight feet better than his previous record and nine feet better than the runner-up throw.

Hartman’s brother Ryan, who is battling Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare pediatric cancer in his left lung and chest, was the former record holder atBrandywine until 2011 when Jacob Frazier set the new mark.

Hartman, who had been playing baseball for the Bobcats, decided he would switch sports and reclaim the record for his brother.

His state championship helped Brandywine finish seventh overall.

AJ Srmek took second in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles and was part of the sixth place 1,600 meter relay team.

Srmek was clocked at 40.05 in the hurdles and teamed with Nathan Anders, Courtlan Gordon and Michael Shelton to run a time of 3:30.51 in the relay.

Division 2

Dowagiac’s Dontel Highsmith finished third in the long jump with a leap of 22-2.5.

Niles’ Brandon Partee was fourth in the 110-meter high hurdles with a time of 14.65, while he was also part of the fifth place 800-meter relay team, which ran 1:30.6. Also on that squad were Quintin Irby, Ronnie Jones and Cicone Palmore.

Edwardsburg’s Josh Clark finished seventh in the 1,600 meters with a time of 4:26.15.

In the girls meet, Niles’ Miranda Baker finished tied for seventh in the high jump with a height of 5-2.