Chiefs send five to track finals

Published 8:39 pm Friday, June 2, 2006

By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
The Dowagiac track program will take just a handful of athletes to Grand Rapids on Saturday for the Division 2 Lower Peninsula Track and Field Finals.
The finals will be held at Forest Hills Northern High School.
The pole vault begins at 9 a.m. while the boy's discus and long jump, and the girl's shot put and high jump preliminaries will begin at 9:30.
Following the National Anthem at 9:55, the preliminaries in the 100- and 200-meters, and high hurdles will be held beginning at 10 a.m.
The finals of the 3,200-meter relay will be held at 10 as well.
The semifinals of the hurdles, 100- and 200-meters will follow the 3,200-meters, while the boy's long jump final is scheduled to begin at 10:45.
The girl's discus and long jump, along with the boy's shot put and high jump, preliminaries will begin at 12:15 p.m.
The National Anthem will be played again at 12:55 p.m. with the running event finals set to begin at 1 p.m. Also beginning at 1 will be the finals of the girl's long jump.
The team trophy presentation is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.
Dowagiac will have senior Ann O'Keefe competing in the pole vault.
O'Keefe is a three-time state qualifier. As a sophomore she placed 12th and finished eighth last season as a junior.
O'Keefe heads to the finals fresh off of her record-setting Big 16 Conference championship effort at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix High School on May 24.
O'Keefe broke her old school record with a height of 10-feet-8.
O'Keefe comes into the event tied for fourth with a regional height of 10-feet.
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern's Tammy Sheahan, a junior, and Bay City John Glenn's Emily Mckerchie, a sophomore, are tied for the best height coming into the competition at 10-9. Ludington's Becca Pilkerton, also a sophomore, is third with a height of 10-6.
Tied with O'Keefe are Sparta's Lisa Krupp and Dexter's Bailey Wandyg, both seniors.
On the boy's side, senior Elijah Caldwell will compete in the 200-meters.
Caldwell is ranked 25th coming into the event with a regional time of 23.2.
Adrian's Margone Russell, a senior, has the best time coming in at 21.98. Grand Rapids South Christian's Matt Bakker, also a senior, is second at 22.0.
Dowagiac will also compete in the 400-meter relay where it has a ranking of 22nd with a time of 44.7.
That team will consist of Kevin Mitchell, Jamere Bacon, Neico Brown and Caldwell.
Orchard Lake St. Mary's has the fastest time coming into the finals at 43.18. Detroit Renaissance is second at 43.3.