STURGIS — The Niles boys track team showed off its depth Friday at the Division II regional at Sturgis High School.

The result was a regional title for the Vikings for the first time since 2007.

Niles totaled 108 points, while second place Sturgis had 87. Dowagiac placed ninth with 25.5 points, while Edwardsburg finished 13th with 10.

“It’s a long time in coming and we’ve got a young team,” Niles boys track coach Tony Todd said. “We’re losing only two important seniors so next year we’ll be just as good, if not better.”

The top two finishers along with individuals with qualifying times advance to the state finals on May 30 at Zeeland High School.

Joe Avance is going to the state final in three events for Niles. He was a part of a first place 800-meter relay team (1:31.01), placed second in the 100-meters (11.09) and finished third with a qualifying time of 44.36 in the 400-meter relay. Also on the 800-meter relay team were Josh Buckingham, Elijah Thompson and Conner Amberg. Joining Avance on the 400-meter relay team were Thompson, Amberg and Cameron Haines.

Along with advancing to the state finals in the 800-meter relay, Buckingham will be running in two weeks in the 200-meters. Buckingham finished second in that event (22.99) at the regional.

Also performing at a high level for the Vikings at the regional was Larry Lamb, who placed second in the 110-meter hurdles (15.62) and 300-meter hurdles (40.97).

State finals bound in the 800-meters for Niles is Jalen Alexander, who finished second in that event with a time of 2:02.13.

“It’s Larry Lamb time,” Todd said. “That’s all I’ll say. He was a diamond in the rough last year. He’s a pure diamond this year. Our sprinters came through big-time. Joe Avance, Elijah Thompson, Josh Buckingham and Conner Amberg ran unbelievable today.”

Dowagiac got a great showing in the shot put from Tristan Howard. The Chieftains senior is going to the state finals for the first time after putting together a first place throw of 50-4 1/2 in the shot put.

Dowagiac’s Leroy Lewis placed second in the high jump with a leap of 6-2, while teammate Caleb Zimmerman had a third place state qualifying time of 41.19 in the 300-meter hurdles.

St. Joseph won the girls meet with 81 points. Edwardsburg finished ninth with 41.5 points, while Dowagiac was 11th with 34 points and Niles was 12th with 28.

Dowagiac junior Nijah Russell is going back to the state finals. Russell, who qualified for the state finals as a freshman in the 400-meter relay, is going to Zeeland this year to compete in the 200- and 100-meters. On Friday, Russell placed first in the 200 (27.09) and finished second in the 100 (12.68).

“She had a good day,” said Dowagiac girls track coach Cory Hill about Russell’s regional performance. “For the second week in a row (last week at the Wolverine Conference meet) she finished second in the 100. She learned from what happened at that meet and she’ll learn from what happened today. I think she’s going to have a really good state showing.”

Maya Brookins will be representing Niles High School at the state finals in the 100 meters. She finished third with a qualifying time of 12.98 at the regional.

DIVISION 2 TRACK REGIONAL

At Sturgis

Boys Results

Team Standings

1. Niles 108; 2. Sturgis 87; 3. Vicksburg 84; 4. St. Joseph 75.5; 5. Lakeshore 67.5; 6. Three Rivers 66; 7. Paw Paw 36; 8. Otsego 31.5; 9. Dowagiac 25.5; 10. Benton Harbor 25; 11. Plainwell 22; 12. South Haven 15; 13. Edwardsburg 10; 14. Allegan 9

 

Winners and Local Finishers

Pole Vault: 1. Justin Bowdish (Sturgis) 12-2; 6. Larry Lamb (Niles) 11-0; Long Jump: 1. Deondre Lovell (Vicksburg) 20-10 ¾; 3. Joe Avance (Niles) 19-7 ¼; 4. Cameron Haines (Niles) 19-4 ½; 6. Kyle Shrider (Edwardsburg) 18-10 ¼; High Jump: 1. Riley Skrzypek (Vicksburg) 6-4; 2. Leroy Lewis (Dowagiac) 6-2; 6. Ben Florkowski (Niles) 6-0; 7; Discus: 1. John Hogeboom (Lakeshore) 138-7; 5. Baulio Sosa (Niles) 129-5.; Shot Put: 1. Tristan Howard (Dowagiac) 50-4 ½;  6. Anthony Younger (Niles) 42-9 ½; 3,200 Relay: 1. St. Joseph (Skyler Arthur, Erik Edwards, Nick Jewell, Tanner Rydleski) 8:14.2; 3. Niles 8:25.43; 6. Lakeshore 8:47.7; 110 Hurdles: 1. Isaiah Wrencher-Smith (Three Rivers) 14.96; 2. Larry Lamb (Niles) 15.62; 7. Nathan Brown (Edwardsburg) 17.06; 8; 100: 1. Ian VanDenBerg (Paw Paw) 11.01; 2. Joe Avance (Niles) 11.09; 4. Conner Amberg (Niles) 11.32; 5. Elijah Thompson (Niles) 11.56; 800 Relay: 1. Niles (Josh Buckingham, Joe Avance, Elijah Thompson, Conner Amberg) 1:31.01; 8. Edwardsburg 1:38.85;

1,600: 1. Skyler Arthur (St. Joseph) 4:32.34; 6. Devin Tomlinson (Niles) 4:58.64; 7. Charles Leonard (Niles) 5:00.78; 400 Relay: 1. Three Rivers (Chad Sage, Johnel Stewart, Colby Brundige, Zak Zagon) 44.21; 3. Niles 44.36; 6. Edwardsburg 46.18; 400: 1. Nate Eldridge (Three Rivers) 50.02; 300 Hurdles: 1. Isaiah Wrencher-Smith (Three Rivers) 40.61; 2. Larry Lamb (Niles) 40.97; 3. Caleb Zimmerman (Dowagiac) 41.19; 7. Sheldon Mudd (Niles) 43.69; 800: 1. Daniel Steele (Sturgis) 1:56.48; 2. Jalen Alexander (Niles) 2:02.13; 7. Devonte Gaskill (Niles) 2:05.41; 200: 1. Ian VanDenBerg (Paw Paw) 22.73; 2. Josh Buckingham (Niles) 22.99; 5. Conner Amberg (Niles) 23:23; 3,200: 1. Skyler Arthur (St. Joseph) 9:51.12; 1,600 Relay: 1. Three Rivers (Nate Eldridge, Johnel Stewart, Colby Brundige, Zak Zagon) 3:30.44; 8. Edwardsburg 3:56.44

 

Girls Results

Team Standings

1. St. Joseph 81; 2. Vicksburg 68; 3. Otsego 67; 4. Plainwell 55.5; 5. (tie) Paw Paw and Three Rivers 53; 7. Lakeshore 51.5; 8. Benton Harbor 42; 9. Edwardsburg 41.5; 10. Allegan 40; 11. Dowagiac 34; 12. Niles 28; 13. South Haven 23; 14. Sturgis 22.5

 

Winners and Local Finishers

Pole Vault: 1. Michaela Oesterle (Vicksburg) 9-11; 5. Arika Fell (Edwardsburg) 7-8; High Jump: 1. Erika DePierre (Paw Paw) 5-7; Shot Put: 1. Bobbie Goodwin (South Haven) 35-8 ½;  7. Tam’Mea McNeal (Niles) 32-8; 8. Ciera Smith (Dowagiac) 31-1 ¼; Long Jump: 1. Erika DePierre (Paw Paw) 17-1/2; 3. Carly Cockrum (Edwardsburg) 15-11; 4. Rosadio Murray (Dowagiac) 15-3; 6. Alexis Preston (Niles) 15-1; Discus: 1. Nicolette Nelson (Sturgis) 118-4; 3. Ciera Smith (Dowagiac) 106-0; 7. Amber Franklin (Niles) 95-8; 3,200 Relay: 1. Otsego (Sophie Hirzel, Madelyn Marcinek, Allie Thiel, Megan Aalberts) 10:06.07; 4. Edwardsburg 10:24.34; 8. Niles 11:55.35; 100 Hurdles: 1. Dajah Bogan (St. Joseph) 14.97; 6. Rosadio Murray (Dowagiac) 17.03; 100: 1. Brianna Rimpson (Benton Harbor) 12.57; 2. Nijah Russell (Dowagiac) 12.68; 3. Maya Brookins (Niles) 12.98; 4. Alexis Preston (Niles) 13.29; 5. Britanea Carmean (Edwardsburg) 13.39;

800 Relay: 1. Benton Harbor (Brianna Rimpson, Sanora Henry, Jamira Moss, Tytianna Walker) 1:49.32; 6. Edwardsburg 1:55.30; 7. Niles 1:55.90; 1,600: 1. Megan Aalberts (Otsego) 5:23.36; 8. Kailey Skarbeck (Niles) 6:03.01; 400 Relay: 1. Benton Harbor (Brianna Rimpson, Sanora Henry, Jamira Moss, Tytianna Walker) 51.69; 5. Edwardsburg 53.67; 400: 1. Erika DePierre (Paw Paw) 1:01.81; 8. Ashli Bryant (Niles) 1:07.19; 300 Hurdles: 1. Emma Granzow (Plainwell) 46.88; 8. Rosadio Murray (Dowagiac) 52.87; 800: 1. Mya Veen (Plainwell) 2:25.26; 4. Aubrey Ritchey (Edwardsburg) 2:32.61; 6. Natalie Longo (Edwardsburg) 2:37.77; 200: 1. Nijah Russell (Dowagiac) 26.76; 5. Maya Brookins (Niles) 28.11; 6. Carly Cockrum (Edwardsburg) 29.02.3; 3,200: 1. Sophie Hirzel (Otsego) 11:51.20; 6. Cameron Cleveland (Edwardsburg) 13:21.09; 1,600 Relay: 1. Plainwell (Brooke Pell, Emma Granzow, Mya Veen, Hannah Hawkes) 4:15.29; 7. Edwardsburg 4:28.12; 8. Niles 4:40.79