THREE RIVERS — With regionals coming up next week, area high school track and field athletes entered Friday’s Wolverine Conference championship meet in Three Rivers looking to achieve peak performances.

Several individuals came away satisfied with the results of those efforts.

Three Rivers, 7-0 in league duals, was crowned overall boys’ champion after totaling 149 1/2 points to win Friday’s meet. Otsego (117) grabbed second followed by Plainwell (94 1/2), Niles (82 1/2) was fourth, Sturgis (58 1/2) fifth, Paw Paw (54) finished sixth, Edwardsburg (54) seventh and Vicksburg (50) was eighth.

Niles got three first-place finishes in the boys’ meet from senior hurdler Ayden McCarey. McCarey earned titles in the 110-meter high hurdles (14.78) and 300 hurdles (39.88), along with a win in the 400 (51.62). 

McCarey’s time in the 300 hurdles is now the fatest time in the state this season in Division 2. 

McCarey also teamed with Andre Wells, Lucas Debortoli and Ben Bruckner to earn third place (3:32.55) in the 1600-meter relay, while Edwardsburg’s quartet of Fredrik Sante, Cole Claire, Jaden Gregory and George Scupham were sixth (3:44.95). 

Bruckner placed third in the 100 (11.29) and the Vikings’ Peyton Gordon snatched fifth (11.56). 

Gregory grabbed third in the 800 (2:04.26) and Scupham claimed fifth (2:06.61). 

Scupham also earned fifth in the 1600 (4:32.36). 

The Eddies’ Maquire Johnson earned fourth (10:08.04) in the 3200.

Niles grabbed second in the 400 relay (43.70) with Sam Rucker, Bruckner, Andre Wells and Gordon, while the Eddies were sixth (46.12) with Gio Orue, Chase Karkiewicz, Loehn Luckett and Drew Nelson. 

“I’m really super proud of my long jumpers and two of those kids got personal bests. Our relay teams performed extremely well. But with no doubt the star for us in this meet was Ayden McCarey. Not only did he win the 110 highs, but we went back-to-back by winning the 400 and 300 hurdles with only 15 minutes rest. That’s never been done before in the history of the Wolverine Conference. He’s the best athlete I’ve ever had here. I never thought he could pull this off and I’m super proud of him. He listens to all of  our coaches and goes above and beyond of what he’s asked,” said Niles boys’ head coach Tony Todd. 

Sante, Claire and Gregory joined Chance Jacobs to earn fifth (1:36.34) for the Eddies, while Niles was eighth (1:39.84) with Vaughn Asmus, Zach Zietlow, Gunner Sherer and Alex Anderson. 

Gregory, Leith, Johnson and Scupham placed third in the 3200  relay (8:28.71). 

The Vikings placed two in the shot put with Bryce Young earning sixth (43-2 1/4) and Jordan Cunningham taking seventh (42-5 1/2). 

Cunningham also earned eighth (125-7 1/2) in discus. 

In the high jump, Zach Overmyer from Edwardsburg claimed second (6-4) and Jesten Gregory was eighth (5-6). 

Lucas Frenz of Edwardsburg won pole vault (13-0) with a personal-best, while Liam Beckman of Niles finished seventh (10-6). 

“We finally got some really good weather today and had some great performances. Several of our kids reached their personal bests. Now we are looking forward to regionals next week with us all in the best shape,” said Edwardsburg boys’ coach Lito Ramirez.

The Eddies were missing its best 400 runner in Mobias Stubblefield who was attending another school activity on the academic side. Stubblefield has already automatically qualified for state in that event after meeting the pre-qualification time. 

Niles dominated the long jump with three placers. Bruckner finished second (21-7) followed by Jaden Ivery in third (20-5) and Andre Wells tied for seventh (19-7).   

Sturgis won the girls’ meet and overall league title after compiling 185 points. Otsego (125) claimed second followed by Plainwell (89.83), Edwardsburg (80 1/2), Paw Paw (67 1/3), Vicksburg (52 1/3), Niles (30) and Three Rivers (28).

Edwardsburg junior Sarah Pippin broke her own school record with a first-place effort of 5-7 in the high jump, while Niles freshman Loryana Harris took fourth (4-11).

Pippin broke her own mark of 5-6 from earlier this Spring.

“Sarah is a natural and Georgia is a real strong distance runner for us. We had good performances today by our relays. Now we’re hoping to get as many people to state as we can,” said Edwardsburg girls’ coach Morgan O’Grady. 

Edwardsburg’s Madelyn Peat took fourth in pole vault (8-6).

Sarina Mora from Edwardsburg tied for third in long jump with a personal-best effort (15-7), while Niles’ Bree Lake earned fifth (15-4). 

“Bree just started long jumping for us and she placed fourth. She’s a good all-around athlete. Izabel is poised and she should qualify for state in two of her events,” said Niles girls’ coach Rikki Jones. “I’m proud of all of our kids today.”

In the middle-distance races, Edwardsburg’s Kennedy Goorhouse finished fourth (1:03.47) in the 400-meter dash and teammate Alex Ferguson fifth (1:04.99).

Georgia Babcock from Edwardsburg was league champion in the 800 (2:23.55) and the Eddies’ Layla Gableman finished sixth (2:33.57).

Babcock also earned second in the 1600 (5:15.80) and teammate Jade Leith ran a personal-best for eighth (5:59.16). 

Niles senior Izabel finished league runners-up in the 100 hurdles (16.22) and Morin placed seventh (17.68).

Hoskin and Lake combined with Kylie Conn and Nariyah Jones to finish second (52.40) in the 400 relay for Niles. Edwardsburg’s quartet of Annika VanBuren, Piper Bryant, Cassidy Frentz and  Caliana Manfred earned third (53.13). 

VanBuren, Bryant and Manfred joined Goorhouse on the second-place (1:52.0) 800 relay. 

Bryant, Goorhouse, Frentz and Babcock swiped second (4:16.43) in the 1600 relay.

Edwardsburg finished sixth (11:56.24) in the 3200 relay with Leith, Liyah Worthington, Ferguson and Gableman.

Three Rivers’ Lamonta Stone was named the Male Most Outstanding Male performer, while Sturgis’ Keyanna O’Tey, a University of Michigan committ, received the same honor for her standout performances in the girls’ meet. 

Three Rivers’ boys mentor Jason Muckel and Sturgis’ girls coach Lesley Starkey earned Coach of the Year honors.