TC West cruises through Ken Bell tune-up

May 4—TRAVERSE CITY — Look out for when Jonah Hochstetler only runs one individual event.

You won't have to wait long.

Hochstetler is running only the 800 in Friday's Ken Bell Invitational, looking to improve on a season-best 1:56.50 in Wednesday's dual meet against Traverse City Central, where he won both the 400 and 800 in back-to-back races.

"Usually I run the mile before the 800," said Hochstetler, a Titans senior who committed to run for the Air Force Academy in cross country and track. "I felt a little better coming off the 400. It's less recovery time."

Hochstetler ran a personal-best 1:54.36 in last year's Division 1 state finals, placing fifth, and Wednesday's effort was his second-best time.

"It'll be great running completely fresh," said Hochstetler, who also plans to run the 1,600 relay later in the day Friday.

West won the boys dual track and field meet 102-30 and the girls 97-34 at TC Central.

Both team were missing multiple standouts and keeping an eye on lineups ahead of Friday's 16-team Ken Bell Invitational back at TC Central.

The track schedule picks up quickly, with the Big North finals May 12 at Central, regionals May 19 at Midland, the MITCA state finals May 26, the Record-Eagle/John Lober Honor Roll meet May 30 and the state finals June 3 at Rockford.

"The weather definitely plays a role up here, there's no no way around it," Central girls track coach Paul Anderson said. "But we have been lucky. We got outside the first day and were on the track."

Wednesday's meet saw temperatures in the upper 40s. Friday's forecast calls for slighter warmer temps in the mid-50s, but a good chance of afternoon rain. The Ken Bell Invite — named after the long-time Record-Eagle sports editor — kicks off with the field events at noon Friday.

One runner who welcomed he colder temperatures was TC Central freshman Emma Dykstra, who helped the Trojans win both the 400 and 800 relays.

"For me, this is a perfect running weather, so I love it," Dykstra said. "I didn't feel like it was that bad."

She combined with Isabella Dorman, Carmen Mannor and Lucy Poppleton to take the 400 relay in 55.95 seconds, while he 800 team of Rylee Ellison, Hayden Schugars, Dykstra and Halli Warner won in 2:00.29.

Central's only other girls event win came from Kathryn Clark in the pole vault, clearing eight feet as the Trojans took the top three spots and five of the top six.

Central's boys won the vault as well, with Jace Rowell first at 13 feet and freshman Adrian DeBruyn second with a personal-best 11'6". Trojans freshman Calen Keller took the 1,600 in 4:42.39 for Central's only other event win, as TCC claimed the top five spots there.

The rest of the meet belonged to West.

Hochstetler, Ben Habers, Wally Tupper and Kyler Brunan each won two individual events.

Brunan won discus with a personal-best 132'7" and the shot put at 40 feet even.

"Staying calm, that's about it," Brunan said. "We've got the form down. I've been doing it for a while. So I just have to stay calm and go through the motions. ... Mentally it's all the same, but it's a little easier to warm up (in better weather)."

Tupper claimed both hurdle events, winning the 110 in 15.32 and the 300 in 40.36, both personal-best times.

Habers won the 100 and 200 in 11.28 (personal best) and 22.89 seconds.

"Everybody is just trying to do what they feel is best for their athletes," West boys head coach Jason Morrow said. "It's not about winning the dual meets. You want to be successful, you want to get the PRs, you want those things. But really you're not worried about dual meets. You're worried about the end of the season."

Other boys even winners for West included senior Anderson Alexander (PR 10:46.31 in the 3,200), freshman Graham Hetherington (5'8" high jump) and freshman Dylan Dunklow (18'9" PR in long jump), plus the three relays, getting wins in the 400 (Chase Weston, Drew Esper, Jacob Hagerman, Aiden Orth), 800 (Habers, Hagerman, Orth, Sam Schutte) and 1,600 (Schutte, Hochstetler, Willem DeGood, Aaryn Stallworth).

On the girls side, senior Arianna Stallworth won both the 100 (12.73) and 200 (26.11), with freshman Reece Smith taking the 400 (1:00.53), junior Ava King the 800 (PR 2:18.38), junior Esme Durbin the 1,600 (PR 6:07.68) and senior Evelyn Brodeur the 3,200 (PR 13:43.25).

Junior Emilie Frechette won the 100 hurdles in a personal-best 16.54 seconds and placed third in he 300 hurdles, behind teammates Madalen Ferrill (PR 48.55) and Charlise Schulz (PR 48.95). Frechette has already won three of five 100 hurdle races this season and West took three of the top four places in both hurdle evens Wednesday.

"We're just pushing it and getting places," Frechette said. "We just get after it, and we attack the hurdles."

West won the 1,600 relay with a team of Alyssa Fouchey, Abby Veit, Smith and King in 4:12.87.

Titans junior Averi Lahti claimed both the discus (106 feet) and shot put (37'5").

Junior Grace Moeggenborg took top honors in the long jump with a personal-best leap of 16'10.25" and sophomore Madeline Bildeaux won high jump at five feet.

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