Track and Field: Dual-sport athletes make Whiteford stronger

Athletes at Whiteford are doubling up this spring.

Brothers Shea and Ryin Ruddy are both playing baseball and running track and field and sisters Mackenzie and Jessica Ulery are members of the softball and track teams.

Photo Gallery: Whiteford, Erie Mason at Summerfield track and field

“We’ve always had the policy, but this is the first year we’ve allowed it,” track coach Jay Yockey said. “I am really repeating the benefits.”

The Ruddys and Ulerys really made a difference Tuesday in a key Tri-County Conference tri meet.

Whiteford’s boys edged Erie Mason 74.5-62.5 and Summerfield 106-31 while the girls slipped past Mason 70.5-66.5 and dusted off Summerfield 104-29.

Mason’s boys beat Summerfield 110-27 and the girls won 107-29.

The new additions made both of Whiteford’s track teams deeper.

“It allows me to spread out athletes out more,” Yockey said. “I want to think I’m a good coach, but I credit my success to my athletes.

“I am on Cloud 9 right now. Both meets against Mason were nail biters with plenty of turns. IT was a very good meet for both the boys and the girls.”

Shea Ruddy won the 100 meters and high jump and Ryan ruled the low hurdles. Both were on the winning 400 and 1,600 relays and Ryin helped the 800 relay come in first.

“The meet was a constant back-and-forth battle, but in the end Whiteford’s relays were exceptional and they won enough of the little battles to take the meet,” Mason coach Alex Russeau said.

It was a similar story on the girls side.

Mackenzie Ulery won the 100 and 200 meters and ran on the winning 400 and 800 relays while her sister was tops in the high jump.

Kolby Masserant also had a big day for Whiteford’s boys, winning the 200 and the long jump and running on the 400 relay.

Keegan Masters was first in the 3,200.

Kenzie Gray swept the throws for Whiteford’s girls and Annabelle Gapp (low hurdles) and Ali Bauman (pole vault) also won.

Jackson Ansel (400), Alex Langenderfer (pole vault), Louden Murbach (high hurdles) and the 3,200 relay of Ansel, Jake Postal, Parker Campbell and Ryan Joyce won for Mason’s boys. Austin Sulier had a 45-second personal best in the 3,200 meters.

Cameron Zaleski (400, 800) and Kaylie Bash (high hurdles, long jump) were double winners for Mason’s girls while Bailey Meiring taking the 1,600 and Elizabeth Lambert the 3,200. Other Mason standouts were Beth Sweeney, Audrey Trainor, Mikaela Graves and Emily Worden.

Dakota Kohn won the shot-put and discus for Summerfield’s boys and Brandon Thompson took the 800 meters.

Megan Pease, Grace Raymond, Cammy Taylor, Mikayla Golulinski Alyssa Conley, Bethany Suydam, Faith Secor, Makenna Shipe and Gabby Stout led Summerfield’s girls.

Foor leads Jets

CARLETON – Matt Foor won the shot-put in 50-11 and the discus in 144-11 to lead Airport to its first win of the season, a 70-58 triumph over Milan Tuesday.

Owen Verduyn swept the hurdles and Seth Haliburda, Tyler Vaughn and Will Dobbertin went 1-2-3 in the 3,200 to spark the Jets. Other wins came from Joel Westaway won the high jump along with the 3,200 relay of Callum Bell, Dobbertin, Haliburda and Adrian Dawes and the 1,600 relay of Adrian Dawes, Wyatt Kessel, Bell and Furman.

Courtney Bovair was the champion in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 and ran on the winning 3,200 relay for Airport’s girls.

Also winning for the Jets were Marie Redlin (discus), Bella Awishes (shot-put), Kelly Rodak (100). Natalie Kuti (high hurdles), Cici Ortega (400) and Sydney Mason (low hurdles).

Milan’s Julia Lorch claimed the long jump and ran on the winning 400 and 800 relays. Malea Wourman and Silvia Koch each ran on three winning relays and Emma Budd and Kailey McDaniel two apiece.

Adam Johnson won four times for Milan’s boys (100, 200, 400 and 800 relays), Brayden took the 800 and 1,600, Noah Bussell went 21-2 in the long jump and Jabril Amin was victorious in the 400.

Bears maul Flat Rock

Jefferson had no trouble with Flat Rock Tuesday, winning the boys meet 104-24 and the girls 99-29.

Michael Armetta (hurdles, 100, anchored the 400 relay) and Myles Tackett (200, 400, two relays) both were in on two firsts for Jefferson.

Carter McCalister won the three longest races of the day and Trey Oldenburg took the two jumps. Nathan Masserant (shot-put) and Tyler Swinkey (discus) came out on top in the throws.

“Don't let the numbers fool you,” Jefferson coach Josh Ludwick said. “Jefferson handled their business today, but Flat Rock is going to be the team to beat in a couple years. My kids are dialed in right now.”

Alexa Glancy (100, 400, 800 relay) and Veronica Fitzgerald was also a (800, 400, 800 relays) were triple winners for Jefferson’s girls and  Layla Tahmouch (throws), Mia Schroeder (hurdles), Jenna Pilachowski (1,600, 3,200 relay), Riley Peer (3,200, 3,200 relay) and Katie Powell (long jump, 400 relay) all won twice.Reagan Higdon won the 100 meters and ran with Arianna Hoover, Sophia Chan and Madleen Hussein on Flat Rock’s winning 400 relay. Elijhana Cerroni was the winner in the high jump.

Monroe teams tumble

DEXTER – Two top teams from the Southeastern Conference were too much for Monroe Tuesday.

The boys fell 89-17 to Dexter and 74-18 to Ann Arbor Skyline while the girls were beaten 84-17 by Dexter and 62-39 by Skyline.

Joshua Graham-Williams won the long jump for Monroe’s boys in 18-2 and Kazhmeir Burns captured the low hurdles in 1:00.48 for the girls.

Matley Rose was second in the long jump.

Huron, Saline top Mules

SALINE – Bedford’s boys were beaten by Ann Arbor Huron 89-48 and by Saline 95.67-41.33 Tuesday.

The girls fell 112-25 to Saline and 95.5-27.5 to Huron.

Bedford’s Alex Beck went 11-6 to win the pole vault.

Seconds were claimed by Mason Shultz, Sawyer Ulery, Zackery Scoble, Anita Rizzetti, Mollie Plock and Rebekah Asselin.

Huron scuttled by Pirates

NEW BOSTON – Riverview’s boys beat New Boston Huron 69-59 Tuesday.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Track and Field: Dual-sport athletes make Whiteford stronger