The Hopkins High School track teams proved to be competitive Thursday in the Wendy’s Small School Track & Field Challenge at the Atkins Athletic and Recreational Building at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids.
Nine schools took part in the meet, with five from Division 2 while Hopkins was one of three in Division 3.
Several Vikings captured first place in their events:
- Sophomore Dan Rausch won the open 800-meter run with a time of 2:09.36.
- Sophomore Jasmine Fisher took the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:47.48.
- Sophomore Meghan Schulz kept her unbeaten string in three meets intact in the shot put with a toss of 35 feet, 4 inches.
- The 3200-meter relay team was nine seconds faster than all comers with Emma Helder, Laura Velderman, Fisher and Madison Snoeyink crossing the line in 10:50.83.
- Cassidy Finney, Natasja Terpstra, Brittney Houseman and Velderman were first in the medley relay of 400, 200, 200 and 400 meters.
Recording runner-up finishes were the 1600 relay team of Velderman, Madeline Krcatovich, Helder and Finney; Helder in the 800, and Houseman in the long jump. Savannah Emaus added a third in the long jump.
Logan Blank finished second in the long jump for the Hopkins boys and the 3200 relay quartet of Nick Belka, Brandon DeGroot, Jacob Pastoor and Rausch was third, as well as the medley relay foursome of DeGroot, Carson Timm, Michael McKenzie and Rausch.
The field included Division 2 teams from Benton Harbor, West Michigan Aviation, Ionia, Lansing Sexton and Portland. Hopkins was joined in Division 3 by Grand Rapids West Catholic and Grand Rapids Wellspring Prep and White Cloud was the only Division 4 school.
The Viking boys and girls will take a break until after spring break. They will open O-K Silver Conference competition Tuesday, April 11, against Belding.
PHOTO: Jasmine Fisher was first in the 1600-meter run.