The Hopkins girls’ varsity track team is back with a vengeance, capturing its first regional Division 3 championship since 2013.

It’s not as though the Lady Vikings were far away in the last three years. In 2014 they missed the title by just three points.

But this year they blew away all 12 competitors, scoring 154 points, almost 63 more than runner-up Grand Rapids West Catholic. The Hopkins boys, defending champions, finished sixth with 54 points, only three points shy of fourth. West Catholic won that derby with 86 points and Delton was second with 74.

It was an absolutely huge day for senior Julia Forbes, as she captured three individual regional titles and ran a leg of the Lady Vikings’ winning 800-meter relay effort.

Forbes copped her third consecutive regional crown in the long jump with a terrific leap of 17-08.5. She also crossed the finish line first in the 100-meter with her personal best 12.77 seconds and she won the 200 with a blistering time of 26.22 seconds.

Interestingly, sophomore teammate Brittney Houseman sneaked into second place at 13.08 seconds.

The Lady Vikings, rated seventh in the state in Division 3, behind superior depth and outstanding freshmen performances, took first in three of the four relays. The regional champion quartets were:

• Laura Velderman, Savannah Emaus, Bailey Ballard and Houseman in the 400 relay with a time of 52.87 seconds.
• Forbes, Josie Freybler, Houseman and Emaus at 1:51.09 in the 800 relay.
• Madeline Krcatovich, Emma Helder, Freybler and Velderman in the 1600 relay, at 4:19.10.

The 3200 relay foursome missed making it a sweep by just 59-hundreths of a second to Calvin Christian. Making the valiant effort were Jasmine Fisher, Freybler, Madison Snoeyink and Helder in 10:08.21.

Sophomore Megan Schulz was the regional champion in the shot put with a toss of 33-03. Shelby Henshaw was fourth in that event, as well as in the discus..

Ballard was runner-up in three individual events, in the discus at 113-07, in the 100-meter high hurdles in 17.22 seconds and the 300 low hurdles at 51.09 seconds.

Other runners-up were Helder in the open 800 (2:24.67), Velderman in the open 400 (1:01.41). Velderman also was fourth in the 200 and Fisher fifth in the 3200.

The Viking boys did their best scoring in the hurdles and field events.

Logan Blank was second in the 110-meter high hurdles in 16.1 seconds and Michael Heppe was fifth in the 300 low. Blank also was fourth in the shot put and Clayton Frank was fifth. Blank was runner-uo in the discus at 134-11 and Chad Tenbroeke was fourth.

Jacob Sytsema cleared an even six feet in the high jump to take second in that event.

The Lady Vikings now will make preparations to compete in the Michigan High School Track Coaches Association Division 3 team state meet. It will be their fourth appearance in the last five years.

PHOTO: Julia Forbes