By John Vrancic
For the Newberry News
What a difference a week makes.
Newberry sophomore Kaylen Clark, who was battling the flu in late April, bounced back in convincing fashion here Saturday by winning two races in the first Manistique Emerald Invitational track meet.
Clark took the 1600-meter run in six minutes, 3.02 seconds and 3200 (13:18.02).
She was runner-up in the 1600 (6:22.7) and 3200 (14:30) in the Web Morrison Invite at Pickford April 30.
“I felt a lot better than I did last week,” she said. “I think I’m back to 100 percent. I also found out I have asthma. It took a lot of time for me to figure out when to use the inhaler, although I still have a little time to get ready for the (Division 2) regional. I like the (rubberized) surface here. It’s definitely easier on the legs than the hard (asphalt) surfaces.”
St. Ignace took the team title with 161.5 points, followed by Manistique 140, Bark River-Harris 113.5, Gwinn 54, Newberry 38 and Escanaba Holy Name zero.
The St. Ignace boys also won with 182.5. They were followed by Manistique 172, Newberry 76.5, BR-H 34, Holy Name 20 and Gwinn 16.
Newberry senior Eric Edwards won shot put at 40 feet, three inches and helped the Indians place third in the 400-meter relay in 49.6 seconds and 800 (1:43.39).
Sophomore Jacob Mohar was runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles (19.03) and classmates Liam Nalette (19.84) and Liam Rao (21:15) were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Mohar was also in the 400 relay with junior A’Keem Jackson and freshman Connor Carlson.
Newberry’s 800 relay also included Jackson, Carlson and sophomore Kennedy Depew.
Nalette placed second in high jump (5-6) and fifth in discus (72-0).
Depew added a fourth in 400 (56.47). Rao was fourth in the 300 hurdles (51.24) and Mohar and St. Ignace sophomore Shaun Kingsbury tied for fifth in high jump (5-2).
The Newberry girls placed third in the 3200 relay (12:02.9). Junior Azaria Jackson took fourth in long jump (12-11) fifth in the 400 (1:09.9) and sixth in the 200 (29.64).
Senior Caitlynn Canfield and Manistique junior Jaelyn Pierce shared fourth in high jump (4-0) and senior Jorja Suriano placed sixth in the 800 (3:01.48) and 1600 (6:42.32).
The Indians were scheduled to compete in Tuesday’s Engadine Invitational. They resume in Friday’s Munising Lions Invitational under the lights at 6:30 p.m., prior to hosting their own invitational May 17.
