Courtesy Photo The Alpena boys track team won its first regional championship since 1944 on Friday, topping the field in a Division 1 regional in Bay City. The Wildcats qualified 12 athletes for the state finals overall and won regional titles in seven different events— one relay and six individual titles.

BAY CITY–The Alpena High boys track team had one of its strongest performances in program history on Friday, winning a Division 1 regional at Bay City Western.

Alpena won the regional with 128 points and the Wildcat boys won in five events while qualifying nine athletes for the state finals in two weeks. Alpena finished well ahead of second place Flint Carman-Ainsworth (71) points and won its first regional title since 1944.

Josh Smith (1,600 run), Aden Smith (3,200 run), Gabe Bullis (pole vault) and Eli Winter (shot put) all won regional titles and Alpena qualified for the finals in eight different events.

The quartet of Josh Smith, Aden Smith, Drew Seabase and Jadon Duncan set a new school record in the 3,200 relay winning for the event in 7:52.12.

On the girls side, Faith Weide (shot put) and Karli Myers (pole vault) won their respective events and Maddy Boyd qualified for the finals after finishing third in the 3,200 run (10:59.22).

Josh Smith won the 1,600 run in 4:20.58; Aden Smith won the 3,200 run in 9:34.20; Bullis won the pole vault with a height of 15 feet, 1 inch and Winter won the shot put with a toss of 51 feet, 1 1/2 inches.

Weide won the shot put with a toss of 41 feet, 1 1/4 inches and Myers on the pole vault with a height of 9 feet, 3.2 inches.

Alpena’s girls team finished ninth with 27 points and Bay City Western won the girls title with 111 points.

Other state qualifiers for Alpena included: Seabase in the 800 run (2nd, 1:58.47); Winter (2nd, 169-2) and Arthur Paad (4th, 146-2) in the discus; Aden Smith in the 1,600 run (2nd, 4:22.18); Haydn Goebel in the 110 hurdles (2nd, 15.45) and Josiah Matuzak in the pole vault (4th, 13-0).

Athletes qualify for the finals by finishing in the top two of an event or reaching a mark in their event that’s predetermined by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

“I am amazed. This team is good,” Alpena boys coach Collin Riffert said. “The coaches threw out a challenge for the regional and they exceeded our expectations.”

Other top finishes for Alpena included: Duncan in the 400 dash (4th, 51.98); Josh Smith in the 800 run (3rd, 1:58.96) and the 3,200 run (5th, 9:56.59); Seabase in the 1,600 run (6th, 4:32.81); Zach Zaborney in the 300 hurdles (6th, 41.81); the 800 relay team of Zach Schaedig, Dylan Fleck, Bob Sheldon and Kody Bertrand (5th, 1:32.63) and the 1,600 relay team of Seabase, Duncan, Cooper Bright and Kolton Goebel (3rd, 3:32.87).

SOFTBALL

Hillman drops two to Cardinals

JOHANNESBURG–The Hillman softball team played hard, but came up just short in a pair of close losses to Johannesburg-Lewiston on Friday, 3-1 and 4-3.

In the opener, Bailey Schook pitched a strong game for the Tigers, allowing just one hit while striking out five.

At the plate, Schook was 2-for-3; Brooke Jones was 1-for-3 and Mackenzie VanPamel was 1-for-1.

In the nightcap, Mackenna Hiveley allowed four hits and struck out three for Hillman.

Schook was 2-for-3; Jones was 2-for-3 with a solo home run and VanPamel had a hit.

Onaway routs

Central Lake

CENTRAL LAKE–Kennedy Crawford threw a perfect game and the Onaway softball team had an easy day against Central Lake on Thursday, defeating the Trojans 14-1 and 18-0.

Crawford’s perfect game came in the nightcap after she fanned seven batters in three innings.

At the plate, Calley Selke was 3-for-3 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored for Onaway (19-4, 12-0 Ski Valley Conference). Jackie Sellke was 1-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored; Crawford was 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a home run, six RBI and three runs scored; Brittany Buczkowski was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored; Kayla Metty was 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, two RBI and two runs scored; Jordan Larson was 1-for-3 with a double, two RBI and three runs scored; Taylor Larson was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI and Kyli Brewbaker was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

Selke earned the win in the opener, allowing an earned run on three hits with a walk and 12 strikeouts in five innings.

At the plate, Metty was 4-for-4 with a double, three RBI and three runs scored; Taylor Larson was 4-for-4 and hit her first career home run and added two RBI and two runs scored; Selke was 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored; Buczkowski was 2-for-3 with a home run, an RBI and two runs scored and Jillian Chaskey was 1-for-1 with two runs scored.

Onaway hosts Johannesburg-Lewiston on Monday for its Military Appreciation Day.

BASEBALL

Au Gres takes 2

from Atlanta

AU GRES–The Atlanta baseball team dropped a pair of games to Au Gres on Thursday.

In a 13-0 loss in the opener, Trenton Whitt took the loss for the Huskies.

Justin Lee pitched a strong game for the Huskies in the nightcap, but Au Gres pulled away late for a win.

At the plate, Whitt led Atlanta with a 2-for-5 performance for the day.