53 regional champs highlight Kalamazoo-area boys track 2023 state qualifiers

KALAMAZOO, MI – With everything on the table, athletes from around the greater Kalamazoo-area went full tilt to punch a profusion of state finals tickets at the weekend’s track and field regional meets.

Kalamazoo Hackett and Lawton both were crowned regional title winners, as 53 individual regional championships were handed out to local athletes, with a quartet of them winning four events on the day. Vicksburg’s Michael Wright, Kalamazoo Hackett’s Liam Mann and Kalamazoo Central’s Kayenn Mabin won every event they competed in, while Constantine’s Dean Topolski also claimed four titles.

Check out below who all the Kalamazoo-area boys track and field athletes were that earned a spot in the 2023 state meet.

100-meter dash

Athlete, grade, school, time/distance, regional finish

Division 1

Jeremy Dixon (So., Kalamazoo, Central), 10.93 (2nd in Region 3)

Division 2

Michael Wright (Sr., Vicksburg), 10.82 (1st in R-14)

Jalen Radke (Sr., Otsego), 11.34 (4th in R-14)

Division 3

Isaac Noora (Jr., Schoolcraft), 11.58 (1st in R-24)

Caiden Smith (Jr., Hartford), 11.63 (2nd in R-24)

Division 4

Liam Mann (Sr., Kalamazoo Hackett), 11.13 (1st in R-34)

Mason Mansfield (So., Gobles), 11.57 (2nd in R-34)

200-meter dash

Division 1

Latay’vion Braxton (Jr., Kalamazoo Central) 21.81 (2nd in Region 3)

Division 2

Michael Wright (Sr., Vicksburg), 22.00 (1st in R-14)

Division 3

Caiden Smith (Jr., Hartford), 22.95 (1st in R-24)

Damarion Mccone (Sr., Comstock), 23.79 (2nd in R-24)

Dean Topolski (Sr., Constantine), 23.26 (1st in R-25)

Division 4

Liam Mann (Sr., Kalamazoo Hackett), 22.76 (1st in R-34)

400-meter dash

Division 2

Tucker Radgens (Sr., Vicksburg), 50.91 (2nd in R-14)

Division 3

Isaac Bogard (Sr., Kalamazoo Christian), 51.64 (1st in R-24)

Dean Topolski (Sr., Constantine), 51.17 (1st in R-25)

John Klimp (Jr., Galesburg-Augusta), 51.98 (2nd in R-25)

800-meter run

Division 1

Samuel Allen (Sr., Kalamazoo Loy Norrix), 1:53.85 (PR) (2nd in Region 3)

Division 2

Colin Wesseldyk (Sr., Otsego), 2:01.66 (PR) (1st in R-14)

Division 3

William Winter (Sr., Parchment), 1:58.75 (1st in R-24)

Division 4

Gavin Sehy (Jr., Kalamazoo Hackett), 2:04.56 (1st in R-34)

Alexon Dumont (So., Kalamazoo Hackett), 2:05.78 (PR) (3rd in R-34)

1,600-meter run

Division 1

Logan Begeman (Jr., Portage Central), 4:17.03 (PR) (2nd in Region 3)

Division 2

Pierce Bentley (Sr., Otsego), 4:25.01 (PR) (1st in R-14)

Will Vanderbor (Sr., Paw Paw), 4:28.90 (PR) (2nd in R-14)

Division 3

William Winter (Sr., Parchment), 4:25.66 (1st in R-24)

Jaden Barnes (Jr., Bloomingdale), 4:31.70 (4th in R-24)

Logan Weis (Sr., Centreville), 4:33.37 (PR) (2nd in R-25)

Division 4

Marek Butkiewicz (Fr., Kalamazoo Hackett), 4:36.20 (1st in R-34)

Gavin Sehy (Jr., Kalamazoo Hackett), 4:41.84 (2nd in R-34)

3,200-meter run

Division 1

Logan Begeman (Jr., Portage Central), 9:21.03 (2nd in Region 3)

Andrew Wright (Fr., Kalamazoo Central), 9:28.39 (PR) (3rd in Region 3)

Division 2

Austin Williford (Sr., Paw Paw), 9:39.25 (1st in R-14)

Pierce Bentley (Sr., Otsego), 9:39.41 (PR) (2nd in R-14)

Caleb Wesseldyk (So., Otsego), 9:43.44 (PR) (3rd in R-14)

Will Vanderbor (Sr., Paw Paw), 9:53.26 (4th in R-14)

Division 3

Joe Stocchiero (Sr., Bloomingdale), 10:35.96 (PR) (2nd in R-24)

Logan Weis (Sr., Centreville), 9:59.48 (2nd in R-25)

Division 4

Marek Butkiewicz (Fr., Kalamazoo Hackett), 9:56.62 (1st in R-34)

Sean Siems (Fr., Kalamazoo Hackett), 10:24.99 (PR) (2nd in R-34)

Gavin Sehy (Jr., Kalamazoo Hackett), 10:26.10 (PR) (3rd in R-34)

110-meter hurdles

Division 1

Kayenn Mabin (Sr., Kalamazoo Central), 14.33 (1st in Region 3)

Trevor Watts (Sr., Kalamazoo Loy Norrix), 14.92 (3rd in Region 3)

Division 2

Aaron West (Jr., Paw Paw), 15.23 (1st in R-14)

Division 3

Torren Mapes (Jr., Delton-Kellogg), 15.34 (PR) (1st in R-24)

Austin Birner (Jr., Bangor), 15.97 (PR) (2nd in R-24)

Rhys Bedford (Jr., Delton-Kellogg), 16.08 (PR) (3rd in R-24)

Division 4

James Blackburn (Sr., Martin), 16.97 (PR) (1st in R-34)

James Hildebrand (Sr., Martin), 17.13 (PR) (2nd in R-34)

300-meter hurdles

Division 1

Kayenn Mabin (Sr., Kalamazoo Central), 39.21 (1st in Region 3)

Trevor Watts (Sr., Kalamazoo Loy Norrix), 40.06 (3rd in Region 3)

Division 2

Avery Snook (Jr., Vicksburg), 40.78 (PR) (1st in R-14)

Aaron West (Sr., Paw Paw), 41.27 (PR) (3rd in R-14)

Kenny Youngs (Sr., Vicksburg), 41.79 (4th in R-14)

Division 3

Torren Mapes (Jr., Delton-Kellogg), 41.13 (PR) (1st in R-24)

Drew Enright (Fr., Schoolcraft), 42.05 (PR) (3rd in R-24)

Division 4

James Hildebrand (Sr., Martin), 43.12 (1st in R-34)

James Blackburn (Sr., Martin), 43.94 (2nd in R-34)

400-meter relay

Division 1

Kalamazoo Central (Latay’vion Braxton, Kayenn Mabin, Maurice Streeter, Jeremy Dixon), 42.95 (1st in Region 3)

Mattawan (Ty Atkinson, Connor Daggett, Landon Craig, Wyatt Hicks), 43.44 (2nd in Region 3)

Division 2

Vicksburg (RJ Vallier, Lucas Johnson, Alexander VanSweden, Michael Wright), 44.07 (2nd in R-14)

Sturgis (Rasean O’Tey, Brandin Kelley, Kaicee Kyle, Brenden Myers), 44.65 (3rd in R-14)

Division 3

Comstock (Kevin Owens, Amarion White, Cameron McKinney, Damarion Mccone), 45.02 (1st in R-24)

Lawton (Kal Motter, James Holder, Jason Crall, Aiden Obrien), 45.45 (2nd in R-24)

Centreville (Declan Kane, Matt Truckenmiller, Gavin Bunning, Dylan Coney), 45.03 (2nd in R-25)

Division 4

Kalamazoo Hackett (Brice Brown, Jude Coffman, Liam Mann, Gabriel Oeurn), 45.26 (1st in R-34)

Gobles (Nathan Ray, Alex Lee, Eli Huizenga, Mason Mansfield), 45.81 (2nd in R-34)

800-meter relay

Division 1

Kalamazoo Central (Demarcus Owens, Kayenn Mabin, Latay’vion Braxton, Jeremy Dixon), 1:28.95 (1st in Region 3)

Division 2

Vicksburg (RJ Vallier, Lucas Johnson, Alexander VanSweden, Michael Wright), 1:29.95 (2nd in R-14)

Division 3

Lawton (Kal Motter, Luke Leighton, Jason Crall, Aiden Obrien), 1:34.61 (2nd in R-24)

Centreville (Matt Truckenmiller, Ethan Miller, Gavin Bunning, Dylan Coney), 1:33.10 (3rd in R-25)

Constantine (Julian Hawthrone, Rushawn James, Collin Featherstone, Dean Topolski), 1:33.31 (4th in R-25)

Division 4

Kalamazoo Hackett (Brice Brown, Alex Dumont, Liam Mann, Gabriel Oeurn), 1:34.60 (1st in R-34)

White Pigeon (John Bontrager, Caleb Lane, Hunter Pant, Chris Temple), 1:37.33 (2nd in R-34)

1,600-meter relay

Division 1

Kalamazoo Loy Norrix (Trevor Watts, James Rocco, Oskar Wiedenhoeft, Samuel Allen), 3:27.01 (1st in Region 3)

Division 2

Vicksburg (Brycen Town, Tucker Radgens, Lucas Johnson, RJ Vallier), 3:30.84 (1st in R-14)

Division 3

Kalamazoo Christian (Kan Rinker, James VanderDussen, Isaac Bogard, Hudson Thomas), 3:35.06 (2nd in R-24)

Constantine (Julian Hawthrone, Rushawn James, Collin Featherstone, Dean Topolski), 3:29.78 (1st in R-25)

Division 4

Martin (James Blackburn, Sam Jager, Gavin Meyers, Taegan Harris), 3:39.94 (1st in R-34)

3,200-meter relay

Division 1

Kalamazoo Loy Norrix (Oskar Wiedenhoeft, Jackson Lam, Gryffin Hurley, Samuel Allen), 8:01.67 (1st in Region 3)

Division 2

Otsego (Colin Wesseldyk, Caleb Wesseldyk, Lake Aldrich, Pierce Bentley), 8:15.03 (1st in R-14)

Plainwell (Isaac Veen, Henry Cox, Hiro Nguyen, Thai Nguyen), 8:21.40 (2nd in R-14)

Division 3

Bangor (Tyler Caruso, Jose Saucedo, Fernando Munoz, Daniel Adams), 8:30.89 (2nd in R-24)

Centreville (Chaseton Wyckoff, Kamden Wells, Logan Weis, Ethan Miller), 8:24.96 (2nd in R-25)

Constantine (Julian Hawthorne, Caden Jackson, Isaac Moore, Collin Featherstone), 8:28.12 (4th in R-25)

Division 4

Kalamazoo Hackett (Marek Butkiewicz, Nick Doerr, Alex Dumont, Gavin Sehy), 8:27.39 (1st in R-34)

Shot put

Division 2

Michael Griffey (Sr., Plainwell), 51′5 (1st in R-14)

Division 3

Mason Mayne (So., Lawton), 57 (1st in R-24)

Division 4

Seth Miller (Jr., White Pigeon), 47′7.5 (PR) (1st in R-34)

Nolan VanHorn (Sr., Gobles), 44′0.5 (2nd in R-34)

Nathan Buchmann (Sr., Kalamazoo Hakett), 43′4.5 (PR) (3rd in R-34)

Discus

Division 2

Michael Griffey (Sr., Plainwell), 151′11.5 (1st in R-14)

Division 3

Mason Mayne (So., Lawton), 171′8 (PR) (1st in R-24)

Jason Lundquist (Sr., Delton-Kellogg), 133 (2nd in R-24)

Bennett VanderBerg (Jr., Constantine), 158′1 (PR) (1st in R-25)

Division 4

Nathan Buchmann (Sr., Kalamazoo Hackett), 140′11 (PR) (1st in R-34)

High jump

Division 1

James Rocco (Sr., Kalamazoo Loy Norrix), 6′2 (2nd in Region 3)

Division 2

Brock Fergison (So., Sturgis), 6′2 (1st in R-14)

Division 3

Luke Leighton (Sr., Lawton), 5′10 (1st in R-24)

Dillan Welch (So., Comstock), 5′8 (3rd in R-24)

Division 4

Greg Brown (Jr., Kalamazoo Hackett), 6′1 (1st in R-34)

Lukas Husovsky (Fr., Kalmazoo Hackett), 5′11 (2nd in R-34)

Pole vault

Division 1

Hugh Ford (Jr., Mattawan), 13′3 (1st in Region 3)

Division 3

Ayden VanDusen (So., Kalamazoo Christian), 12′9 (1st in R-24)

Division 4

Drake Buell (Sr., Martin), 10′3 (1st in R-34)

Haylen Buell (Fr., Martin) 9′6 (2nd in R-34)

Long jump

Division 1

Alexander Jones (Sr., Kalamazoo Central), 22′3 (1st in Region 3)

Division 2

Jalen Radke (Sr., Otsego), 21′4 (1st in R-14)

Kyle Bos (Jr., South Haven), 19′0 (2nd in R-14)

Division 3

Caiden Smith (Jr., Hartford), 20′3 (1st in R-24)

Wyatt Finney (So., Delton-Kellogg), 19′5.5 (2nd in R-24)

Dylan Coney (Sr., Centreville), 20′7 (1st in R-25)

Division 4

Owen Brown (Sr., Kalamazoo Hackett), 19′10 (PR) (3rd in R-34)

Jack McCaw (Jr., Mendon), 19′3 (4th in R-34)

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