Alpena High School track and field dominates Thursday competition

News photo by Owen Kinzey Emma Dickins is seen running during Alpena’s second home track meet Thursday, which was also senior night. Dickins won the women’s 200, 400 and mile, dominating the other teams in the event.

ALPENA — The Alpena High School boys and girls track and field team hosted their second Senior Night meet of the year on Thursday, honoring each of their graduating seniors.

Four separate teams participated in the match. The Alpena boys reigned victorious with 219 points, followed by a victory for the girls team, which accumulated 211 points.

Along with the Wildcats, Cheboygan, Tawas, Petoskey St. Michael and North Trails participated in the competition.

“This senior class of girls has been an incredible group throughout the season,” Alpena coach Trevor Roznowski said. “They are fun, hardworking and dedicated student-athletes. Each of them takes care of business in class and comes to the track to give their best every day…we will miss this senior class.

Starting with the shortest sprint, Alpena’s Thorin Rogers dominated the competition, posting a PR in 11.22 and taking first place for the Wildcats.

News photo by Owen Kinzey Thorin Rogers competes in Alpena’s second home track meet Thursday, which was also senior night. Rogers dominated the competition, earning a PR with a score of 11.22 and taking first place for the Wildcats in the shortest sprint, as well as the PR and first medal in the 200-meter dash.

On the girls side, Keslee Jex took fourth place, and right behind her, Clare LaCross stole fifth place.

Rogers also had a PR and took home the first medal in the 200 meters, while Ty Dever finished in third place.

Emma Dickins obliterated her competition in the 200m, winning by almost a full second without even doing a PR.

The Wildcat boys also won the 400 meter dash led by Braden Mathis, who just edged out Logan Detloff for first place.

Dickins also destroyed her competition in the 400 by three seconds in 1:03.10, leaving no doubt that she was one of the best runners in the event.

In the 800, the Alpena boys took three of the top four spots, highlighted by John Kurowski’s first-place finish.

Amelia Roznowski took third place for the girls, but no other Wildcats were alongside her.

Hayden Bacchus and Thurston Imhoff placed first and second in the boys’ mile, and similarly, Dickins and Samantha Zolnierek finished first and second in the girls’ mile.

For the two miles, Kenan Knight was the only finisher for the Alpena boys in second place, while Zolnierek easily moved into first place for the girls.

Once again, in the 110 and 300 meter hurdles, Joe Sheridan destroyed the competition, beating everyone in his heat by a few seconds.

Evelyn Ruemenapp finished third in the girls’ 100 meter hurdles, while Emma Soltysiak also placed third, this time in the 300 meter hurdles.

In every relay the boys team has competed in, the team has come off the track in the lead. In the 4×100, 4×100, 4×200, 4×400 and 4×800 thrower relays, the Wildcats finished first.

The girls repeated a similar pattern, winning first place in the 4×100, 4×100 and 4×200 thrower relays, but unfortunately fell to second place in the 4×400 and 4×800.

For the throwing events, the boys saw Brady Carlson and Cole Herman place second and third in the discus, while only Alex Winfield placed third in the shot put.

Junior duo Kiera Prue and Melody Kauffman stole first and second place in the shot put despite placing second and third in the discus.

Finally, Alpena’s lone high jumper on the boys’ side was Cruz Guthrie, who took second place, while Kacie Sobeck and Soltysiak took second and third on the girls’ side.

The only Wildcat pole vaulter to place was Abigail Zaborney, who finished first.

The final event was the long jump, in which Dever and Mathis placed first and third, and Natalie Maychen and LaCross placed second and third.

“(The senior boys) represent leadership and mentorship more than anyone,” Alpena coach Spencer Kraft said. “They are exactly what you would expect from an experienced group looking to compete every day. Each athlete saw improvement in themselves and team-wide improvement in their orientation to the underclassmen.

Alpena’s next meet is next Wednesday at home for the Alpena News Honor Roll Invitational.

: News photo by Owen Kinzey Emma Dickins is seen running during Alpena’s second home track meet Thursday, which was also senior night. Dickins won the women’s 200, 400 and mile, dominating the other teams in the event.

: News photo by Owen Kinzey Thorin Rogers competes in Alpena’s second home track meet Thursday, which was also senior night. Rogers dominated the competition, earning a PR with a score of 11.22 and taking first place for the Wildcats in the shortest sprint, as well as the PR and first medal in the 200-meter dash.

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