The track season turned out to be very competitive in the first year of the BCS Athletic Conference.

Brandywine and Bridgman finished as conference co-champions for the boys, while Cassopolis and Centreville ended up as conference co-champions for the girls.

Combined results from the regular season and Wednesday’s conference meet at Brandywine High School determined the champion. Brandywine’s boys ended up unbeaten in the regular season dual meets and finished second on Wednesday with 110.60 points. Bridgman won the conference meet with 124.20 points and lost one dual meet during the spring.

Cassopolis’ girls finished second at the conference meet with 119 points and were unbeaten in dual meets. Centreville won Wednesday’s meet with 125 points and lost once in dual meets.

“I’m a little disappointed that we’re going to share the title, but I’m not totally disappointed because we’re going to share it with Bridgman,” Brandywine track coach Terry Borr said. “They’ve got a great coach and it has been a great competition with them. I’m disappointed for our kids because they take a lot of pride in winning a conference title. But, it is what it is. You’ve got to go out and run. I don’t think we could have done any better.”

Leading the Brandywine boys was senior Andrew Duckett, who placed first in the 110-meter hurdles (15.18), 100 meters (11.31), 300-meter hurdles (40.72) and 200 meters (23.30).

“You can’t ask for a better kid,” Borr said about Duckett. “He works his butt off. The greatest asset that he has is that he works with other kids. He’s a role model. He’s what you look for in an athlete.”

Duckett, who was named the boys MVP for the conference, has qualified for the state finals in the 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, 200 meters and 1,600-meter relay.

“This means a lot, especially being in a new conference,” Duckett said about his performances on Wednesday. “Hopefully, I’m setting some new conference records that will stay up there for a little while.

“I was happy with my 110 (hurdles) time, especially considering the weather and also there was no one here to push me.”

Blake Lerner finished first for Brandywine in the long jump with a leap of 20-3 3/4.

Cassopolis got a first place showing from John Hampton in the high jump (5-10) and from its 800-meter relay team of Hampton, Bryce Saxton, Dion Gatson and Brandon Anderson (1:36.07).

Cassopolis’ Kaylynn Forrest, who was named the girls MVP for the conference, placed first in the 100 meters (13.24) and 200 meters (27.87) and she was part of first place 800-meter (1:52.25) and 400-meter (53.72) relay teams. Also on the 800-meter relay were Korenei Suggs, Nakiela Sinclair and KayAnna Williams, while Suggs, Williams and Janye Butts were on the 400-meter relay.

Another standout for the Rangers was Amy Adams, who finished first in the 1,600 meters (5:58.12), 3,200 meters (13:19.98) and was part of a first place 3,200-meter relay team (10:44.50) with Emily Cutting, Melody Cutting and Aidan Traynor).

Madison Brooks placed for the Rangers in the shot put with a toss of 31-10 1/2.

“My 3,200 meter relay team had a personal-best time,” Cassopolis girls track coach Janice Gatson said. “Everybody else was pretty much the same today as they’ve been all season,

Brandywine got a first place showing from Emily Pedzinski in the 800 meters (2:34.01)

 

BCS Track Meet

At Brandywine

Girls Results

Dual Meet Standings

West Division: Brandywine 4-0, Bridgman 3-1, New Buffalo 2-2, Buchanan 1-3, Lake Michigan Catholic 0-4; East Division: Mendon 4-0, Bronson 2-2, Cassopolis 2-2, Centreville 2-2, White Pigeon 0-4

 

Conference Standings

Bridgman 124.20, 2. Brandywine 110.60, 3. Centreville 99, 4. Bronson 73, 5. Cassopolis 65, 6. Mendon 63.20, 7. White Pigeon 61, 8. Lake Michigan Catholic 34, 9. New Buffalo 27, 10. Buchanan 0

 

Final Standings

1. Brandywine, 1. Bridgman, 3. Centreville, 4. Bronson. 4. Mendon, 6. Cassopolis, 7. White Pigeon. 7. New Buffalo, 9. Lake Michigan Catholic, 10. Buchanan

 

Winners and Local Placers

Pole Vault: 1. Austin Yunker (Mendon) 11-6; 4. Marquell Peterson (Brandywine) 10-0; 8. Jordan Stockdale (Brandywine) 8-0; Discus: 1. Eric Toledo (Bronson) 142-3; 2. Marty Ward (Brandywine) 122-11; Long Jump: 1. Blake Lerner (Brandywine) 20-3 ¾; 3. Brandon Anderson (Cassopolis) 18-8; 4. Deion Gatson (Cassopolis) 18-8; 7. John Hampton (Cassopolis) 17-4 ½; Shot Put: 1. Eric Toledo (Bronson) 44-3 ½; 7. Marty Ward (Brandywine) 38-11; 8. John Paul Nickel (Lake Michigan Catholic) 38-8; High Jump: 1. John Hampton (Cassopolis) 5-10; 8. (tie) Zach Schmidt (Brandywine), Austin Knapp (Brandywine) 5-3, Andrew Boocher (Brandywine) 5-3; 3,200 Relay: 1. Bridgman (Karl Hanke, Warren Kretteck, Hayden Meyer, Kole Hanke) 8:49.40; 4. Brandywine 9:21.00; 110 Hurdles: 1. Andrew Duckett (Brandywine) 15.18; 8. Marty Ward (Brandywine) 18.99; 100: 1. Andrew Duckett (Brandywine) 11.31; 3. Brandon Glover (Cassopolis) 11.81; 800 Relay: 1. Cassopolis (John Hampton, Bryce Saxton, Deion Gatson, Brandon Anderson) 1:36.07; 1,600: 1. Brian Njuguna (Bridgman) 4:40.94; 5. James Harrell (Brandywine) 4:56.25; 6. Wyatt Eager (Brandywine) 4:56.79;

400 Relay: 1. Centreville (Demarco Taylor, Alex Stafford, Anthony Ruth, Austin Soule) 46.38; 3. Cassopolis 46.68; 7. Brandywine 48.50; 400: 1. Brian Njuguna (Bridgman) 53.06; 2. Deion Gatson (Cassopolis) 54.29; 3. Collin Gaishin (Bridgman); 4. Matt Kline (Brandywine) 56.20; 300 Hurdles: 1. Andrew Duckett (Brandywine) 40.72; 8. Marty Ward (Brandywine) 48.77; 800: 1. Riley VanPelt (New Buffalo) 2:09.39; 5. Wyatt Eager (Brandywine) 2:14.30; 6. Zach Schmidt (Brandywine) 2:17.77; 200: 1. Andrew Duckett (Brandywine) 23.30; 3. Brandon Anderson (Cassopolis) 23.94; 3,200: 1. Elliott Hanke (Bridgman) 10:29.47; 2. James Harrell (Brandywine) 10:37.65; 1,600 Relay: 1. Centreville (Demarco Taylor, Austin Soule, Ross Hunter, Nolan Troyer) 3:42.38; 2. Brandywine 3:42.78; 4. Cassopolis 3:59.99

 

Girls Results

Dual Meet Standings

West Division: Bridgman 4-0, Lake Michigan Catholic 2-2, New Buffalo 2-2, Buchanan 1-3, Brandywine 1-3; East Division: Cassopolis 4-0, Centreville 3-1, Mendon 2-2, Bronson 1-3, White Pigeon 0-4

 

Conference Meet Standings

Centreville 125, 2. Cassopolis 119, 3. Mendon 85, 4. Bronson 69, 5. White Pigeon 60.50, 6. Bridgman 58, 7. Lake Michigan Catholic 56, 8. Buchanan 31.50, 9. Brandywine 25, 10. New Buffalo 23

 

Final Standings

1. Cassopolis and Centreville, 3. Mendon, 4. Bridgman, 5. Bronson, 6. Lake Michigan Catholic, 7. White Pigeon, 8. Buchanan, 8. New Buffalo, 10. Brandywine

 

Winners and Local Placers

High Jump: 1. Nicole Visin (Lake Michigan Catholic) 4-10; 2. Emily Pedzinski (Brandywine) 4-8; 5. Franki Strefling (Buchanan) 4-4; Shot Put: 1. Madison Brooks (Cassopolis) 31-10 ½; 7. Kyana Buck (Cassopolis) 26-9; Long Jump: 1. Nicole Visin (Lake Michigan Catholic) 16-1; 4. Franki Strefling (Buchanan) 14-9; 8. Makena Bowen (Brandywine) 13-6; Discus: 1. Gracie Schrock (Centreville) 95-3; 5. Nakiela Sinclair (Cassopolis) 88-5; Pole Vault: 1. Miranda Geisler (New Buffalo) 8-6; 2. Brooke Wesner (Buchanan) 8-0; 5. (tie) Alexandra Tobler (Buchanan) 6-6, 7. Franki Strefling (Buchanan) 6-6; 3,200 Relay: 1. Cassopolis (Emily Cutting, Amy Adams, Melody Cutting, Aidan Traynor) 10:44.50; 100 Hurdles: 1. Mary Leighton (Mendon) 17.15; 100: 1. Kaylynn Forrest (Cassopolis) 13.24; 2. KayAnna Williams (Cassopolis) 13.46; 4. Imani Brown (Cassopolis) 14.11; 800 Relay: 1. Cassopolis (Kortenei Suggs, Nakiela Sinclair, Kaylynn Forrest, KayAnna Williams) 1:52.25; 1,600: 1. Amy Adams (Cassopolis) 5:58.12; 8. Sam Swartz (Buchanan) 6:27.27;

400 Relay: 1. Cassopolis (Kortenei Suggs, Kaylynn Forrest, Janye Butts, KayAnna Williams) 53.72; 6. Brandywine 1:00.48; 400: 1. Jenna Gales (Mendon) 1:04.07; 6. Sarah Scheuneman (Laske Michigan Catholic) 1:10.94; 300 Hurdles: 1. Mary Leighton (Mendon) 51.20; 5. Madison Cutting (Cassopolis) 56.11;800: 1. Emily Pedzinski (Brandywine) 2:34.01; 4. Franki Strefling (Buchanan) 2:45.01; 6. Sam Swartz (Buchanan) 2:51.55; 7. Aidan Traynor (Cassopolis) 2:51.69; 200: 1. Kaylynn Forrest (Cassopolis) 27.87; 3. KayAnna Williams (Cassopolis) 28.21; 3,200: 1. Amy Adams (Cassopolis) 13:19.98; 6. Jacqueline Kelley-Cogdell (Cassopolis) 15:01.76;1,600 Relay: 1. Mendon (Mary Leighton, Emma Eberstein, Kaley Smith, Jenna Gales) 4:35.35; 4. Cassopolis 4:55.02; 6. Brandywine 5:26.4