By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
KALAMAZOO - There was no doubt about who was the best team in the Big 16 Conference this season when it came to track.
Portage Central won both the boy's and girl's titles Wednesday afternoon at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix High School.
The Mustangs scored 128.5 points to easily outdistance runner-up Kalamazoo Central in the boy's portion of the meet.
Coldwater took third with 59 points, while Portage Northern and Battle Creek Lakeview were fourth and fifth with 55 and 43 points respectively.
Niles finished ninth with 37 points, while Dowagiac was 16th with 13 points.
The Lady Mustangs scored 78 points to defeat Battle Creek Lakeview, which finished with 63 points.
St. Joseph took third with 62.33 points, while Portage Northern was fourth with 58 points and Marshall fifth with 57.5 points.
Niles finished ninth with 42 points and Dowagiac 13th with 20 points.
The Vikings had one conference champion as Kurt Poehlman captured the high jump with a height of 6-feet-4.
Also placing for Niles were David Davis in the pole vault (11-0), Isaiah Glaze in the 100-meters (11.64, Craig Rumpf in the 400-meters (51.18), Andy Wuthnow in the 800-meters (2:02.9) and the Vikings' 3,200- and 1,600-meter relays teams. Niles placed fourth and third respectively with times of 8:23.69 and 3:30.31.
Niles' Ashley Roland finished second in the discus with a toss of 103-0, while Ashley Austin was third in the shot put with a throw of 35-4. Austin was also seventh in the discus with a throw of 96-4.
Kaylynn Stephensen was third in the long jump with a leap of 16-4. She was also fifth in the 100-meters with a time of 13.36 and fifth in the 200-meters with a time of 27.17. Tasha Webster finished sixth in the 100-meters with a time of 13.48.
Nicole Horvath finished sixth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 18.05. Sam Brawley finished eighth in the 1,600-meters with a time of 5:30.08 and sixth in the 3,200-meters with a clocking of 12:34.25, while Autumn Grayson was seventh in the 400-meters with a time of 1:04.08.
Girl's team results
Portage Central 78, Battle Creek Lakeview 63, St. Joseph 62.33, Portage Northern 58, Marshall 57.5, Benton Harbor 51, Sturgis 48.5, Coldwater 46.33, Niles 42, Kalamazoo Central 34, Lakeshore 31, Battle Creek Central 27, Dowagiac 20, Battle Creek Harper Creek 17, Mattawan 13.33, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 13
Individual results
Shot put: 1. Rachel Denison (S) 37-0, 2. Dwana Jones (S) 36-7, 3. Ashley Austin (N) 35-1; Discus: 1. Rachel Denison (S) 105-2, 2. Ashley Roland (N) 103-0, 3. Hannah Miller (MAT) 102-5; High jump: 1. Alynn Pallas (SJ) 5-4, 2. Trinka Boatright (BH) 5-1, 3. Erin Dughie (PN) 5-0; Pole vault: 1. Ann O'Keefe (D) 10-8, 2. Ceci Escobar (BLC) 10-0, 3. Renee Patten (PC) 10-0; Long jump: 1. Sada Nealey (D) 17-3.5, 2. Emma Patrick (S) 16-9.5, 3. Kaylynn Stephensen (N) 16-4; 3,200 relay: 1. Portage Central 9:549.61, 2. Marshall 10:09.37, 3. Portage Northern 10:15.27; 100 hudles: 1. Trinka Boatright (BH) 16.79, 2. Allie Sturm (PC) 16.82, 3. Emily Laukus 18.05; 100: 1. Erica Mann (BCL) 12.39, 2. Ashley Hines (BH) 12.43, 3. Tracey Blackwell (KC) 13.3; 800 relay: 1. St. Joseph 1:49.43, 2. Battle Creek Central 1:49.47, 3. Kalamazoo Central 1:49.65; 1,600: 1. Daniell Hicks (MAR) 5:20.48, 2. Adellin Drillock (LN) 5:22.32; 3. Beck Schmidt (SJ) 5:22.52; 400 relay: 1. Benton Harbor 50.39, 2. Battle Creek Central 50.9, 3. Battle Creek Lakeview 51.16; 400: 1. Megan Hendershot (MAR) 1:00.84, 2. Renee Patten (PC) 1:00.89, 3. Megan Mejeur (SJ) 1:01.17; 300 hurdles: 1. Allie Sturm (PC) 48.0, 2. Katie Dickman (BCL) 49.4, 3. Chicolne Becca (PN) 50.13; 800: 1. Meagan Neary (C) 2:25.38, 2. Laura Haskins (PC) 2:26.28, 3. Katelyn Charbaneau (PC) 2:26.37; 200: 1. Erica Mann (BCL) 25.28, 2. Ashley Hines (BH) 25.4, 3. Tracey Blackwell (KC) 26.68; 3,200: 1. Daniell Hicks (MAR) 11:53.63, 2. Emily Letts (PN) 12:05.65, 3. Brook Cooper (C) 12:06.45; 1,600 relay: 1. Portage Central 4:09.13, 2. Marshall 4:15.63, 3. Portage Northern 4:16.15
Boy's team results
Portage Central 128.5, Kalamazoo Central 71, Coldwater 59, Portage Northern 55, Battle Creek Lakeview 43, Battle Creek Central 41, Sturgis 39, Lakeshore 37, Niles 37, Benton Harbor 35, Battle Creek Harper Creek 29, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 21, Mattawan 20, St. Joseph 19, Marshall 15.5, Dowagiac 13
Individual results
Shot put: 1. Ben VonKoenig (L) 53-4, 2. Dan Yonker (PC) 49-3, 3. John Barrett (C) 47-3; Discus: 1. Dan Yonker (PC) 153-0, 2. Jack Johnson (BCL) 149-7, 3. Ben VonKoenig (L) 149-7; High jump: 1. Kurt Poehlman (N) 6-4, 2. Kyle Johnson (HC) 6-0, 3. Quentin Robinson (BCC) 6-0; Pole vault: 1. Nick Noga (HC) 13-0, 2. Sean Schemmel (S) 12-6, 3. Justin Miller (MAR) 12-0; Long jump: 1. Douglas Hamilton (PC) 23-0, 2. Dale Norman (S) 22-10, 3. Tim Ferris (PC) 22-0; 3,200 relay: 1. Portage Northern 8:05.7, 2. Sturgis 8:12.13, 3. Portage Central 8:13.33; 110 hurdles: 1. Jesse Whitman (SJ) 15,33, 2. Brandon Durst (BH) 15.65, 3. Nick Davis (KC) 15.79; 100: 1. Brendon Foster (PC) 11.24, 2. Brad Moore (MAT) 11.38, 3. Akeem Cason (BH) 11.39; 800 relay: 1. Portage Central 1:30.47, 2. Battle Creek Central 1:31.13, 3. Benton Harbor 1:31.18; 1,600: 1. Ryan Grau (KC) 4:14.60, 2. Jay Bilsborrow (C) 4:19.05, 3. Steve Breisach (KC) 4:24.06; 400 relay: 1. Portage Central 43.87, 2. Benton Harbor 44.06, 3. Battle Creek Central 44.31; 400: 1. Trevor Laubengayer (BCL) 50.59, 2. Douglas Hamilton (PC) 50.9, 3. Craig Rumpf (N) 51.1; 300 hurdles: 1. Tim Ferris (PC) 40.44, 2. Nick Davis (KC) 42.16, 3. Jesse Whitman (SJ) 42.22; 800: 1. Jay Bilsborrow (C) 1:54.87, Sam Marvin (PC) 1:56.89, 3. Austin Brown (S) 1:59.58; 200: 1. Brendon Foster (PC) 22.85, Jeff Alexander (BCC) 23.48, 3. Tom Castillo (PN) 23.7; 3,200: 1. Steve Bruisach (KC) 9:53.56, 2. Ryan Grau (KC) 9:55.74, 3. Nate Knisely (C) 9:58.76; 1,600 relay: 1. Coldwater 3:27.51, 2. Portage Central 3:27.77, 3. Niles 3:30.31