Meet the team: Track and Field season preview
2025 Regional Champions. Photo courtesy Michael Coltre.
submitted by Michael Coltre, Coach, Manchester Track and Field
The weather has started to improve, everything is muddy, and the grass is starting to turn green.
Yes, folks, another spring sports season is upon us! Extra excitement surrounds our Manchester Track and Field team as they are set to compete on their brand-new Track and Field Complex! Both the boys’ and girls’ teams are trying to use last year as a springboard to new heights! The boys are coming off their first regional title since 2007, a top three finish in the Conference, a top five finish in D4 at Team States, and a 10th place overall at the MHSAA D4 State meet. The girls are coming off a 4th place regional finish, which is the highest finish in years, and an 8th place finish at the D4 Team State meet. The boys sent eight and the girls sent six athletes to the State Finals and both are looking to expand those numbers this year.
On March 26, the Dutch were set to host their first competition on their new track but the weather had other plans as their time trial against Petersburg-Summerfield was cancelled because of storms. The Dutch are next in action this Friday at the Napoleon Invitational, which is always a competitive early-season meet. The boys last year took the area by surprise and won five of the 17 events and were competitive throughout.
Senior Grant Johnson, fresh off an 8th-place all-American placing in the pentathlon at the Nike Indoor Nationals meet last month, is primed for a great senior season. He was all-state in both the 110m and 300m hurdles last season. He is very versatile and plans to qualify for states in a couple of new events this year. Next season, he will be competing in the decathlon at SVSU. On the girls’ side, senior Siera Jedele was all-state with her finish in the 300m hurdles and she is looking to build upon her placing in the 100m hurdles and 4x200m relay this year.
Returning state qualifiers:
Senior Olivia Woods —High jump and 4x200m relay
Senior Valorie Hieber — 4x200m relay
Junior Teagan Clarke — Pole vault
Junior Jayden Johnson — 100m (fresh off a great indoor season and Nike Indoor Nationals appearance)
Junior Alec Dodak — 3200m
Sophomore Natasha Seaman — Pole vault
Sophomore Audrina Lauer – 4x200m relay
Sophomore Brennan Woods – 4x400m relay
Sophomore Gavin Horky – 4x400m relay
This core group as well as a plethora of newcomers has us ready for a great season. Both teams have a good blend of battle-tested upperclassmen and underclassmen working hard to find their spot on the team. We’ve had a good first few weeks of practice and our goals are all in front of us. We have strength in many of the event groups and each one can pull their own weight. Our relay teams could take a big step forward this season as many of our teams are returning from last year. Many of the athletes have been putting in the work in the off season on their own, or with the MAC (Manchester Athletic Club).
Our distance crew is led by seniors Justin Gale and Liam Pierce, as well as junior Alec Dodak. All three are primed for great seasons. Sophomore Eli Finnegan and newcomer junior Max Harvey add competition and depth to this group. Josiah Helwig joins the group as a freshman. Our girls’ distance crew will be led by juniors Caroline Mason, Teagan Clarke, and Amanda Hieber.
Our mid-distance crew, which is our 400m and 800m work horses, are led by senior Cade Sayer and sophomore Gavin Horky. This group also has added newcomer junior Wesley Earhart to the fold. Our girls’ mid-distance group is led by sophomore Elle Woods, junior newcomer Meghan McLennan, and freshman Charlotte Williams.
Our sprint crew is led by junior Jayden Johnson, senior Walter Ahrens, junior Ethan Hittle, junior newcomer Anthony Cencer, sophomore Gavin Lindeman, and freshmen Thomas Cunningham and Rion Bednarski. On the girls’ side, they are led by senior newcomer Abbi Austin, sophomore Audrina Lauer, and freshman Giuliana Brothers.
Our hurdle group, better known as the “Hurdle Turtles,” is led by two-year state qualifiers Grant Johnson and Siera Jedele, who are also both three-year captains. New to the group this year and new to track are juniors Michael Navitskis and Wesley Earhart. On the girls’ side with Siera is Valorie Hieber and sophomore Natasha Seaman, who joins the group. There are a couple more who may join this group, so stay tuned.
Our throwers have big shoes to fill after losing Nathan Fletcher and Faith Branner to graduation, but we have people up to the challenge. On the boys’ side, senior Brett Brothers and junior Lucas Brothers are leading the way early. Senior Sullivan LaHuis, junior newcomer Seth Myers, junior Braylin Deschoff, sophomore Anthony Helwig, and freshmen Tommy Simpson, Milo Ryan, Drew Matthies, and Eli Houchin round out our boys’ throwing group. On the girls’ side, they are led by Valorie Hieber in the shot put, and by track newcomer junior Ava Rentfro. Senior newcomer Cordelia Matthies, Teagan Clarke, and Giuliana Brothers, and freshman Isabella Rattray complete our girls’ throwing group.
Our high jump crew on the boys’ side consists of Gavin Horky and Brennan Woods. Olivia Woods and Amanda Hieber are our girls’ high jumpers. The long jump crew consists of Grant Johnson, Gavin Lindeman, and Walter Ahrens, but it is a growing group. On the girls’ side we have Abbi Austin, Audrina Lauer, and Meghan McLennan. And last, but certainly not least, our pole vault crew consists of Ethan Hittle, Teagan Clarke, Natasha Seaman, and Eli Finnegan, as well as our newbies to pole vault, Max Harvey, Elle Woods, and Charlotte Williams.
We have some great meets set for this season and some good competition that will allow us to see where we stack up. Our biggest meets of the year are always the regional and Conference Championship, and if you qualify for it, the State Finals. We were set to have three home events this year, but our first was stormed out. Our two home meets this year are a double dual on April 28, which will be our Senior Night, and May 1, which is the 46 Annual Manchester Metrics, always fun for all! We will be looking for volunteers so if you would like to help, reach out to our socials. We tried to host our Conference Championship meet this season, but Jonesville also had a new track installed so we look to host that meet in the future.
Our middle school will be hosting two home meets, on Monday, April 13, and Monday, May 4. Our middle school coaches are Emily Tucker and Holly Horodeczny and they will start practice the day this is published, Monday, April 6. MS is open to grades 6–8, and no running experience is needed. There is an event for everyone. Join our track family and become a better athlete both physically and mentally! We will also be having our Track Camp this summer in June so look for the flyer on that for grades K–8 in the coming weeks.
View their upcoming meet schedule here.
Go, Dutch!
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