The Chelsea Standard
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Carpenter wins hurdle state title
By Don Richter, Sports Editor
PUBLISHED: June 5, 2008
Chelsea's boys' track and field team concluded its season last Saturday competing in the Division 2 state meet at Zeeland.
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The Bulldogs finished 10th overall in the state with a team score of 17 points. Chelsea finished in the state's top 10 for the third straight year.
Winning the Division 2 state championship was Williamston with 57 points.
Placing second was East Lansing with 42 points, while Zeeland West was third with 32 points, Dexter fourth with 28 points and St. Clair Shores South Lake fifth with 23 points.
Individually for Chelsea, senior Evan Carpenter captured a state title in the 110-meter hurdles placing first with a time of 14.71. Last season, Carpenter, who'll continue his track and field career at Indiana Tech next year, finished as state runner-up.
"Evan Carpenter's accomplishment was unexpected," Swager said. "When he pulled his hamstring at the start of the year, it looked like his championship dreams were over. Still, he kept working hard throughout the season.
"As late as (last week) Justin McGrath beat him substantially in a race, but on Saturday, he ran consistent and competitive efforts. He caught a couple breaks and performed when it counted. Coming in (to state meet), he was ranked No. 22 on the (seeding) list. To pull off a victory was the biggest upset of the whole meet."
Also in the 110-meter hurdles, Bulldog senior Justin McGrath placed seventh in 15.22.
In the 300-meter hurdles, McGrath finished fourth in 40.40.
"Justin's two races were like he has been all year - solid," Swager said. "He ran hard and worked his way into two All-State medals."
On May 27, Chelsea participated in Washtenaw County's Meet of Champions at Ypsilanti. The Bulldogs earned seven medals at the meet.
McGrath finished first in the 110-meter hurdles in a lifetime best 14.5, while Carpenter was second in 14.9.
"The hurdlers dominated their race," Swager said.
Freshman August Pappas placed second in the 3,200-meter run with a clocking of 10:02, while junior Nick Hewitt was third in a personal best 10:03 for the Bulldogs.
"The 3,200-meter run was a great Chelsea showing with August Pappas and Nick Hewitt battling intensely for runner-up honors," Swager said. "In the last 50 meters, August kicked past Nick in impressive fashion, running his second-best time ever. Nick's time was a personal best by more than 30 seconds."
Junior Kevin Rosentreter crossed the line fourth in the 400-meter run in 54.4 for Chelsea.
Sophomore Cody Adams ended up fifth in the 100 meters with a time of 11.1.
"Kevin Rosentreter and Cody Adams each performed well against quality competition," Swager said.
In the discus, senior Sam Birgy was fourth with a toss of 128-feet, 9 inches.
"Sam had the best discus day of his life," Swager said.
In the pole vault, sophomore Landon Niesen cleared 11-0 to lead the Bulldogs.
Senior Sam Dyer paced Chelsea in the shot put with a throw of 43-1, while teammate junior Adam Bauer had a heave of 39.8 for the Bulldogs.
In the 400-meter relay, sophomore Nick Hill, senior Brad Ratliff, Adams and Rosentreter stopped the clock in 45.7.
"I am glad that several of our athletes took advantage of this opportunity to perform well," Swager said.
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