All-Area boys’ track squad is selected

TRI-CITY AREA — From the opening meet until the last was over with, these athletes saw to it they could compete with the best around.

Here is a look at who made the 2023 edition of The Tri-City Times All-Area boys’ track team and the credentials they generated en route:

Name: Nolan Maxlow
School: Almont
Year: Sophomore
Event: High jump

Best effort: Maxlow cleared 5 feet 5 inches en route to a 16th at the Corunna-based Cavalier Classic on Friday, May 5.

Top finishes: The sophomore obtained a fourth at the Marlette Invitational and provided a 16th at the Cavalier Classic in Corunna.

Name: Chase Battani
School: Almont
Year: Sophomore
Event: Pole Vault

Best effort: Battani cleared 14 feet 6 inches twice this past season.

The first time it happened was Friday, April 14 when he placed first at the Tri-County Invite hosted by Ortonville-Brandon High School.

He also sported an identical clearance en route to second at the Davison-based MITCA Champion of Champions Festival on Friday, June 9.

Top finishes: The sophomore claimed firsts at the Tri-County Invite hosted by Ortonville-Brandon High School, Marlette Invitational, North Branch Invitational, Davison Twilight Classic; a Stockbridge-based Division 3 regional, the Richmond-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; took second at the Davison-based MITCA Michigan Champion of Champions Festival; plus furnished thirds at the SVSU Indoor Invitational and at the Division 3 state finals hosted by Kent City High School (earning All-State honors for his performance).

Name: Matthew Bacholzky
School: Almont
Year: Freshman
Event: Long jump

Best effort: Bacholzky supplied a leap of 19 feet 10 3/4 inches en route to a 14th at the Kent City High School-based Division 3 state finals on Saturday, June 3.

Top finishes: The freshman took first at a Division 3 regional hosted by Stockbridge High School; registered fourths at the Richmond -based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet and among small school entrants at the Davison Twilight Classic; obtained fifths at the SVSU Indoor Invitational and Cavalier Classic in Corunna; collected sixths at the Cass  City Invitational and Marysville-based Blue Water Meet of Champions; generated an eighth at the Marlette Invitational; placed ninth at the MITCA Michigan Champion of Champions Festival in Davison; furnished an 11th at the Tri-County Invitational hosted by Ortonville-Brandon High School; plus added 14ths at the North
Branch Invitational and at the Division 3 state finals hosted by Kent City High School.

Name: Drew VanDyke
School: Almont
Year: Senior
Event: Shot put

Best effort: VanDyke uncorked a toss measuring 41 feet 8 3/4 inches for second Friday, May 5 at the Cavalier Classic Corunna.

Top finishes: The senior provided seconds among small schools at the Corunna-based Cavalier Invitational and Davison Twilight Classic; matched that finish at a Stockbridge-based Division 3 regional; obtained a third at the Cass City Invitational and Blue Water Area Conference League Meet hosted by Richmond High School; furnished a fourth at the Marlette Invitational; generated a seventh at the Tri-County Invitational hosted by Ortonville-Brandon High School; contributed a 12th at the Blue Water Meet of Champions in Marysville; and added a 25th at the Kent City-based Division 3 state finals.

Name: Drew VanDyke
School: Almont
Year: Senior
Event: Discus

Best effort: VanDyke registered a performance of 147 feet 2 inches en route to a first at the Marysville-based Blue Water Meet of Champions on Friday, May 26.

Top finishes: The senior claimed firsts at the Cass City Invitational, Marlette Invitational, North Branch Invitational, Tri-County Invitational hosted by Ortonville-Brandon High School, at a Stockbridge-based Division 3 regional, the Richmond-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet and Blue Water Meet of Champions in Marysville; matched those finishes versus small school entries at the Corunna-based Cavalier Invitational and Davison Twilight Classic; plus furnished a 10th at the Division 3 state finals hosted by Kent City High School.

Name: Tyler McKenney
School: Capac
Year: Sophomore
Event: 100-meter dash.

Best effort: McKenney crossed the finish-line second with a time of 11.68 in a preliminary heat at a Brown City-based Division 4 regional on Friday, May 19.

Top finishes: The sophomore took firsts at the Brown City Invitational, Green Devil Invitational in Brown City and Marlette Invitational; obtained a second at the Greater Thumb Conference League Meet in Harbor Beach; supplied thirds at the Bad Axe Hatchet Invitational and a Division 4 regional in Brown City; provided a fifth at the Reese Invitational; and added a 10th at The Hurd Invitational in Vassar.

Name: Chase Battani
School: Almont
Year: Sophomore
Event: 110-meter hurdles

Best effort: The sophomore registered a clocking of 16.4 seconds en route to a first at a quad hosted by Brown City on Tuesday, April 11.

Top finishes: Battani claimed firsts at the Cass City Invitational and Tri-County Invitational hosted by Ortonville-Brandon High School; furnished a second at the Marlette Invitational; plus managed a ninth at the Cavalier Classic in Corunna.

Name: Tyler McKenney
School: Capac
Year: Sophomore
Event: 200-meter dash

Best effort: McKenney posted a time of 24.31 seconds Friday, May 19 for fifth during his preliminary heat at a Division 4 regional in Brown City.

Best effort: The sophomore wound up first at the Brown City-based Green Devil Invitational; registered thirds at the Brown City Invitational, Bad Axe Hatchet Invitational and Reese Invitational; furnished a sixth at a Brown City-based Division 4 regional; collected a seventh at the Marlette Invitational; and added a 13th at The Hurd Invitational in Vassar.

Name: Chase Battani
School: Almont
Year: Sophomore
Event: 300-meter hurdles

Best effort: The sophomore supplied a clocking of 44.05 seconds for second at the Marlette Invitational on Friday, April 21.

Top finishes: He placed first at the Cass City Invitational; obtained a second at the Marlette Invitational; plus provided a ninth at the Tri-County Invitational hosted by Ortonville-Brandon High School.

Name: Matthew Bacholzky
School: Almont
Year: Freshman
Event: 400-meter dash

Best effort: Bacholzky provided a time of 53.87 seconds for second Saturday, May 20 at a Division 3 regional hosted by Stockbridge High School.

Top finishes: The freshman generated seconds at the Cass City Invitational, at a Stockbridge-based Division 3 regional and among small school entries at the Davison Twilight Classic; took fourth at the Blue Water Meet of Champions in Marysville; collected fifths at the SVSU Division 3/4 Indoor Invitational and Richmond-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; ranked sixth among small school entries at the Cavalier Classic in Corunna; generated a seventh at the Marlette Invitational; furnished an eighth at Tri-County Invitational hosted by Ortonville-Brandon High School; placed ninth at the North Branch Invitational; plus added a 20th at the Division 3 state finals hosted by Kent City High School.

Name: John Schoen
School: Capac
Year: Senior
Event: 800-meter run

Best effort: The senior generated a clocking of 2:06.95 for fifth at the Caro-based Thumb Meet of Champions on Tuesday, May 30.

Top finishes: He took first at the Brown City-based Green Devil Invitational, Bad Axe Hatchet Invitational, Harbor Beach-based Greater Thumb Conference East League Meet and at a Brown City-based Division 4 City regional; placed second at the Marlette Invitational; collected a fifth at the Hurd Invitational in Vassar and Caro-based Thumb Meet of Champions; supplied a seventh at the Brown City Invitational; plus added a 16th at the Hudsonville-based Division 4 state finals.

Name: Wade Szydlowski
School: Almont
Year: Senior
Event: 800-meter run

Best effort: Szydlowski registered a clocking of 2:09.22 for fifth Tuesday, May 23 at the Richmond-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet.

Top finishes: The senior provided a first at the Marlette Invitational and a Stockbridge-based Division 3 regional; claimed thirds at the Cass City Invitational and among small school entries at the Davison Twilight Classic; obtained a fifth at the Richmond-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; collected a third among small school entries at the Cavalier Classic in Corunna; notched a seventh at the North Branch Invitational; furnished an eighth at the Tri-County Invitational hosted by Ortonville-Brandon High School; managed a 13th at the Blue Water Area Meet of Champions in Marysville; plus added a 24th at the Division 3 state finals hosted by Kent City High School.

Name: Aiden Fitchett
School: Dryden
Year: Junior
Event: 1600-meter run

Best effort: The junior managed a 4:44.09 clocking for 25th at the Davison-based Champion of Champions Festival on Saturday, June 10.

Top finishes: He obtained firsts at the Dryden-based Cardinal Classic, Brown City Invitational and among small school entries at the Davison Twilight Classic; took second among small school entries at the Davison-based Shake Off the Rust Invitational; generated thirds at The Hurd Invitational in Vassar and at a Dryden-based Division 4 regional; registered a fourth at the Marlette Invitational; provided a 19th at the Division 4 state finals in Hudsonville; plus added a 25th at the Davison-based MITCA Michigan Champion of Champions Festival.

Name: Aiden Fitchett
School: Dryden
Year: Junior
Event: 3200-meter run

Best effort: Fitchett furnished a clocking of 10:42.3 for second Tuesday, May 16 at the North Central Thumb League hosted by Akron-Fairgrove High School.

Top finishes: The junior pulled up first among small school entries at the Davison-based Shake Off the Rust Invitational; provided firsts at the Marlette Invitational and Cardinal Classic hosted by Dryden High School; claimed seconds at the Brown City Invitational and North Central Thumb League Meet hosted by Akron-Fairgrove High School; took fourth at a Dryden-based Division 4 regional; ranked sixth among small school entries at the Davison Twilight Classic; and added an eighth at the Hurd Invitational in Vassar.

Team: Tim Miller, Brendan Cynowa, Carson Wood and Cole Walton.
School: Almont
Years: Sophomore, Senior, Senior and Junior.
Event: 400-meter relay.

Best effort: No matter what lineup Almont opted to utilize, success seemed to follow.

They were at their quickest Saturday, May 20 when a team of Miller, Cynowa, Wood and Walton took fifth with a time of 47.06 seconds at a Stockbridge-based Division 3 regional.

Top finishes: An Almont team of Nick Shiner, Nolan Maxlow, Cynowa and Miller were first at the Cass City Invitational; Miller,
Cynowa, Wood and Walton ranked fourth at the Richmond-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; the same lineup obtained a fifth at a Division 3 regional in Stockbridge; a quartet of Cynowa, Wood, Miller and Shiner provided a fifth among small school entries at the Davison Twilight Classic; Miller, Shiner, Walton and Cynowa ranked sixth at the Marlette Invitational; Shiner, Miller, Walton and Cynowa supplied a 10th at the North Branch Invitational; Miller, Wood, Cynowa and Shiner claimed a 12th at the Tri-County Invitational hosted by Ortonville-Brandon; plus a team of Miller, Cynowa, Walton and Wood registered a 13th at the Cavalier Classic in Corunna.

Team: Matthew Bacholzky, Tim Miller, Wade Szydlowski and Nolan Maxlow.
School: Almont
Years: Freshman, Sophomore, Senior and Sophomore.
Event: 800-meter relay

Best effort: Bacholzky, Miller, Szydlowski and Maxlow posted a 1:35.49 clocking en route to a second at the Richmond-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet on Tuesday, May 23.

Top finishes: Almont claimed seconds at the Marlette Invitational and Blue Water Area Conference League Meet Richmond; provided a third at a Division 3 regional hosted by Stockbridge High School; placed fourth at the Marysville-based Blue Water Meet of Champions; obtained a fifth at the North Branch Invitational; plus registered a ninth at the Cavalier Classic in Corunna.

Team: Matthew Bacholzky, Cole Walton, Nolan Maxlow and Wade Szydlowski.
School: Almont
Years: Freshman, Junior, Sophomore and Senior.
Event: 1600-meter relay

Best effort: A team consisting of Bacholzky, Walton, Maxlow and Syzdlowski managed a 3:40.91 clocking for third Tuesday, May 23 at the Richmond-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet.

Top finishes: An Almont team of Carson Wood, Walton, Maxlow and Szydlowski took second at the Cass City Invitational; a team of Bacholzky, Walton, Maxlow and Szydlowski placed second at a Division 3 regional third in Stockbridge; the same lineup obtained a third at the Richmond-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; was fourth among small school entries at the Davison Twilight Classic; a team of Brendan Cynowa, Walton, Szydlowski and Maxlow registered a fourth at the Marlette Invitational; a lineup of Maxlow, Cynowa, Walton and Szydlowski ranked 10th at the Tri-County Invitational hosted by Ortonville-Brandon High School; the same team ranked 11th at the Corunna-based Cavalier Classic and supplied a 13th North Branch Invitational.

Almont’s team of Bacholzky, Walton, Maxlow and Szydlowski also pulled up 16th at the Division 3 state finals hosted by Kent City High School.

Team: Elliot Whitney, Isaac Sommer, Kyle Torres and Ethan Everhart
School: Imlay City
Years: Junior, Freshman, Junior and Freshman.
Event:3200-meter relay.

Best effort: A team of Whitney, Sommer, Torres and Everhart took third with a time of 8:40.5 at the Caro-based Thumb Meet of Champions on Tuesday, May 30.

Top finishes: An Imlay City lineup of Whitney, Sommer, Torres and Everhart pulled up second at the Bad Axe Hatchet Invitational; were third at The Thumb Meet of Champions in Caro; registered a fourth at the Marysville-based Blue Water Meet of Champions; a team of Tyler Kanai, Sommer, Torres and Everhart claimed a sixth at the North Branch Invitational; a lineup of Whitney, Sommer, Torres and Everhart managed a sixth at a North Branch-based Division 2 regional; plus the same team added a seventh at the Lapeer Lightning Invitational.

Second team– Cole Walton, high jump, Almont; William Larkin, pole vault, Almont; Kade Vanderploeg, long jump, Imlay City; Carson Wood, 100 dash, Almont; Michael Stickler, long jump and 200 dash, Dryden; Kyle Wetter, 110 and 300-meter hurdles, Capac; Nolan Maxlow, 400 dash, Almont; Elliot Whitney, 800, 1600 and 3200 runs, Imlay City; Imlay City’s 400 and 800 relays of Alan Valdovinos, Ethan Everhart, Enrique Cardenas and Noah Graboyes.

Honorable mention– Cole Walton, long jump, Almont; Michael Stickler, 100 dash, Dryden; Brendan Cynowa, 100 and 200 dashes, Almont; Conner Wildie, 110 and 300 hurdles, Imlay City; Isaac Wade Szydlowski, 400 dash, Almont; Sommer, 800 and 1600 runs, Imlay City.

Coach of the Year– For directing his team to a first at the Marlette Invitational; seconds at the Cass City Invitational, a Division 3 regional hosted by Stockbridge High School and among small school entries at the Davison Twilight Classic; a fourth at the Richmond-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; and a seven-way tie for 33rd at the Kent City-based Division 3 state finals, Almont Coach Jamey Wade earns Tri-City Times All-Area Coach of the Year accolades.