Cedar, Sparta in command

The Grand Rapids Press

Adverse weather couldn't dampen the performances by the Cedar Springs boys and Sparta girls track teams at the Division 2 regional at Sparta Friday night.

Severe thunderstorms caused the postponement of the regional with two events remaining in both meets. But Cedar Springs and Sparta built large enough leads through 15 events to feel confident. The meet also was delayed an hour in the morning because of weather.

The final two events in both meets will be completed Monday at 5 p.m. according to Sparta athletic director and meet manager Joe Droski.

With the 1,600-meter relay and the pole vault yet to be completed in the boys meet, Cedar Springs has 102 points, more than 40 ahead of second-place Whitehall.

The girls have to complete the 3,200 run and 1,600 relay, but Sparta had a 27-point lead over second-place Kenowa Hills.

"The whole day we were just trying to get the meet in," Sparta girls coach Adam Pfeffer said. "On the bright side, we practice no matter what the weather. In fact, we practiced last week in the rain, and it was one of our best practices all season."

The Spartans won four of the 15 events. Amber Jacht won the discus with a throw of 117 feet, 4 inches, Lisa Krupp won the pole vault with a leap of 9-6 and freshman Lindsey McKnight won the 200 and 400 with times of 26.04 and 59.33 seconds, respectively.

"At first I though the weather would affect me, but it didn't," McKnight said. "It actually made me a little faster, because I wanted to get done and off the track."

Cedar Springs' boys won six of 15 events.

Mike Yancey won the shot put with a throw of 51-2 1/2, Jason Johnson won the 100 and 300 hurdles with times of 14.76 and 39.47 seconds, respectively, Tom Thornton won the 1,600 with a time of 4:25.42 and Mike Bigney won the 800 with a time of 1:58.58.

The Red Hawks also won the 3,200 relay in 8:04.72.

"I don't think the weather hurt us today," Cedar Springs coach Jeff Myers said. "We got delayed at the start, and the kids didn't like to sit around, they were ready to go, but they came out and ran well. Even in the events we didn't win the kids ran well."

Kenowa Hills sophomore twins Stephanie and Katherine McCarthy each had strong meets and positioned the Knights in second place by winning five events between them.

Katherine McCarthy won the long jump with a leap of 16-11, the 1,600 in 5:21.4 and the 800 in 2:22.44. Stephanie McCarthy won the 100 and 300 hurdles in 15.39 and 46.26 seconds respectively.

In the boys meet, Belding's Pat Hose won the 200 and 400 in times of 22.76 and 50.26 seconds respectively.