The Red Hawks hosted two meets last week. On Tuesday, April 30, the team competed against Greenville and Ottawa Hills in a steady rain. The girls lost to Greenville 61-57 and defeated Ottawa Hills 100 to 36. The team’s OK White record is 1 and 3.  

On Saturday, May 4, was the 24^th Red Hawk Invite. The team scored 682.5 points in the unique team-scoring format to place fifth out of nine teams.

Outstanding performances for the week: 

Tuesday against Greenville and Ottawa Hills

*Lily Howland first overall 800-meter run.

*Carolanne Merlington first overall and Tonya Tepin second overall in the 1600-meter run.

*Izzy VanDusen first overall and Paige Marsman second overall 3200-meter run

*4 x 800-relay team of Marjorie Hosking, Kristen Parker, Quinn Priolo, and Jade Yowtz first overall

*Ariana Meyers first overall Shot Put and Discus

*Alyssa Detweiler first overall High Jump

*Julia Danielson first overall Long Jump

Medal Winners Saturday:

*Julia Danielson second Long Jump

*Ariana Meyers second Shot Put

*Grace Sova third Pole Vault

*Avery Rugg fourth 100 High Jump

This week the team traveled to Lowell to compete against Lowell and Northview on Tuesday May 7, and then on Friday, May 10, thet go to historic Houseman Field for the OK White Conference Meet. Field events start at 4:15 and Running Events start at 5:00.

On Friday May 28, the girls track team traveled to Big Rapids to compete in the Pioneer Classic Track meet held at Ferris State University.  Senior Breeann Ovokaitys was a double individual winner.  Breeann won the 1600 and 800 meter runs.  Junior Amber TerHaar also was an individual winner with a winning toss of 111 feet in the discus.  Freshman Katie Weiler also was an individual winner.  Katie won the 3200 meter run and set a new meet record in the event with a time of 11:35.77.  With that record setting time, Katie becomes the first Cedar Springs girl to hold a meet record in the Pioneer Classic.  Also taking first place was the 3200 meter relay team of Breeann Ovokaitys, Amanda Zinn, Amanda Balczak, and Katie Weiler.  Also placing for the Red Hawks was:

Second: Amber TerHaar Shot put; Katie Weiler 1600 meter run; Rieley Hondalus 400 meter dash; 1600 meter relay team of Breeann Ovokaitys, Heather Holmes, Amanda Balczak, and Rieley Hondalus.

Third: Rieley Hondalus long jump; Heather Holmes High Jump

The team will end there season in the MSHAA Division 2 Track meet in Zeeland on Saturday June 5.  Competing in the meet will be the 3200 meter relay team, Amber TerHaar in the discus, Breeann Ovokaitys in the 800 and 1600 meter run and Katie Weiler in the 3200 meter run.

Girls JV track takes third at Belding

On Tuesday May 25, the girls track team traveled to Belding for the Belding 9-10 Invite.  The team scored 95 points and place third out of six teams.  Rieley Hondalus took home two first place finishes.  Rieley won the long jump and the 400 meter dash.  Jeanette Sukstas also took home a first place finish by winning the shot put.  The 3200 meter relay team of Christina Dean, Amanda Balczak, Sommer VanDyke, and Katie Weiler also won there event and set a new Freshman Record in the 3200 meter relay with a  time of 10:48.6.  The 1600 meter relay team of Sommer VanDyke, Allie Veltkamp, Amanda Balczak, and Katie Weiler also set a freshman record in the event with a third place time of 4:27.3.  Also placing for the Red Hawks was:

Third: Abby VanDusen long jump

Bree Ovokaitys in the 3200 meter relay.

On Friday May 21, the girls track team traveled to Coopersville for the MHSAA Regional Track meet. The team scored 51 points and placed sixth out of sixteen teams on a rainy night. The rain did not stop the team from setting four school records and qualifying five team members, in five different events, for the Division 2 State Final track meet in Zeeland on June 5.

Junior Amber TerHaar was the only regional champion for the team and won the discus for the second year in a row and extended her school record by one inch, with a throw of 118 feet 4 inches.  Amber will be making a return trip to the state finals where a year ago she placed ninth in the discus.

Senior Breeann Ovokaitys qualified for the state meet in two individual events, the 1600 meter run and the 800 meter run.  She also lowered her own school records in the process in both events with a second place finish in the 1600 meter run with a time of 5:11.5 and a third place finish in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:23.4.

Amber TerHaar in the shot put.

Freshman Katie Weiler gave up a chance to qualify for the state meet in the 1600 meter run to focus on qualifying in the 3200 meter run and to attempt to set the school record in the event.  Her efforts paid off as she placed second in the 3200 meter run and broke the school record by 8 seconds, with a time of 11:27.8.

Also qualifying for the state meet based on their time was the 3200 meter relay team.  The team, which consists of two freshmen, Amanda Balczak and Katie Weiler, and 2 seniors, Breeann Ovokaitys and Amanda Zinn, placed fourth but ran under the additional qualifying time to advance to the state meet.

Also placing in the top 8 and scoring points for the team was:

Amber TerHaar 4th place in the shot put
Heather Holmes 5th place in the high jump
1600 meter relay team of Breeann Ovokaitys, Heather Holmes, Sommer VanDyke, and Rieley Hondalus
Abby VanDusen long jump 8th place
Rieley Hondalus 400 meter dash 8th place
Amanda Balczak 300 meter hurdles 8th place
400 meter relay team of Brittani Tozer, Abby VanDusen, Mercedes Oliver, and Heather Holmes 8th place.

Allie Veltkamp in the 1600 meter relay.

On Tuesday May 4 the girls track team traveled to Comstock Park for the final OK Blue double dual track meet of the year.  The Red Hawks defeated Comstock Park 85 to 46 and lost to league leading Sparta 93 to 44.  The team’s final dual meet record is 7 and 3 overall and 5 and 2 in the OK Blue Conference good for third place in the Conference.  The team travels to Sparta on Thursday May 13 and Friday May 14 for the conference track meet. Placing in both meets for the team was:

Kayla Ovokaitys in the 800 meter run.

1st Place: Rieley Hondalus 100 and 400 meter dashes;  Amber TerHaar Discus and Shot put; Abby VanDusen 100 meter hurdles; Katie Weiler 1600 and 3200 meter run; Amanda Balczak 300 meter hurdles; Heather Holmes high jump; 3200 meter relay team of Katie Weiler, Amanda Balczak, Amanda Zinn and Breeann Ovokaitys; 1600 meter relay team of Allie Veltkamp, Heather Holmes, Sommer VanDyke, and Amanda Balczak.

2nd Place: Brittani Tozer 100 meter dash; Abby VanDusen 200 meter dash and long jump; Jessica Titus 3200 meter run; Briana Pierson high jump; Haley Hawes pole vault; Jeanette Sukstas shot put.

On Monday, May 10, the girls track team traveled to Lakeview for the Wildcat JV Invite.  The team scored 91.5 points and placed third in the 9-team meet. Taking first places was the 3200 meter relay team of Amanda Balczak, Sommer Van Dyke, Kayla Ovokaitys, and Katie Weiler and the 1600 meter relay team of Amanda Balczak, Sommer Vandyke, Allie Veltkamp and Rieley Hondalus. Amanda Balczak took the only individual first for the team in the 1600 meter run.  Also placing was:

2nd Place: Abby VanDusen long jump; Rieley Hondalus 400 meter dash; Sommer Van Dyke 800 meter run; Christina Dean 3200 meter run.

Freshman Sommer VanDyke in the 1600 meter relay

The Cedar Springs Girls track team traveled to Forest Hills Northern Tuesday April 27, for an OK Blue Conference dual track meet. The Red Hawks defeated Forest Hills Northern by a score of 70 to 65. The team’s record is 4 and 1 in the OK Blue Conference and 6 and 2 overall for the year.  Senior Breeann Ovokaitys broke her school record in the 1600 meter run with a time of 5:14.7 and in the 800 meter run with a time 2:23.5.  Placing for the Red Hawks was:

1st Place: Amber TerHaar Shot Put and Discus; Breeann Ovokaitys 800, 1600 and 3200 run; Rieley Hondalus in long jump and 200 meter dash; 1600 Meter relay team of Sommer Van Dyke, Heather Holmes, Amanda Balczak, and Katie Weiler; 3200 meter relay team of Katie Weiler, Jessica Titus, Amanda Zinn, and Breeann Ovokaitys.

2nd Place: Rieley Hondalus 100 and 400 meter dashes; Katie Weiler 800 and 1600 meter runs; Heather Holmes high jump; Haley Hawes pole vault; Amanda Balczak 300 meter hurdles.

3rd Place: Brittani Tozer 100 meter dash; Sommer VanDyke 400 meter dash; Jessica Titus 3200 meter run; Jeanette Sukstas shot put.

Jeanette Sukstas in the shot put

On Saturday May 1, the track teams hosted the 8 team Red Hawk Team Invitational.  In the Girls half of the meet the Lady Red Hawks scored 557 took 5th place while Grand Rapids South Christian won the girls meet with 784 points and Rockford were the runner ups with 699 points. Taking individual first places in the meet for the Red Hawks were junior Amber TerHaar in the shot put with a throw 32 feet 9 ½ inches and freshman Katie Weiler with a season best time of 11:46.9 in the 3200 meter run. Other top placers for the Red Hawks included:

2nd Place: Rieley Hondalus 400 meter dashes; Amber TerHaar Discus; Breeann Ovokaitys in the 800 and 1600 meter runs; 3200 meter relay team of Katie Weiler, Amanda Balczak, Amanda Zinn and Breeann Ovokaitys; 1600 meter relay team of Breeann Ovokaitys, Heather Holmes, Sommer VanDyke, and Rieley Hondalus.

4th Place: Jeanette Sukstas shot put; Katie Weiler 1600 meter run.

The Red Hawk girls track team traveled to Coopersville Thursday April 20, for an OK Blue Conference double dual track meet. The Red Hawks defeated Coopersville by a score of 81 to 56 and defeated Grand Rapids Central 99 to 30. The team’s record is 2-1 in the OK Blue Conference and 5-2 overall for the year. Senior Breeann Ovokaitys broke her school record in the 1600 meter run with a time of 5:18.8.  Placing for the Red Hawks in both meets were:

1st Place: Amber TerHaar Shot Put and Discus; Haley Hawes Pole Vault;  Heather Holmes High Jump; Breeann Ovokaitys 1600 and 3200 run;  Rieley Hondalus in long jump, 100 and 400 meter dash; Katie Weiler 800 meter run; Shaelyn Fasel 100 meter hurdles; Amanda Balczak 300 meter hurdles; 1600 Meter relay team of Sommer Van Dyke, Heather Holmes, Amanda Balczak, and Katie Weiler; 400 meter relay team of Brittani Tozer, Shaelyn Fasel, Mercedes Oliver, and Abby VanDusen; 3200 meter relay team of Katie Weiler, Jessica Titus, Amanda Zinn, and Breeann Ovokaitys.

2nd Place: Rieley Hondalus 200 meter dash; Abby VanDusen 100 meter hurdles; Amanda Zinn 800 meter run; Katie Weiler 1600; Jeanette Sukstas Shot Put and Discus; Jessica Titus 3200 meter run.

3rd Place: Amanda Balczak 100 meter hurdles; Brittani Tozer 100 meter dash; Sommer VanDyke 400 meter dash; Briana Pierson High Jump; Abby VanDusen Long jump and 200 meter dash; Shaelyn Fasel Shot put and Discus.