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Wierks sisters go 2-3 at state track finals, lead West Ottawa to top 10 finish

ROCKFORD - The Wierks twins are used to being a 1-2 punch, but at the state finals, they were a 2-3 punch.

West Ottawa's Collette Wierks and Ella Wierks finished 2-3 in the 800 meters and led the Panthers to third in the 4x800 relay as West Ottawa finished eighth at the Division 1 state track and field finals on Saturday, May 30, at Rockford High School

The Panthers finished with 22 points. Oak Park won the title with 61. Zeeland East was 17th (13).

Collette Wierks, the defending state champion in the 800 meters made her late move to sprint to the finish.

But the West Ottawa junior was repassed by Gull Lake's Lane Isom, who crossed the finish line just ahead of Wierks.

Isom crossed the line in 2:11.06, ahead of Collette Wierks (2:11.54) and Ella Wierks (2:12.77), who surged to third place.

More: Holland Christian girls track finishes state runner-up after claiming relay title

More: Saugatuck's Novella DeGraaf makes triumphant return to state finals with three top-three finishes

"It was very different from last year. It was a very messy and aggressive race. There was a lot of change of paces and a lot of shoving, but that is part of it," Collette said. "I am proud of the work I put in. I think it is really cool Ella did so well, too."

Ella didn't make the fast heat at the state meet last year and this year reached third.

"It means a lot. This season has been hard and it is really fulfilling to accomplish my goals," Ella said. "I wasn't in the fast heat last year. I think the mentality is a big difference this year - finding that confidence that allows me to push myself to do big things."

The duo has one more year at West Ottawa but have already committed to run at Northwestern in the Big Ten.

West Ottawa's Ella Wierks, left, and Collette Wierks compete in the 800 meters at the Division 1 state track and field finals on Saturday, May 30, at Rockford High School.

"They are so great academically and athletically, the hole experience is a place I can challenge myself and grow," Collette said.

"It is just perfect. They have such amazing resources for academics and athletics. It wasn't the plan to commit together (necessarily). But we both found (what we were looking for)."

Ella Wierks, Lyla Dowling, Mary Dolbow and Collette Wierks took third in the 4x800 relay (9:11.49), crossing just behind Ann Arbor Pioneer (9:11.02). Ann Arbor Skyline won in 9:05.75.

"We were ranked No. 11 going in and we knew we could place top three. Ella got a good lead and I just wanted to hang on as long as I could," Dowling said. "It was a great experience being my first year at state. To see everyone's hard work payoff is great. I am so glad to be on a team where I can experience things like this."

Mary Dalbow, right, gets the baton from teammate Lyla Dowling during the 4x800 finals.

The experience for Dolbow was a little bit different. She put it all on the line to give Collette a shot to be in title contention - so much that after the race she had to race off the podium so she didn't get sick in front of everyone.

"I had pushed myself to the limit. I wanted to run fast for my teammates and couldn't help it. But that is how I know I did my best. I ran my heart out," Dalbow said. "I went into it thinking it would be a fun experience. We worked so hard for this and that is what makes a great relay. We dial in and trust our training. It is a different level of focus."

The Wierks sisters and Dalbow joined Chloe Powers to finish seventh in the 4x400 (3:57.61).

West Ottawa's Elizabeth Watkin was 10th in the shot put (36-1 1/2) and 19th in the discus (103-7). Kelsey Simpson took 18th in the 100 hurdles (16.14).

Zeeland East continued its tradition of scoring in the throws. Lily Huizenga finished fourth in the shot put (42-0) and Lauren Maartense was eighth (37-5 1/2).

Zeeland East's Lily Huizenga finished fourth in the shot put at the Division 1 state finals.

Adalyn Raab took fifth in the 1,600 (4:58.63). Raab, Libby Post, Taryn DiLaura and Meredith Cook took 16th in the 4x800 (9:32.97). Cook, CC Kuras, Emily Graves and Raab took sixth in the 4x400 (3:57.51).

Zeeland East's Katie Murphy took 13th in the pole vault (11-3). Rogue Kraker was 19th in the long jump (16-6 1/2). Brienna Cole, Kamilla Munoz, Skyla Kuras and Terra Schuberg took 23rd in the 4x100 (49.73).

Holland's Johanna Mulder finished 18th in the 3,200 meters (11:04.48), while teammate Olivia Weiss took 32nd (11:24.56).

Zeeland West's Avery Towne, Samantha Koppenol, Evie Kleinheksel and Rowan Sloothaak took 23rd in the 4x800 (9:50.22). Towne was 24th in the 800 (2:20.50).

Ann Arbor Pioneer's Natasza Dudek won the 3,200 (10:15.25). West Bloomfield's Kamryn Tatum won the 100 (11.74) to repeat. Tatum (23.31) was edged by Cass Tech's Malise Brown (23.13) as both broke the previous Division 1 record. Cass Tech's Laila Hawkins won the 100 hurdles (14.15). Forest Hills Central's Olivia Latunski won the discus (138-2). Lansing Waverly's Alannah Love won the high jump (5-8). Grand Ledge's Katie Blue won the pole vault in 14-0. Troy's Kyleigh Peacock won the long jump (19-1). Hartland's Eliana Neuer won the 1,600 (4:51.73).

Zeeland East boys score in two field events, one for Dux

In the boys meet, East Kentwood won the state championship with 63 points, just one more than Detroit Catholic Central. Grand Haven was fifth (24). Zeeland East finished 52nd with three points and Zeeland West was 62nd with 0.5 points.

Zeeland East's Austin Lee took seventh in the pole vault (14-9). Teammate Andrew Macy took 14th (13-6).

Zeeland East's Sam Sietsema took eighth in the shot put (152-3) 19th in the shot put (48-10). Karson Lamer was 29th in the high jump (6-1) and Bennett Bing was 32nd (5-11).

Zeeland East's Lewis Miller took third in the adaptive 100 meters (21.05).

Zeeland West's Clayton Ramsdell took eighth in the high jump (6-5) to earn all-state.

Zeeland West's Keagan Smith, Reid Cousins, Ethan Dalman and Rob Dodd took 13th in the 4x800 (7:58.20). Holman took 17th in the long jump (20-11 1/2). Jonah Leslie was 24th in the shot put (47-0).

Dalman, Garrett Kapenga, Smith and Dodd took 26th in the 4x400 (3:27.24).

Catholic Central's Zaccheus Brocks won the 110-meter hurdles in 13.40. His 13.29 in prelims is the all-time state record and third in the country.

Catholic Central's Paxton Heitsch won the shot put (58-6). Malachi Clayton won the long jump (24-5).

MLK's Vernall Lee won the 100 (10.76). Walled Lake Western's Rodney Endsley won the 200 (21.14). East Kentwood's Reece Emeott won the pole vault (16-6). Northville's Brandon Cloud won the 3,200 (9:02.40).

Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: West Ottawa track and field takes eighth behind Wierks sisters

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