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	The Manchester Enterprise A Heritage Newspaper Weekly Publication

Dutchmen collect three medals at state meet

Sawyer, Schaible earn individual medals as Manchester takes ninth

By Ed Patino, Staff Writer

PUBLISHED: June 7, 2007

Throughout the season, the Manchester varsity track teams proved they were among the elite programs in the area.

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Members of the teams proved they could compete with the best in the state last weekend.

The Manchester boys' track team had two members place individually and a relay team medal as it finished ninth as a team at the Division 3 state meet at Comstock Park High School.

The Dutchmen scored 17 points in the meet. Detroit Country Day won the Division 3 state title with 70 points, squeaking past second-place Williamston, which scored 69 1/3. Manchester finished just one point behind eighth place Berrien Springs (18) and two behind seventh place Ovid-Elsie (20). Sagniaw Swan Valley placed third in the meet with 52 points.

Behind a record-setting day for several of its athletes, Albion ran away with the girls' meet with 66 points. Next closest was Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard with 43.

Jarod Sawyer and Greg Schaible placed individually for the Manchester boys' team. Sawyer finished third in the high jump with a height of 6-5. The junior was less than an inch behind second place Clifton Dale of Albion and two inches shy of state champion Kevin Bacon of Vassar (6-7). Schaible medalled in the 400-meter dash for the Dutchmen. The senior placed fourth with a time of 50.68 seconds. Country Day's Chris Rucker won the event at 49.02 seconds.

Schaible was also part of the Manchester 1,600 relay team, which earned a medal despite having to make a lineup adjustment. With regular runner Zach Greca sidelined with a hamstring injury, sophomore Brian Fargher stepped in and helped his team to a third place medal. Fargher, Schaible, Andrew Tindall and Jake LaCross teamed to record a time of 3:27.15 in the 1,600 relay. The Dutchmen finished just over seven-tenths of a second behind Country Day's winning team.

James Hughes also represented the Manchester boys in the 3,200 run, placing ninth overall with a time of 9:53.

Laura Coltre was the lone state qualifier for the Manchester girls' team. The junior placed ninth in the long jump with a distance of 16-3.

After struggling to compete with low participation numbers, Manchester's track teams have undergone a resurgence under coach Mike Forner. Since taking over the program five years ago, Forner has guided the boys' team to three straight Cascades Conference titles and two consecutive regional championships.

After winning one meet and not having a state qualifier last year, the girls' team went undefeated during the regular season and earned a share of the Cascades Conference title with East Jackson.

Staff Writer Ed Patino can be reached at 428-8173 or epatino@heritage.com.