Tribe boys 7th, girls 9th at regional meet

A MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) regional championship in the 3,200-meter relay event highlighted Tecumseh High School’s varsity boys track team’s seventh place finish on Friday, May 16 at Jefferson High School. Tecumseh’s varsity girls team placed ninth in the regional meet, led by Nicole Lipnichan’s second place finish in the 300-meter hurdles. Chelsea won the championship in the boy’s division while Dearborn Divine Child won the title in the girls division.“Today was the best and worst day I have ever had coaching,” said Tecumseh coach Eddy Foley. “I was elated with my four by eight-hundred team’s performance and I felt so bad for my four by two-hundred who missed a hand off and was disqualified. They finished second and then found out they were DQ’d.”The Indians’ 3,200-meter relay team of Tommy Mammel, Jeff Case, Ben Lige and Drake Vandenberg won the Regional Championship with a season best time of 8:14.69. The time is currently the fifth fastest in the state, and only 6 seconds from the school record of 8:06, according to Foley.In addition to the 3,200-meter relay team qualifying for state, the Indians will also send Nick Schnur to compete in the pole vault event.Schnur medaled in the pole vault event with a third place height of 12’10”.Also medaling for the Indians with a third place in the 1,600-meter relay was the team of Tommy Mammel, Drake Vandenberg, Mitch Meger, and Gabe Lopez with a time of 3:36.8. Tecumseh’s Gabe Lopez medaled with a fourth place finish in the 300-meter hurdles with a season best time of 42.36. He also medaled in the 110-meter hurdles (17.04).Placing fifth to medal for Tecumseh were Nate Coffin (400-meter dash, season best time of 54.31): Drake Vandenberg (800-meter run, season best time, 2:05.4) and the 400-meter relay team (Luke Marston, Coffin, Mitch Meger, Stephen Bloxam, season best time, 46.93).For the girls, Lipnichan placed second in the 300-meter hurdles with a personal best time of 49.70.Ashley Kimmit placed third in the pole vault event with a height of 7’8” despite previously being injured with a high ankle sprain and being unable to practice last month.Also scoring for Tecumseh were Katie Kasper (5th, 800-meter, 2:27.70): Nicole Cote (5th, 100-meter hurdles, 18.04); Hannah Weatherford (6th, 1-mile, 5:41.46, 6th 2-mile, 12:18); and the 1,600-meter relay team (6th, Hailey Whitehead, Nicole Cote, Hannah Galloway, Katien Kasper, 4.33.8).