HILLSDALE — It took every point and every race for the Hillsdale varsity boys track and field team to chase down a regional championship on its home track.
The Hillsdale Hornets hosted the Division 3, Region 25 finals and added a trophy to the school’s collection for the first time since 2024.
They had to hold off cross-county rival Jonesville to get it done. Hillsdale finished with 88.5 points, while Jonesville took second with 82.
“It feels amazing,” senior Brayden Taylor said. “There’s nothing better than winning a regional title, especially your senior year when it’s your last chance in high school. I think we all came out here with a different mindset than I’ve ever seen.”
In terms of individual titles, the Hornets were led by senior high jumper Ashton Thornsbury, who cleared 6 feet, 6 inches to win the regional championship with a personal-best mark. The height leaves him just one inch shy of the school record — a mark he continues to chase.
“Winning in the high jump definitely felt good,” Thornsbury said. “There were a couple other 6-6 jumpers there but still won. It feels good, obviously.”
Thornsbury also turned in strong performances on the track. He finished fourth in the 110-meter hurdles, breaking his own school record with a time of 14.86 seconds, and took fourth in the 300 hurdles in 41.31 seconds. Both performances qualified him for the state finals.
“I felt really good going into finals,” Thornsbury said. “But I still broke the school record again, so that always feels good.”
Teammate Evan Towne placed eighth in the 300 hurdles (42.0).
The team championship was built on depth across the lineup. Junior Cam Arnold took fourth in the 100-meter dash (11.32), while senior Marshay Harris placed fifth (11.57). Taylor added a third-place finish in the 200 (23.25).
Taylor, Thornsbury, Harris and Arnold also qualified for the state finals in the 4×100 relay, finishing second in 43.71. The group had already secured a state-qualifying standard earlier in the season.
Arnold and Taylor, along with Nathaniel Moes and Connor Young, took sixth in the 4×400 relay (3:38.80). The 4×200 relay team of Moes, Laredo Ruffin, Young and senior Kelton Phillipp placed fifth (1:36.19).
The distance events were led by junior Logan Youngman, who placed third in the 1,600 (4:28.45) and second in the 3,200 (9:41.26), qualifying for state in both. He was joined by his younger brother Bryce Youngman, who took fifth in the 3,200 with a personal-best time of 9:57.80 to qualify.
Seniors Thayden Welch and Kelton Phillipp placed 13th and 16th, respectively, in the 400.
In field events, freshman Mason Town led Hillsdale County athletes with a fifth-place finish in the shot put (44-0) and was ninth in the discus (117-0). Teammate Blaise Mayer led county competitors in the discus with a sixth-place throw of 122-8.
Thornsbury was joined by senior Robert Garcia in qualifying for the state finals in the high jump. Garcia cleared 6-2 to place fifth. Senior Carter Myers finished eighth in the pole vault at 12-0. In the long jump, sophomore Nathaniel Moes posted a personal-best 20-10 1/2 to take second and qualify for state.
Next up for the Hornets is a trip to Manton High School for the MITCA Division 3 Team State Finals. Hillsdale currently sits fourth in the team rankings and is in contention for a top-two finish.
“Our focus is just doing exactly what we did today,” Taylor said. “If we do that, I think we’re going to bring home another trophy.”
Head coach Clay Schiman credited the team’s depth and resilience in the championship effort.
“We had a lot of guys that picked up a fifth place here and there, and it all adds up,” Schiman said. “I’m really, really happy with how they performed today. This was a goal we had and for them to go out and achieve it was special.”
Jonesville boys take second at regionals
While the Comets were unable to bring home the team trophy, Jonesville finished runner-up and produced multiple state qualifiers.
Fowler, Blonde and Potwin teamed with junior Collin Fucile to win the 4×800 relay in 8:01.69. The 4×400 relay team of Logan Stanton, Briggs Baker, Harrison Packer and Caleb Blonde also claimed a regional title in 3:29.96.
Junior Reece Rundquist took fourth in the high jump (6-2) and sixth in the 110 hurdles (15.15) to qualify for the state finals. He also placed seventh in the long jump and ninth in the 300 hurdles.
Already a state qualifier in the 800, junior Caleb Blonde added a fourth-place finish in the 1,600 (4:28.65). Sophomore Ashton Potwin placed eighth in the event.
Senior Nick Fowler took second in the 800 (2:02.81) to earn a state berth, while Potwin placed fifth (2:05.94).
Jonesville’s 4×200 relay team of Harrison Packer, Donovan Baker, Mason Jordan and Logan Stanton finished second in 1:33.70 to qualify for state.
The 4×100 team of Packer, Jorden Duque, Donovan Baker and Stanton placed fifth (45.15). Duque also ran a personal-best 41.81 in the 300 hurdles to finish seventh.
Fucile qualified for state in the 3,200 with a third-place finish (9:44.41). Jacob Gray took 14th in the event.
Briggs Baker placed sixth in the 400 (54.16). Packer took fifth in the 200 (23.81), while Donovan Baker placed seventh (25.14).
In field events, Harper Griffiths led the Comets in the shot put with a throw of 37-9 1/2 (14th), and Austin Gatlin placed 11th in the discus with a personal-best 107-11.
Region 25 girls results
While no Hillsdale or Jonesville girls qualified for the state finals, several athletes posted personal-best performances.
Hillsdale’s Emily York ran a personal-best 28.48 to take eighth in the 200, while Jonesville senior Payton Nichelson ran 27.31 in prelims and finished third in the finals (27.69). Effie Heckel placed fifth (27.79). Heckel and York finished fourth and fifth, respectively, for Hillsdale in the 400. Jonesville junior Kira VanKampen placed ninth in the 800 (2:36.86), followed by teammate Kendahl Drake in 10th (2:39.94). Hillsdale senior Abby Amburgey placed 17th (2:59.23).
Jonesville freshman Sophia Morgan placed fourth in the 1,600 (5:50.70). In the 3,200, teammate Joleane Gulledge was third (12:30.62), while Keira Knight was fifth (12:49.97). Hillsdale’s Ava Evans finished 12th (14:28.54).
Jonesville junior Amelia Means led the county in hurdles, placing fifth in the 300 hurdles (54.36) and 14th in the 100 hurdles (19.61). Hillsdale’s Zara Wolf (19.84) and Jaiden Fisher (20.16) placed 15th and 18th, respectively.
Wolf was 11th in the 300 hurdles (57.62), while Harper James placed 12th (57.82).
Jonesville’s 4×200 relay team of Alexa Moore, Ameilia Means, Miley Dunland and Payton Nichelson finished sixth (1:54.65). The 4×400 team of Means, Morgan, Dunlap and Nichelson took fifth (4:25.54), while Hillsdale’s relay of York, Kiely Kroa, Brylee Smith and Heckel placed seventh (4:30.30).
The Jonesville 4×800 relay team of Keira Knight, Kendahl Drake, Joleane Gulledge and Sophia Morgan finished third (10:26.92).
In field events, Hillsdale freshman Anamarie Wentz placed seventh in the shot put (30-1 3/4). Olivia Broesamle was 15th (25-8 3/4). Jonesville’s Brianna Miller and Silvia Blackham placed 27th and 29th, respectively.
Hillsdale junior Susan Petersen threw 77-1 in the discus to place 13th with a personal best. Broesamle was 21st, followed by Miller (23rd) and Blackham (24th).
Nichelson placed fifth in the high jump (4-11), while Kiely Kroa was seventh (4-11). VanKampen placed eighth in the pole vault (7-9), followed by Alivia Martin (9th, 7-0). Mia Langhann finished 17th in the long jump (13-2).
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale wins a Region 25 title on their home track