MVP: Colebrook Sutherland (Glen Lake)
Glen Lake junior Ceolebrook Sutherland took this year’s track and field competition by storm with record breaking times that earned this year’s track dream team MVP.
Sutherland had a day to remember at regionals when he captured four first-place finishes on Saturday. Individually, he claimed first in the 800-meter run and mile with times of 2:05 and 4:33.
Glen Lake coach Jason Bradford knows the junior has untapped potential.
“I know that’s the hard part to grasp, he broke three school records. Only being a junior, the potential he has for next year and the goals he has set,” Bradford said.
Sutherland was the first leg in the 1600-meter relay and the last leg in the 3200-meter relay which both qualified for the state championships at the regional race in East Jordan. The 3200-meter relay team of Cundiff, Abraham Feeney, Tyler Bixby, and Sutherland broke the school record at the John Lober Traverse City Record-Eagle meet in May.
Sutherland broke the mile and two-mile records this season. Sutherland first broke the two-mile record at the Frankfort Invitational. He finally broke the record at the state meet when he finished fourth in the mile with a time of 4:25. Sutherland broke the school record time of 4:26.8 set by Justin Kibbey in 1999. He found his pace in the top-10 for most of the race before out-kicking at least four runners to finish fourth overall.
The junior has expressed interest in breaking the 800meter record next year as a great senior goal.
“His work ethic running a practice, each meets he’s running four events and he never complains and he works hard at every practice,” Bradford said. “He puts in his effort all the time and is a great teammate to have … he pushes the guys and it’s great for the younger guys too.”
Dylan Cundiff (Glen Lake)
Glen Lake senior Dylan Cundiff represented the Lakers well on the track as the Class of 2024 valedictorian finished his high school athletic career in fashion with a well-rounded season.
“(Cundiff) ran every event, it didn’t matter what I put him in. It could be from sprinting to distance,” Bradford said.
Cundiff performed well all season and was the third 200meter runner in the conference and dominated in the 400-meter run.
Cundiff claimed second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 53.46 at regionals.
“He always works hard, has a smile on his face and he’s a pleasure to be around on the track team,” Bradford said.
Cundiff contributed to three relay teams that showed impressive results including the 4x800, 4x400, and 4x200 relay teams. The 4x400-relay team finished seventh, claiming Allstate recognition. He was also on the school record-breaking team with an 8:14 at the Record-Eagle meet in May.
Tyler Bixby (Glen Lake)
Glen Lake senior Tyler Bixby also finished his track career on top as he never stopped improving.
Bixby was a 300-hurdle and relay-team specialist.
“Even down at states, he puts his heart into everything that he does and he’s a team leader,” Bradford said. “Just willingness to adjust to help out the team is, he’s one of those guys, that’s a true team player,” Bradford said.
This is Bixby’s second time making the dream team for his impressive performances.
Bixby qualified for states in the 300-meter hurdles with a second-place finishing time of 43.65. Bixby finished his career in style at states with a 16th place finishing time of 43.26. Bixby was also on the school record-breaking two-mile relay team with a time of 8:14. Cundiff also started on the 4x400 and 4x200 relay teams.
Boden Fisher (Glen Lake)
Glen Lake junior Boden Fisher’s electric speed led him to a spot on the dream team.
Fisher’s time in the weight room proved dividends this season. Fisher was dynamic for the 4x100, 4x200, and 4x400 relay teams. The 4x100-relay team finished first at the Northwest Conference Championships, second at regionals, and 28th at the state championships. Fisher led the regional championship 4x200 relay team with a time of 1:35.
“(Fisher) is one of those athletes that each time he goes out there, he wants to perform his best,” Glen Lake coach Jason Bradford said. “For the younger sprinters that’s kind of the guy they look up to and there’s a handful of them. With Noah Scott and them … he’s the one that puts the time in, taking the time to warm up and doing all the little things.”
Fisher also shined in the 100 and 200-meter races whenever he sprinted out of the blocks. Fisher finished fifth in the 100meter dash at regionals with a time of 11.83.
Agustin Creamer (Leland) Leland senior Agustin Creamer had a senior season to remember as he capped off an exciting career and stamped himself in the record books for the Comets.
He finished fifth in the mile and third in the two-mile with times of 4:43 and 10:28. Creamer qualified for the state meet in both events. Creamer left it all on the track during the hot day.
In the mile, he was keeping pace for the qualifying time, and needed to explode in the last 400 meters to make it all come together with a fifth place finishing time of 4:45.
He turned around and finished 17th at the state championship with a personal record time of 4:43.
Creamer finished third at regionals, second at NWC Championships, and 20th at the state championships with a personal record time of 10:18 in the two-mile. Creamer will be heading to Alma to play soccer and run track.
Jimmy Alpi (Leland)
Leland senior Jimmy Alpi earned his spot on the dream team for his performances in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdle races.
Alpi claimed a conference championship in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 17.64. Alpi finished second in the 300meter hurdles with a time of 44.37. He also finished third at the Frankfort Invitational with a third-place finishing time of 45.38.
Abraham Feeney (Glen Lake)
Glen Lake freshman Abraham Feeney made sure his name is to be recognized in the future because of his impressive finishes in 2024.
Feeney stood out during the regional races by coming in third in the mile and second in the two-mile with times of 4:43 and 10:28 to qualify for states.
Feeney was also instrumental for the 4x800-relay team that finished seventh at states with a time of 8:22. He also has his name on the 4x800-relay school record that was broken at the John Lober Record-Eagle meet earlier this season.
St. Mary 4x800 relay team
Lake Leelanau St. Mary boys 4x800-relay team came into the regional race at East Jordan without a warm-up.
The Eagles ended up qualifying for the state championship meet with a second-place finish, which marks the first time in St. Mary history that athletes will be heading to the championships. The milestone comes in the school’s first year as a school sport with solely Eagle players to put the cherry on top. St. Mary sophomore Oliver Mitchell was first to go followed by Garrett Grant, Derek Graham, and Garrick Collins.
Grant was in an unfamiliar spot, not running in the No. 2 slot all season. Grant had a lead because of Mitchell’s monster start behind the first-place team. As the first-place team continued to gain, Graham and Garrick, put the race away at regionals.
The first state-qualifying twomile relay team of Mitchell,Graham, Grant, and Collins finished 25th with a time of 9:06.
