Track & Field

Carl Mayhand was a record-setting runner at Mason County Eastern, leaving the school with seven records in tow. He went on to be an All-American during his junior college days and had to turn down a full scholarship to Auburn University because of family commitments. But in high school, he was tough to beat in cross country and track. He owned state titles in the 1980 state cross country meet and ...Read More...

Lee T. Snyder was a one-man wrecking crew one fine spring day at the 1954 Class B state track meet. The Ludington Oriole single handedly gave his school the state runner-up trophy as he won state titles in the pole vault and high jump while taking second in the low hurdles and third in the long jump. Snyder's prowess wasn't limited to the track as he was a member of the boys basketball teams and f ...Read More...

Brandy Thomas left her mark on the walls of Ludington's Hawley Gymnasium and all anyone had to do was look at the track record book. Thomas set new school records in the discus and shot put numerous times throughout her high school career while also participating in volleyball and basketball. She is a four-time Lakes 8 Activities Conference champion in the shot put and a four-time state qual ...Read More...

Noah Dobrzelewski brought leadership to the field and the pool in his years at Ludington High School as he competed in football, swimming and diving and track and field. Dobrzelewski swam for four seasons for Ludington, earning the Coaches' Award in his ninth grade year and following that with Most Valuable Swimmer honors his sophomore through senior years. Dobrzelewski also earned honorable me ...Read More...

Melissa (Thompson) Gross ran her way into what's seemingly a permanent place in the Ludington High record books. While an oriole, she set a school record in the 1,600-meter run and was a member of the school-record setting 1,600-meter relay team. She was also a state champion miler in 1982 while running to third in 1983 in the 800-meter run and third in 1981 in the 1,600-meter run. She also was a ...Read More...

Todd Patulski has lived a life of athletics and it all began at Mason County Central. Patulski was the 1985 Mason County Central Athlete of the Year as he was a guard on the Spartans' 19-1 boys basketball team and was a state qualifier in the high jump, 300-meter hurdles and 400-meter relay team in track and field. He also played fastpitch softball, including being the starting pitcher on the Clas ...Read More...

Chase Barnett leaves Mason County Central with many school records and state titles in tow after a standout four-year career. He was a four-year star in cross country and track and field while playing two years of boys basketball at Central, one year on the varsity. He was a four-time All-State honoree in cross country, finishing as the state runner-up twice and placing third once. He set the ...Read More...

Paul Spencer Peterson used a great distance-running career at Ludington and propelled himself into a wonderful runner for Saginaw Valley State University. Peterson was the runner-up at the 1978 Class B state meet. But once he became a Cardinal, he earned NAIA All-American honors in several events. He is three-time All-American in the 10,000-meter run and a two-time All-American in the 5,000-meter ...Read More...

D'Erika Varenhorst of Ludington competed in basketball, volleyball and track in her high school career with the Orioles and basketball proved to be her top game. In all, she earned eight varsity letters while an Oriole. Varenhorst was one of just a few Ludington girls basketball players to be named to the Associated Press, BCAM and Detroit Free Press Class B All-State teams in school history. Vare ...Read More...

Ken Papes was a stand out all-around prep athlete at Free Soil, being a state-class sprinter, long-jumper and shot-putter in track and field. In hoops, he averaged more than 25 points per game as a senior and had 1,459 points for his career for Free Soil, tops for the school's history. In baseball he was a part of the Free Soil baseball team that won 54 consecutive games, primarily working as the ...Read More...