The Fruitport girls track and field team came oh so close to winning the championship at Friday’s Greater Muskegon Athletic Association meet, popularly known as the city meet.
The talented Trojans were very much in contention from start to finish, but were overcome by Mona Shores in the final two events, according to Fruitport head coach Randy Johnson.
The first was the 3,200-meter run.
“Mona Shores had three athletes in the race and we had two,” Johnson said. “We needed to place better than they did. In the final laps of the race the two girls from Mona Shores pulled away from our number two girl.
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The other key race was the 4×400 relay.
“Mona Shores would have to lose to us and another team in order for us to win,” Johnson said. “For a while there Reeths-Puffer was in second and we were in first. Then Mona Shores came back with a vengeance. They were able to catch up and pass us in the final stretch.”
Mona Shores ended up with 122 points, followed by Fruitport with 116. Rounding out the top five in the 13-team event were Reeths-Puffer (58), Montague (38) and Holton (34).
Several Trojans had big days on the track.
Standout Chloe Anderson won the GMAA championship in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash.
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Gen Franklin was ethe champion in the 300-meter hurdles, and the 4×200 relay team (Franklin, Bailey Garner, Layla Phan and Anderson) took the title in that event.
Fruitport’s 4×800 relay team (Claire Kohley, Hailey Heistand, Milla Dykstra, Zoe German) and 4×400 team (Franklin, Garner, Plan, Anderfson) took second place in their events.
All of the first and second-place Trojans won medals for their efforts.
“I am very proud of the efforts all the girls displayed,” Johnson said. “Some were disappointed at their performances, but they gave it their all. Others ran in relays they have never run before. We came together as a team and gave Mona Shores a run for their money.
“These girls know how to come together as a team to try and win championships.”
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