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2026 Division 2 State Finals Preview

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TEAM TITLES

Four boys teams look to have a gap on the rest of the field – Alma, Flint Powers Catholic, Frankenmuth, and Harper Woods.

Harper Woods will be relying on DeAndre Bidden, the top-ranked sprinter in the 100m, a favorite to gain points in the 200m, and a relay contributor on two short sprint squads coming in as the favorite. An extra supplement could be points from Dakota Guerrant in the low hurdles and Shawn Mosley in the 200m.

Alma has a bit more depth, but more of the distance concentration. Both Thomas Larson and Ezekiel Baltierra will feature often, both individually and on their relays, which will need to score points. The Panthers have a bit more depth than Harper Woods, bringing Brayden Trumen in as a potential point-scorer in the high jump and Brendan Francisco the same in the 400m.

Both Flint Powers and Frankenmuth will be bringing busloads of athletes to Hamilton. Each team qualified all four of their relays and it appears that seven of those eight could rack up serious points. Grant Roberts will headline the Charger lineup, coming in as the #2 seed in the 200m, #6 in the 100m, and a prominent feature of their burgeoning sprint relays. And don’t you forget, these Flint boys were victorious on the cross course in the fall. That has to mean something. Frankenmuth is a bit more diverse in their numbers, qualifying Avery Simmons in the shot put and Brendan DeRocher in the pole vault, each capable of giving their Eagles an advantage early in the day.

As always, relays will play a large role in determining the outcome. All four of ‘em have three of these teams, three of the four have three teams capable of scoring. A bit unique to this division and gender is the role of the longer distance races. Alma, Frankenmuth, and Flint Powers all stand to gain points in the 1600m and 3200m. If other outstanding D2 distance kids populate the medal stand, odds will increase for Harper Woods.

In the girls group, I once again find four teams separated from the field, split into groups of two.

At the front, you’ve got Dearborn Divine Child and Stevensville Lakeshore.

Aubrey Wilson is as much of a sure thing that a team can ask for. She’s now a junior, and in her two prior appearances at Hamilton, she’s been a part of 29 and 30 points, respectively. Coming up under her wing is one of the better athletes in the division and perhaps the best freshwoman in the state, Jordane Falvey. In the long jump, Falvey has leapt over 17’ seemingly all year and in the 400m, just popped a second+ PR, clearly unfazed by the long season.

Lakeshore can point to a few more names, such as Kate Ort, Lucy Cross, Leigha Whitman, and Abbie Luckman. All four should be able to tally up solid points in their respective events, then come together in the relays. This Lancer outfit has won all year, victorious as the smaller school against D1 foes at Don Lukens and in the SMAC, still on top against their D2 brethren in Region 14.

Going about in different ways are two coastal teams, Holland Christian and Spring Lake. The Lakers have the firepower, with Macy Subka as perhaps the best hurdler in the division and Coa Parker following in her sister’s footsteps as a prominent distance girl. Both girls, along with Meghan Guczwa, play roles in their 4×2 and/or 4×4, two teams that can cross the line in first. The Maroons have potential points all over the place. Seeded barely outside the top-8 are many HC girls, in events ranging from the 800m to the 3200m, Discus to Shot Put to High Jump. Lest you forget, this deep distance squad was hoisting a trophy in November and deep track squad did the same just last week at Team State.

INTRIGUING BATTLES

Boys 100m – where it might take 10.80 just to make the final. The 8th fastest mark of any D2 100m boy sprinter is 10.79 and 27 boys are listed at 11.00 and below. Whatever it is, there will be new blood, as the top-3 slots from 2025 were taken by seniors. Could it be Porter Westdorp, the highest-ranking returner? Or DeAndre Bidden and Nolan Cullens with the fastest times in the division? Or Austin Langeland, who popped a 10.69 into a headwind to capture Region 12?

Boys 1600m – a few weeks back, the waters were muddy. Though as time passes, more clarity is being gained. That vision came to fruition at Saturday’s Distance Night Under the Lights, where a pair of Alma boys, Thomas Larson and Ezekiel Baltierra set themselves above the rest of their D2 brethren, running 4:12 and 4:13. They will be challenged, as Ryan Good is a terrifying opponent, one that can negative split a 1:50 for 800m.

Girls 4×4 – which could be the deciding factor in a team trophy. Both Stevensville Lakeshore and Spring Lake have teams capable of winning a title, both occupy the top-2 seeds in the event. Spring Lake has only run their combo of Meghan Guczwa, Cora Parker, Kayleigh Clark, and Macy Subka on one occasion, hitting an EQ at East Kentwood. The Lakeshore quartet of Kate Ort, Abbie Luckman, Lucy Cross, and Rorie Tippetts has passed the baton around a few times, winning both in the SMAC and in Region 14. The top-end speed, speed endurance, and mid-distance ability is all there, with each team featuring sub-27, sub-59, and sub-2:16 girls. Expect these two to push each other well under 4-flat.

Girls 4×8 – three teams have separated themselves from the field – Holland Christian, Sturgis, and Cadillac. Sturgis has established a track tradition as of late, winning a state title, being a force in the sprints and jumps. Their distance program is coming along, anchored by Berkley Holtz, but speedy throughout, laying down a 9:25 to win their Wolverine Conference. Which was a mark that was slightly bested that same from a Maroon squad made of up of their top XC performers. I love the wide-ranging exploits of the HC 4×8 squad, with two girls sub-2:20 in the 800m, a 400m specialist in Annika Stob, and a 3200m specialist such as Ellery Lampen. But neither of these two quartets have matched the fastest time in D2, which is held by Cadillac. Thus far in 2026, the Vikings have put four girls sub-2:25, 5:30, and 11:45. A well-rounded distance crew with the firepower to bring home the gold.

Girls High Jump – the top-8 girls have seasons bests ranging from 5’ 5” to 5’ 4”. Someone’s gonna have to go beyond their comfort zone to win this, else we’ve got a convoluted mess of misses.

Girls Long Jump – an area where the girls have kept pushing the needle. The first 18-footer of the season occurred back in late March, the phenom freshman Jordane Falvey leaping to a 18’ 0” at the Jim Gardiner Invite. Defending D2 Champion Leigha Whitman screamed back a few weeks later to take the division lead, but was later replaced by another Divine Child girl, the multi-talented Aubrey Wilson. These three have been joined in the 18’s by Sadie Dykstra, looking to earn back the title and add it to the 2024 one in her portfolio. Recently joining the group in the 18’s is 2024 All-Stater and all around jumping extraordinaire, Bella Friddle.

STATE RECORD BREAKERS?

Last year, Ben Goran set on this path, clearing 15’, attaining the 9th grade class record in the vault. The trajectory has risen up even further, as Goran’s 16’ 5” to win Region 12 eclipsed the sophomore class record by nearly a foot. Trevor Stephenson’s 16’ 9.5” looms a few inches ahead, and Goran on this course? Could be any day now.

Declin Doroh has had barriers on his mind all year, what’s another one? Clearing 6’ 10” in mid-April, the thought of a 7’+ high jump must have permeated his brain for the past month. With his season nearing an end and opportunities lessening, Doroh has made the most of his chances, inching up to 6’ 11” to win the SMAC and 7’ 0” to win Region 14. 2” in a month with another 2.25” to go.

Aubrey Wilson is inching closer and closer to the 100m record, an 11.37 set by Shayla Mahan back in 2007. With the exception of one prelim in early May, Wilson has been in the 11’s all year. Come championship time, she’s busted out a 11.54 to win the CHSL and a 11.55 to win Region 17, the former of which a wind-legal mark and the latter barely too much wind. Two tenths of a second is still a sizable gap, but not insurmountable given that our weather has been less than sprint friendly.

Three seconds is a tiny bit of a gap, but if one watches Eliza Schwass race, one can foresee records being etched in her name. Schwass’s 4:40 was impressive enough, but the method she took to get there left many in wonder. Schwass split around 3:34-35, then closed in a fiery 65-66. I’m not sure an evenly-paced race with runners to push her will happen here, but in that environment, expect a run well into the 4:30’s.

DISTANCE PREDICTIONS

Come on, you knew I had to impart some of my own guesses for my distance kids. I’ve been making those early qualifier posts, calculating rankings, announcing meets, but I haven’t had the chance to predict and project. These are purely vibes-based, no complex formulae like in XC. And with the caveat that I really appreciate you all – none of this is personal. I’ll be hopping around from Kent City to Rockford to Hudsonville to Hamilton, but if you do prove these wrong and respectively want to let me have it, you know where to find me.

Boys 4×8

  1. Grand Rapids Christian
  2. Whitehall
  3. Saginaw Swan Valley
  4. Flint Powers Catholic
  5. Muskegon Oakridge
  6. Frankenmuth
  7. Alma
  8. East Grand Rapids

Boys 1600m

  1. Thomas Larson
  2. Ryan Good
  3. Ezekiel Baltierra
  4. Brett Magnus
  5. Lennox Naswell
  6. Moises Salazar Jr.
  7. Nick Parker
  8. Sean Ryan

Boys 800m

  1. Ryan Good
  2. Ben Romero
  3. Jacob Hylton
  4. Duncan Palmer
  5. Thomas Larson
  6. Ryder Stipanovich
  7. Cole Wisniewski
  8. Seth Randall

Boys 3200m

  1. Robert Jazwinski III
  2. Moises Salazar Jr.
  3. Mitchell Dunlap
  4. Aden Ashworth
  5. Brett Magnus
  6. Thomas Larson
  7. Owen Metzger
  8. Jacob Stanislawski

Girls 4×8

  1. Sturgis
  2. Cadillac
  3. Holland Christian
  4. Grand Rapids South Christian
  5. Stevensville Lakeshore
  6. Pinckney
  7. Coopersville
  8. Linden

Girls 1600m

  1. Eliza Schwass
  2. Jaelyn Ray
  3. Ava Schafer
  4. Ayda Skeels
  5. Ella McInerney
  6. Kayla Shellenbarger
  7. Remie Ellis
  8. Ana Lovell

Girls 800m

  1. Eliza Schwass
  2. Kate Ort
  3. Kayla Shellenbarger
  4. Cora Parker
  5. Chloe Rinzema
  6. Abbie Luckman
  7. Elliana Hufton
  8. Ella McInerney

Girls 3200m

  1. Katie Berkshire
  2. Jaelyn Ray
  3. Ava Schafer
  4. Eliza Schwass
  5. Caroline Randall
  6. Elise Barden
  7. Mia May
  8. Alivia Ottinger
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