Tuesday May 20, 2008, 10:35 AM
Sparta's girls track team couldn't quite catch Forest Hills Northern in last Saturday's regional.
But the Spartans' solid showing was good enough for a second-place finish at their own regional with 107 and 2/3 points, finishing almost 22 points behind the Huskies' 129. The Spartans enjoyed some outstanding personal performances, including that of resilient senior long jumper Megan Vanderhyde.
Vanderhyde's brother was slated to get married last Saturday during the regional meet. So Vanderhyde competed in the shot put, where she took fifth, and she made her first two jumps in the long jump before leaving to attend her brother's wedding across the street. Later she returned in time to make her third and final jump and win the event and qualify for state with a mark of 16 feet, one-and-one-half inches.
The Spartans had two pole vaulters qualify: junior Lydia Reyburn with her second-place jump of 9-3, and freshman Halley Love jumped nine feet as the extra qualifier. Also qualifying was the second-place 800-meter relay team of sophomore Chelsea Andrews, sophomore Andrea Kober, sophomore Stephanie Hull and freshman Chelsea Love.
Kober also took third in the high hurdles and was second for a state-qualifier in the low hurdles.
The Spartans are coming off an unbeaten season in the O-K Blue and are looking forward to the state meet on May 31st. Coach Adam Pfeffer and the Spartans are also hoping for a bid to this Saturday's MITCA team state meet in Jenison.
"For most of the team this will be our last meet except for the state qualifiers," said Pfeffer. "We have a good all-around team and we should do well there. So hopefully we'll get a bid there."