KENTWOOD, Mich. — It was a day of fast times and broken records at East Kentwood High School on Saturday as the best boys track and field athletes across Michigan competed in the Division 1 MHSAA state finals.

The most impressive record of the day came from Belleville senior Will Jaiden Smith — and he only started hurdling last season.

Smith’s time of 13.35 broke the all-time state record in the event, besting the previous record of 13.48 set by Thomas Wilcher back in 1982.

“It feels great,” Smith said. “I worked for this since last year. Last year, I got fourth and that was my first year hurdling. I called it last night. I said 13.35. You see the board right now? 13.35 right there, so it’s well deserved. I want to thank my coach and I want to thank all my teammates. They pushed me to this.”

Despite the fast time, Smith’s victory was in question at the finish line because he battled teammate Schmar Gamble, a junior, all the way to the end as he finished with a time of 13.36.

On top of that, senior teammate Timothy Pinard finished fourth with another sub-14 time of 13.82. It was Rochester Adams senior Michael Wilkerson who broke up a Belleville sweep with a time of 13.78 in third.

“I love all of it,” Smith said. “All my teammates going 13. My coach (is) the first coach ever in Michigan history to coach three in the same race all go under 14 seconds. I love it. It’s great.”

The dominance by Belleville in the 110 hurdles was a microcosim of the meet as a whole as Belleville claimed its first track and field state championship in school history with 57 points.

Belleville coach Candice Price knew she could count on her star hurdlers to come through.

“No pun intended, Will was willing to go out there and show out (and) Shamar, who’s loved this sport forever.” Belleville coach Candice Price said. “The real star was somebody like Timothy Pinard, who sat out his junior year and had never been to a state meet. His PR was 15 seconds (before this year) and he ran 13.82 today.

“I knew my big guys wanted to perform. They want scholarships, they want follow backs from from LSU and all those big things. But today, I saw them executing and I didn’t see the times until people started texting me… For them to come out here and perform, it was magical.”

After finishing third last year but just three points behind first place, Belleville left no doubt this season by being 12 points clear of the 35 points for runner-up Northville.

In just her third season as Belleville’s coach, Price also became the first woman head coach to win a boys track and field state championship.

“I was a champion and I was bred to be a champion,” Price said. “But I knew I had to make them believe they could be champions.”

Along with Smith’s record-setting win in the 110 hurdles, he also won the 300-meter hurdles in 37.79 and placed fifth in the 200 with a time of 21.65.

Smith and Gamble were also part of the champion 4×100 team as they joined Ray-mond Smith and Peyton Trammer to run 41.85. Gamble claimed another title in the 4×200 with Pinard, Trammer and JeVon Martin with a time of 1:26.50.

Price was a three-time individual state champion in the 100-meter hurdles from 2001-2003 to as a member of two state championship teams for Ann Arbor Pioneer. Known as Candice Davis back then, she held the 100-meter hurdle state record time of 13.66 for 14 years before it was first broken in 2017.

Although she initially wanted to coach for Pioneer or Ann Arbor Huron in some capacity, the opportunity eventually presented itself at Belleville. She joined the football staff and took the head position with the boys track team. The rest is history.

Price said she is grateful for the belief and support the Belleville community has given her. While Price was ready to coach the sport she thrived in, she had to learn the personal sacrifices of opening weight rooms at 5 a.m., making sure she had snacks for her athletes who were hungry at practice.

Meanwhile, people were watching her children so Price could have a chance to build a culture of her own at Belleville.

“I was like, if I can just get these football guys to understand that explosion and speed that’s going to take them to college — guys like Elija Dotson (a University of Michigan football freshman) believed in me… it’s magical.”

GASH CLAIMS 100-METER TITLE IN FIRST SEASON

Samson Gash said he had heard so many people tell him how fast he was on a football field. Because of hip injuries during his freshman and sophomore track seasons, Gash never had a chance to prove how fast he was.

Gash proved he was fast, indeed, on Saturday. In fact, he proved he was faster than everyone else.

Gash, a junior, capped his first full track season with Detroit Catholic Central by winning the 100-meter dash in a time of 10.41, which set a new all-division MHSAA state finals record.

Gash surpassed the old record of 10.44 set by Clint Allen of Muskegon Orchard View in 2006. While a time of 10.4 still exists in the MHSAA finals record books — set by Jackson’s Corey Pryor in 1987 — that time was recorded by electronic timing.

“I mean, it feels good,” Gash said. “Just all credit to my coaches and stuff like that. They’re just pouring into me every single day and my teammates are pushing me and really supporting me.”

The win was also against one of the fastest fields in state history as Novi’s Chance McNeill narrowly lost to Gash with a time of 10.42. Jeremy Dixon, the defending state champion, was third in 10.45.

“I was talking with those guys and they’re great dudes,” Gash said of his competition. “They were congratulating me and wishing me luck. They’re great runners, for sure.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM

Beverly Hills Groves senior Ray Glory Ejoyokah couldn’t have cut it any closer.

With one throw left in the opening round of the discus event, Glory Ejoyokah had yet to land a disc within the throwing boundaries and was at risk of leaving states as a senior without a measurable distance.

As the top seed entering competition, Glory Ejoyokah managed to chuck a mark of 179-feet-3 on his final throw of the opening round to advance to the finals.

The only issue with that was Midland senior Maxwell Stoecker also threw exactly 179-feet-3 and it came down to who had the next-best throw. That turned out to Glory Ejoyokah as his first throw of the final round was 170-6. Stoecker gave a strong effort in the final round but he couldn’t match his opponent with a mark of 168-feet-7.

After fouling on his first two throws at states last year, its clear Glory Ejoyokah has found a way to thrive among drama.

“I’m happy to end this way,” Glory Ejoyokah said. “I was on my toes. My mind was all over the place. It was really just straight work. I’m really just blessed to be in this position.”

After winning his state title, Glory Ejoyokah had one message he wanted to share:

“Happy birthday to my mom,” he said.

NORTHVILLE MAKES HISTORY IN 4×800

Northville became the first time in D1 finals history to win four consecutive championships in the 4×800-meter relay. The team of senior Rece Grezak, junior Ryan Stojov, senior Ethan Powell and junior Ben Hartigan battled with Clarkston throughout the entirety of the race.

After Clarkston’s sophomore stud Wendell Childs opened the race with the lead and a split of 1:53.25, Stojov closed the gap for Northville and even took the lead by the end of his leg by splitting 1:53.94.

“My job was to try and get the baton and stick near him in eyesight as close as I can and not go out too fast and burn all of my energy,” Stojov said. “Just slowly chip away at it.”

Powell ran a 1:56.60 on the third leg but held a narrow deficit after Clarkston’s Cayden DeGrendel ran a 1:56.27 going into the final exchange.

That’s when Hartigan took over and closed in 1:53.53 to edge Clarkston with a winning time of 7:41.24 while Clarkston was close behind in 7:42.90.

“I lost my leg but I was able to keep it close,” Powell said. “Ben was just able to bring it home.”

SOPHOMORES BATTLE IN DRAMATIC 1600

The 1600-meter run came down to a battle of sophomores who are familiar foes as Luka Hammond of Grand Haven clocked a time of 4:09.69 to edge Caden Livermore of Grandville, who finished second in 4:10.17.

Livermore had beaten Hammond at the region championships and again at the Distance Night Under the Lights at Houseman Field meet a week prior to states.

This time, however, Hammond got the win when it mattered most.

“Last hundred, I just ran as hard as I could,” said Hammond, who also recorded a new personal-best time in the process.

DIXON GETS REDEMPTION IN 200

Despite setting a new personal-best of 10.45 seconds in the 100-meter dash, Kalamazoo Central’s Jeremy Dixon failed to defend his title in the event with a third-place finish.

Yet, Dixon made up for the disappointment by winning the 200-meter in 21.11. Novi’s Chance McNeill was only a hundredth of a second behind in second with a 21.12.

“I was really running with determination,” Dixon said. “I felt like I had it, but it was super close though. I just wanted to be sure and look at the scoreboard, but it was super close… It feels great. Nothing like it.”

CROOKS STEALS A TITLE

Ann Arbor Pioneer junior Beckett Crooks could hardly believe it when he crossed the finish line as the state champion in the 3200-meter run. Not many others could believe it too.

After all, Crooks had never qualified for the state championships as a freshman or sophomore. Despite it being his first state championship experience, Crooks shocked everyone with massive personal best of 9:00.80 to win the title with a furious kick in the final 200 meters.

“I did not think it was going to happen,” Crooks said. “I was just going to stay third with my seed time and I did not think I was going to win it.”

His previous best before the race was 9:11.25. However, he has never broken 9:26 in all of his other races.

Crooks kicked past Milford junior Kyle O’Rourke, who finished in 9:06.54. Crooks’ sophomore teammate, Kamari Ronfeldt, was third in 9:08.99.

“It felt awful,” Crooks said of his final 200 meters. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was definitely worth it.”

DIVISION 1 ALL-STATE

100 Meters D1 – Finals

Place, Name, Result (Wind), School

1, 11, Samson Gash, 10.41a (1.4)PR, Detroit Catholic Central

2, 11, Chance McNeill, 10.42a (1.4), Novi

3, 12, Jeremy Dixon, 10.45a (1.4)PR, Kalamazoo Central

4, 12, Noah Sanders, 10.68a (1.4), Beverly Hills Groves

5, 12, Jason Hamilton II, 10.70a (1.4), Troy

6, 11, Brody Kelsey, 10.71a (1.4), Utica Eisenhower

7, 12, Carson Guysi, 10.71a (1.4)PR, Hudsonville

8, 10, Keiavion Korenstra, 10.72a (1.4)PR, Grand Haven

100 Meters D1 Adaptive – Finals

1, 9, Cooper Shain, 15.56a (2.6)PR, Macomb L’Anse Creuse North

2, 10, Owen Moerdyke, 16.38a (2.6)PR, South Lyon

3, 12, Luke Bowman, 19.74a (2.6)SR, New Baltimore Anchor Bay

4, 10, Liam Nolan, 1:04.25a (2.6)PR, FHN GR Forest Hills Nort…

200 Meters D1 – Finals

1, 12, Jeremy Dixon, 21.11a (1.6), Kalamazoo Central

2, 11, Chance McNeill, 21.12a (1.6), Novi

3, 11, Samson Gash, 21.36a (1.6)PR, Detroit Catholic Central

4, 12, Jason Hamilton II, 21.59a (1.6), Troy

5, 12, Will (Jaiden) Smith, 21.65a (1.6), Belleville

6, 10, Andrew Willemsen, 21.67a (1.6), Grand Haven

7, 10, Kane Morris, 21.67a (1.6)PR, Portage Northern

8, 12, Devin James, 21.79a (1.6), West Bloomfield

9, 11, Rondre Austion, 22.13a (1.6), Oak Park

200 Meters D1 Adaptive – Finals

1, 9, Cooper Shain, 34.22a (1.2), Macomb L’Anse Creuse Nor…

2, 10, Owen Moerdyke, 34.35a (1.2), South Lyon

3, 12, Luke Bowman, 36.98a (1.2)SR, New Baltimore Anchor Bay

400 Meters D1 – Finals

1, 12, Brody Leyendecker, 47.96aPR, Byron Center

2, 11, Rodney Endsley, 48.22a, Walled Lake Western

3, 11, Kinley Poole, 48.51a, Ann Arbor Huron

4, 11, Rondre Austion, 48.62a, Oak Park

5, 12, Demari Caldwell, 48.84a, Oak Park

6, 11, Nick Coleman, 49.08aPR, Saginaw Heritage

7, 10, Caleb Ross, 49.15aPR, East Lansing

8, 12, Aydan Myers, 49.16a, Detroit Cass Tech

400 Meters D1 Adaptive – Finals

1, 12, Luke Bowman, 1:15.91a, New Baltimore Anchor Bay

2, 9, Cooper Shain, 1:16.09aPR, Macomb L’Anse Creuse North

3, 10, Owen Moerdyke, 1:29.63aPR, South Lyon

800 Meters D1 – Finals

1, 10, Wendell Childs, 1:50.71aPR, Clarkston

2, 11, Greg Myers, 1:51.36aPR, Ypsilanti Lincoln

3, 12, Caden Karcher, 1:54.79aPR, Rockford

4, 12, Rece Grezak, 1:55.14aPR, Northville

5, 12, Logan Mullan, 1:55.29aPR, Northville

6, 11, Preston VanOeffelen, 1:55.30aPR, Greenville

7, 10, Maddi Duke, 1:56.16a, Temperance Bedford

8, 11, Ryan Stojov, 1:56.97a, Northville

1600 Meters D1 – Finals

1, 10, Luka Hammond, 4:09.69aPR, Grand Haven

2, 10, Caden Livermore, 4:10.17a, Grandville

3, 11, Jackson Lam, 4:14.24a, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix

4, 12, Jack Chadwick, 4:18.95a, Plymouth

5, 11, Ryan Stojov, 4:19.31a, Northville

6, 12, Ben Mussen, 4:19.62a, Plymouth

7, 9, Lucas Mullan, 4:19.89a, Northville

8, 10, Liam Wierzba, 4:21.22a, Traverse City West

3200 Meters D1 – Finals

1, 11, Beckett Crooks, 9:00.80aPR, Ann Arbor Pioneer

2, 11, Kyle O’Rourke, 9:06.54a, Highland-Milford

3, 10, Kamari Ronfeldt, 9:08.99aPR, Ann Arbor Pioneer

4, 12, Seth Conner, 9:09.72aPR, Jenison

5, 10, Jack MacGregor, 9:13.24aPR, Howell

6, 10, Brandon Cloud, 9:13.81aPR, Northville

7, 12, Taye Levenson, 9:19.41a, Bloomfield Hills

8, 12, Ethan Powell, 9:22.52aSR, Northville

110m Hurdles – 39″ D1 – Finals

1, 12, Will (Jaiden) Smith, 13.35a (2.0)PR, Belleville

2, 11, Schmar Gamble, 13.36a (2.0)PR, Belleville

3, 12, Michael Wilkerson, 13.78a (2.0)PR, Rochester Adams

4, 12, Timothy Pinard, 13.82a (2.0)PR, Belleville

5, 10, Shukuru Makechi, 14.13a (2.0)PR, East Kentwood

6, 12, Jonah Konarz, 14.32a (2.0)PR, New Baltimore Anchor Bay

7, 12, Angelo Finnie Jr., 14.42a (2.0)PR, West Bloomfield

8, 12, Michael Piggee Jr., 14.48a (2.0)SR, Muskegon

300m Hurdles – 36″ D1 – Finals

1, 12, Will (Jaiden) Smith, 37.79a, Belleville

2, 11, Caleb Washington, 37.91aPR, Detroit Catholic Central

3, 12, Phillip Burney, 38.48aPR, Oak Park

4, 12, Ashton Brann, 38.53a, Ann Arbor Huron

5, 11, Mason Darke, 38.65a, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer

6, 12, Michael Wilkerson, 38.72a, Rochester Adams

7, 10, Shukuru Makechi, 38.95aPR, East Kentwood

8, 11, William Patterson, 38.98a, Detroit Catholic Central

4×100 Relay D1 – Finals

1, 12, Ray-mond Smith, 41.85a, Belleville – A

, 12, Will (Jaiden) Smith

, 11, Peyton Trammer

, 11, Schmar Gamble

2, 10, Andrew Willemsen, 41.88a, Grand Haven – A

, 10, Keiavion Korenstra

, 12, Will Korenstra

, 12, Alex Dixon

3, 12, Kyle Mark, 42.14a, Hudsonville – A

, 12, Markel Chatman

, 12, Ty Ykema

, 12, Carson Guysi

4, 11, Ronnie Hill, 42.22a, Sterling Heights Stevens…

, 11, Landon Porter

, 12, David Keel

, 10, John Taylor

5, 10, Elijah Trombley, 42.23a, TC Central (Traverse Cit…

, 12, Asher Paul

, 11, Carter Gle

, 12, Scott Goodwin

6, 11, Reece Pippin, 42.28a, Novi – A

, 9, Trent Jackson-McGowan

, 12, Noah Munji

, 11, Chance McNeill

7, 11, Melvin Messan, 42.30a, Portage Northern – A

, 12, Vaughnzell Tyus

, 12, Ryan Mauwa

, 11, Ty Oaks

8, 11, Samson Gash, 42.31a, Detroit Catholic Central…

, 11, Dylan Gamnje

, 11, William Patterson

, 11, Caleb Washington

4×200 Relay D1 – Finals

1, 11, Schmar Gamble, 1:26.50a, Belleville – A

, 11, Peyton Trammer

, 12, JeVon Martin

, 12, Timothy Pinard

2, 10, Andrew Willemsen, 1:26.85a, Grand Haven – A

, 10, Keiavion Korenstra

, 12, Alex Dixon

, 12, Ethan Hoffmeyer

3, 12, Xavier James, 1:27.03a, Brighton – A

, 12, Sam Meriweather

, 11, Brayden Platt

, 12, Luke Bellino

4, 11, Curtis Whitfield, 1:27.10a, Kalamazoo Central – A

, 11, Jeremiah Marshall

, 12, Maurice Streeter

, 12, Jeremy Dixon

5, 12, Kyle Mark, 1:27.19a, Hudsonville – A

, 12, Markel Chatman

, 12, Carson Dykstra

, 12, Carson Guysi

6, 11, Rondre Austion, 1:27.21a, Oak Park – A

, 10, Alex Patterson

, 12, Phillip Burney

, 12, Demari Caldwell

7, 11, Cooper Mitchell, 1:27.34a, Byron Center – A

, 10, Connor Nealon

, 12, Parker Holford

, 12, Brody Leyendecker

8, 12, Kayson Legg, 1:27.52a, Walled Lake Western – A

, 10, Timon Dogan

, 12, Troy Temple

, 11, Rodney Endsley

4×400 Relay D1 – Finals

1, 12, Phillip Burney, 3:15.52a, Oak Park – A

, 12, Demari Caldwell

, 10, Alex Patterson

, 11, Rondre Austion

2, 11, Cooper Mitchell, 3:16.19a, Byron Center – A

, 12, Xavier McCallum

, 12, Blake Teunissen

, 12, Brody Leyendecker

3, 12, Ashton Brann, 3:16.85a, Ann Arbor Huron – A

, 12, Chase Lockhart

, 10, Nolan Prevost

, 11, Kinley Poole

4, 11, Ben Hartigan, 3:17.85a, Northville – A

, 11, Reece Mooradian

, 12, Haithem Al-Zoubi

, 12, Rece Grezak

5, 12, Julian Farrell, 3:20.06a, Troy Athens – A

, 12, Myles Linden

, 11, Tony Jordan

, 10, Ethan Bieniek

6, 12, Angelo Finnie Jr., 3:22.44a, West Bloomfield – A

, 12, Raymond Crawford

, 12, Julian Brenner

, 12, Devin James

7, 9, Jack Walden, 3:22.67a, Saline – A

, 10, Cruz Hanson

, 9, Wes Rogan

, 9, Chanon Palmer

8, 11, Hank Hornung, 3:22.69a, Clarkston – A

, 12, Micah Chaney

, 12, Gabe Van Goor

, 10, Wendell Childs

4×800 Relay D1 – Finals

1, 12, Rece Grezak, 7:41.24a, Northville – A

, 11, Ryan Stojov

, 12, Ethan Powell

, 11, Ben Hartigan

2, 10, Wendell Childs, 7:42.90a, Clarkston – A

, 12, Jaxson Nowik

, 12, Cayden DeGrendel

, 12, Joshua Ellingsworth

3, 12, Brady Millington, 7:49.08a, Brighton – A

, 11, Zach Wyderko

, 12, Elijah Forbord

, 10, Blake Kulesza

4, 11, Quinn Davis, 7:49.83a, Ann Arbor Pioneer – A

, 11, Beckett Crooks

, 11, Theo Sacks-Thomas

, 10, Kamari Ronfeldt

5, 11, Adrian Clarke, 7:50.74a, Plymouth – A

, 12, Ben Mussen

, 11, Lucas LaPointe

, 12, Jack Chadwick

6, 9, Oskar MacArthur, 7:51.72a, Ann Arbor Skyline – A

, 11, Adam Repp

, 11, Zeke Lafferty

, 11, Kyle Krasan

7, 9, Wes Rogan, 7:53.16a, Saline – A

, 12, Collin Eckermann

, 10, Carter Mitton

, 12, Saman Meshinchi

8, 11, Aron Gal, 7:54.03a, Grand Haven – A

, 11, Liam Schamper

, 12, Ben Eisnor

, 10, Luka Hammond

Shot Put – 12lb D1 – Finals

1, 12, Garrod Alexander, 64′ 1.25″, Walled Lake Central

2, 12, Maxwell Stoecker, 58′ 10.25″, Midland

3, 12, Dominic Weatherly, 58′ 9″PR, Harrison Twp. L’Anse Cre…

4, 12, Grayson Byam, 55′ 4.75″PR, Saginaw Heritage

5, 12, Spencer Beckeman, 54′ 3.5″, Rochester Hills Stoney C…

6, 12, Hudson Pant, 54′ 3″SR, Cedar Springs

7, 11, Christopher Brownlee, 53′ 8.25″PR, Swartz Creek

8, 12, Liam Takace, 53′ 6.75″, Portage Central

Shot Put – 12lb D1 Adaptive – Finals

1, 12, Luke Bowman, 20′ 3.25″, New Baltimore Anchor Bay

2, 9, Cooper Shain, 13′ 2″PR, Macomb L’Anse Creuse Nor…

Discus – 1.6kg D1 – Finals

1, 12, Ray Glory Ejoyokah, 179′ 3″, Beverly Hills Groves

2, 12, Maxwell Stoecker, 179′ 3″PR, Midland

3, 12, Conrad Squitieri, 172′ 0″, Grosse Pointe South

4, 12, Ty Ellis, 171′ 2″, Grand Ledge

5, 11, Cameron Gramzow, 170′ 7″, New Baltimore Anchor Bay

6, 12, Dominic Weatherly, 168′ 4″, Harrison Twp. L’Anse Cre…

7, 11, Andre Neumann, 165′ 7″, White Lake Lakeland

8, 12, Dewayne Williams III, 163′ 3″PR, Warren DeLaSalle

High Jump D1 – Finals

1, 12, Giovanni Charles, 6′ 8″, Walled Lake Central

2, 12, Zechariah Jones, 6′ 6″PR, Grand Ledge

3, 11, Drelen Lillard, 6′ 6″PR, Novi

4, 12, Deon Robertson, 6′ 6″, Woodhaven Brownstown

5, 10, Blake Jones, 6′ 6″PR, Saginaw United

6, 12, Sam Abdalla, 6′ 3″, FHN GR Forest Hills Nort…

6, 12, Liam Bell, 6′ 3″PR, Highland-Milford

8, 12, Alexander Emory, 6′ 3″, Wyandotte Roosevelt

Pole Vault D1 – Finals

1, 11, Reece Emeott, 16′ 0″PR, East Kentwood

2, 10, Grady Myers, 15′ 3″PR, FHN GR Forest Hills Nort…

3, 11, Sean Cinzori, 15′ 3″, Plymouth

4, 12, Asher Paul, 15′ 0″, TC Central (Traverse Cit…

5, 11, Ben Lievense, 14′ 9″PR, Salem

6, 12, Odin Gulledge, 14′ 6″, Novi

7, 12, Trevor Boyer, 14′ 6″PR, Greenville

8, 12, Daniel Scott, 14′ 6″PR, Greenville

Long Jump D1 – Finals

1, 12, Quincy Isaac, 24′ 11.5″ (-0.8), Canton

2, 12, Nick Henson, 22′ 8.75″ (1.4)PR, Woodhaven Brownstown

3, 11, Jhavon Alexander, 22′ 8.5″ (1.3), East Kentwood

4, 12, Trey Sloothaak, 22′ 4.75″ (-0.1), Zeeland West

5, 11, Jeremiah Armstrong, 22′ 1.75″ (1.5)PR, Ann Arbor Huron

6, 11, Michael Aimery, 22′ 0.25″ (0.3), Holt

7, 12, Carson Guysi, 21′ 11.75″ (0.8), Hudsonville

8, 10, Ryan Varner, 21′ 11.75″ (0.0), Utica Eisenhower