By Jared Purcell | japurcell@mlive.com | Posted June 02, 2018 at 09:08 PM | Updated June 02, 2018 at 09:53 PM

Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

East Kentwood defends title with field effort

KENTWOOD, Mich. -- East Kentwood coach Dave Emeott joked that he might need to change the boys program's name to "East Kentwood Field and Track" instead of the usual "track and field" moniker after the Falcons claimed the Division 1 state championship on Saturday on its home turf.

With three of its athletes scoring in the pole vault, two scoring in each the shot put and long jump, East Kentwood piled on 35 of its 61 points in the field to claim its second-straight team title. Ann Arbor Pioneer was second with 39 points.

MORE: Division 1 photo gallery

Traditionally a team that dominates in the running events, East Kentwood coach Dave Emeott was happy to see the field events shine.

"Weird year for us," Emeott said. "The 100, 200, 400, 800, 3200, 1600 -- none of it. That doesn't happen at East Kentwood very often but its cool to do it in a different way."

Leading the way in the field events was senior Trevor Stephenson in the pole vault, who cleared a new all-division state championship record with a vault of 16 feet 9.5 inches, besting the previous Division 1 mark by 7.2 inches and the previous overall record by 3.5 inches.

Sophomore Colton Emeott placed fifth in the pole vault (14-6) while junior Jacob Mirandette took eighth (14-0).

In the shot put, junior Logan Brown placed first with a throw of 57-1.75, besting the rest of the field by over four feet. Junior Mazi Smith also placed in eighth (50-2.75). Junior Stephan Bracey placed third in the long jump (23-0.25) while Colton Emeott joined him in sixth (22-4.24).

In 110 meter hurdles, senior Job Mayhue finsihed in first with a time of 13.99 into a slight headwind while senior teammate Isaiah Jackson finished in fifth with a time of 14.94.

The only other running events that the Falcons scored in were the 4x100 and 4x200. The team of Bracey, Jacobie Welch, Jonnique Dukes and Junior Hie took third in the 4x100 (42.58) while Bracey, Welch and Hie teammed up with Michael Ostuno in the 4x200 (1:27.46) to take third as well.

Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Cole Johnson puts on a thrilling show -- again

After winning the 1600 meter in comeback fashion last year with a time of 4:08.60, Rockford senior Cole Johnson had an even more thrilling race this time around.

After leading through the first half of the race, Johnson fell behind Saline senior Anthony DeKraker and Ann Arbor Pioneer junior Nick Foster with one lap to go in the four-lap race. Johnson did everything he could to stay within striking distance, however, Foster put on a big surge with 200 meters to go and opened a lead into the final home stretch.

Yet, Johnson had no plans to relinquish his crown.

With an astonishing kick in the final 100 meters, Johnson was able to just edge out Foster for the title as the two finished with times of 4:08.47 and 4:08.64, respectively.

"Winning the mile in Michigan is very prestigious so that's what kind of kept me going as I got passed on that last lap," Johnson said.

Hoping to lead from start to finish, Johnson didn't want a tactical race. However, if it came to it he could rely on his kick. With a PR in the 400 in the 49-second range, Johnson's speed was enough to save him.

In fact, his kick saved him twice.

Johnson was in about fifth place in the 800 heading into the final lap. Once again, however, Johnson dropped the hammer in the final 100 meters to cruise past everyone for a winning time of 1:53.11.

"I was pretty comfortable," Johnson said about his status halfway through the race. "One lap to go, I'm in the 800 and I've been there three times now in the state finals ... I was comfortable on the outside for sure this time. I had to swing pretty wide on the final kick but I had it in me. I found it."

Rockford track star Cole Johnson reflects on his stellar high school career after winning the 1600 (4:08.47) and 800 (1:53.11) at the MHSAA Division 1 state ...

Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Donnie James sets the track on fire

Oak Park senior Donnie James walked onto the East Kentwood track for the MHSAA Division 1 state championships looking to win the 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes. Although he fell four hundredths of a second short of the title in the 100 with a time of 10.70, he still claimed incredible winning times in the 200 and 400.

His 200 time of 21.20 is a new Division 1 championship record but he was pushed all the way to the finish line by Ypsilanti Lincoln junior Mathew Moorer who finished with a time of 21.25 -- just 0.01 off of the previous record set by East Kentwood's Khance Meyers two years ago.

"At first, at the beginning of the year, I really didn't do the 200," James said. "It was always just the 4x200 ... Last year, I was running 22-flat. I was trying to break 22 for the longest."

However, James' main show was the 400. Ranked as the top runner in the state at multiple points throughout the season. Despite having to run in lane seven because of a slower region championship time, James looked to what Olympian Wayde van Niekerk did when he broke the world record from lane 8.

"I was like, I just have to act like him going through."