The MHS Track Team placed sixth at the SEC Red Division Championship meet on May 10 at the Monroe High Track. Other teams attending the meet included Temperance, Bedford, Ann Arbor Skyline, Ann Arbor Huron, Saline, and Pioneer. The highest scoring team of the six was Saline in the Men’s Varsity Division (with 143.5 scored points) and Ann Arbor Pioneer in the Women’s Varsity Division (with 170 scored points).

Despite placing sixth, the MHS Track Team was confident that its members had given their best efforts at the meet. According to the coach, Justin Heck, athletes had been training very hard all throughout the season, submitting to a rigorous diet and exercise routine to maximize their potential on the track. Highlights for Monroe throughout the day included senior Chad McCarthy achieving second place in the high jump event and senior Maggie Pasko attaining second place in the discus event.

Despite the chilly weather outside, there was plenty of exciting energy from the track kids and parents, said concession worker Renee Baker.

Senior Nick Manor, who set a personal time record in finishing the mile at the meet, was confident that Monroe athletes had put their all into the championship.

“Our team did put up a very good effort, and we did place high in some events, so I think that despite the odds against us, we did very well,” Manor said.

Heck, who had been training the track team since the beginning of the spring season, finally got to see all of the athletes’ efforts come together.

“That Friday is the culmination of all the hard work we put in throughout March and April, months and months of hard work,” Heck said. “Overall, I think it was a pretty good day. I think things ran pretty smoothly. Everybody did what they were supposed to be doing. People performed as well as they could.”.