L.P. State Thinclads Dodge Lightning Bolts
Bekah Smeltzer (from Monroe Jefferson) edges Ramzee Fondren (Detroit Renaissance) at the end of the D2 1600. Fondren went on to win the 800, Smeltzer the 3200.

GREATER GRAND RAPIDS (6/3/06) - Clouds made a maddening study on the day of the Michigan High School Athletic Association Lower Peninsula Track & Field Finals.

Scorching sun was admitted early. Then clouds massed and all hail broke loose, not to mention thunder, lightning and sheets of rain blowing sideways.

Some meets in Grand Rapids suburbs were not delayed. Others, such as Division 2, got clobbered. When the threat of electrocution ended and the meet resumed four hours later, it was almost night and the swiftest, most-durable cloud - in the shape of a peacock - landed. We'll get to that.

The Division 3 meet, at Comstock Park, finished on time thanks to holes in the weather and speedy sprinters. Although Detroit Country Day junior Chris Rucker's winning 100-meter time was 10.82, not the state- record 10.32 as was first reported, the girls competition saw Detroit Crockett junior Keyria Calloway set a new division mark with a 12.03 in the semis.

Distance-rich Williamston claimed the boys title with 81 points, to Country Day's 65. Williamston's David Ash, Tyler Sharp, Dan Nix and Chris Pankow set a new D-3 record in the 3200 relay, crossing in 7:49.83.

Kent City's girls claimed the first state crown in their school's history with 42 points, edging defending-champ Goodrich (40) thanks to placing fifth in the meet-ending 1600 relay. Goodrich went scoreless in that event.

Storms delayed the Division 1 meet (at East Kentwood) and Division 4 competition (at Forest Hills Eastern) roughly an hour each.

In D-1, Clarkston's Morgan sisters put on a distance clinic, but Ann Arbor Pioneer-tired of being bridesmaid-stole the show.

Senior Jenny and freshman Stephanie Morgan started the fun running legs on Clarkston's winning 3200 relay (9:13.42). They finished 1-2 (in 4:56.48 and 4:56.86).in the 1600, Stephanie claimed the 800 (2:14.54), then Jenny took the 3200 in a new D-1 record 10:38.51.

Pioneer, runner-up three straight years, at last claimed its 14th girls title since 1985, racking up 80 points on the strength of its depth. Clarkston finished 65.

Strength - of the physical kind - was pivotal for D-1 boys king Saline. Junior Vince Helmuth scored more than half his team's 39.5 points sweeping the discus (180'1") and shot put (59'5"). Portage Central (30.5 points) nipped Detroit Mumford (30) for runner-up.

Ann Arbor Greenhills senior Alexa Glencer twice nipped her three-year nemesis, Maple City junior Marissa Treece, to highlight the D-4 girls meet.

Treece, who has ruled this division in track and cross country since her freshman year, saw Glencer bypass her in the 1600 (4:55.57 to 4:55.94) and the 3200 (10:56.48 to 10:56.72), both D-4 records. Glencer also won the 800, in which Treece did not compete.

Ubly (64 points) topped Flint Hamady (61) for the girls team title. Senior Aaron Hunt-who won the 800 (1:55.2) and 1600 (4:23.16), then anchored the first-place 1600 relay - paced Potterville to the boys crown.

The D-2 meet at Forest Hills Northern, hit hardest by storms, was a 12- hour marathon. Human lightning-bolt Clinton Allen - a Muskegon Orchard View senior who repeated as 100 champion, this year in 10.44 - was among competitors who bailed on the post-storm session, skipping his chance to bring home the 200 crown as well.

Not Landon Peacock. The Cedar Springs senior, who bypassed the afternoon 1600, let loose with a new D-2 record 9:01.66 in the 3200 after skies cleared. Coldwater senior Jay Billsborrow was the pre-storm distance king, sweeping the 800 (1:53.63) and 1600 (4:14.59).

Host Forest Hills Northern and Ypsilanti tied for the boys team title with 40 points each.

The most-exciting girls distance event pitted Ramzee Fondren (800 queen with a new D-2 record 2:11.08) against Bekah Smeltzer (3200 champ in 10:42.86) in the "middle" distance, the 1600.

Fondren, a sophomore from Detroit Renaissance, led till the home stretch. Then Monroe Jefferson junior Smeltzer, who now owns six state crowns in track and cross country, kicked to triumph in 4:57.10. Fondren crossed second in 4:58.23.

Renaissance captured its eighth girls title in the last nine years, tallying 68 points. Host Forest Hills Northern (47) was runner-up. MR