Notre Dame Prep sophomore Nathan Mylenek, left, leads a group of runners in the 3200-meter run at the MHSAA Division-2 track and field state championships in Grand Rapids. Mylenek finished strong and won the race by a wide margin.Seven Notre Dame athletes participated in the MHSAA Division 2 track and field state finals at Houseman Field in Grand Rapids. The result? A state championship, a career best time and a near-school record.
Although sophomore Nathan Mylenek qualified and was entered in both the 1600m and the 3200m runs, it was decided that he would scratch the 1600 and focus his efforts on the 3200. The idea paid off and Mylenek won by a wide margin after a strong kick in the final 300 meters to become a state champion.
NDP’s Mylenek rests after winning a state championship in the 3200-meter run.
In her third straight track and field finals, NDP junior Andrea Pangori competed in the high jump and 200m dash, which Pangori finished 11th with a time of 26.28, just 0.08 seconds shy of the school record. She also took an 11th in the high jump at 5’2”.
Junior Lauren McGrath ran a career best 2:25.29 in the 800m run and finished 17th in her second consecutive appearance in the finals.
Sophomore Claire Bolden finished 11th in the 400m dash in 1:00.23.
Senior Max Schwegman battled injury, but still managed to finish 9th in the 200m dash in 23.02. Schwegman, who will begin a new track career at Princeton, also competed in the 100m dash.
The lone team relay for Notre Dame included sophomore Lauren Kavanagh, Bolden, senior Maria Redoutey, and Pangori in the 4x200m. They ran a 1:52.18 and finished 18th.
After the meet, coach John Barbee commented: “We have a young team, so the future looks bright for Notre Dame track and field. We will miss the seniors—they’ve been great—but I’m really happy with the direction the program is taking for the future.”
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.