Caleb Blonde, Payton Nichelson named Hillsdale County Area Best Athletes of the Meet

[ASFN Admin]

HILLSDALE — The 2026 Hillsdale County Area Best meet took place at Hayden Park, featuring a host of the area’s top student-athletes competing for final bragging rights before the weekend’s state finals.

More: Pittsford senior Jacob Drawe narrows focus on track state finals

Two Jonesville athletes were crowned Athletes of the Meet after standout performances on the track, capping a strong showing for the Comets just days before the state meet.

Jonesville junior Caleb Blonde was named Male Athlete of the Meet after a dominant day that included a personal-best 4:23.65 to win the 1,600-meter run, along with legs on the winning 4x400 and 4x800 relays.

“It was an amazing meet, like every year,” Blonde said. “Great competition in every event. We still tend to bring good energy here, even with the state meet coming up.”

Blonde said the performance serves as a confidence boost heading into the Division 3 state finals this weekend in Kent City, where Jonesville will send multiple contenders.

Jonesville boys coach Pete Konieczki said the meet served as a key tune-up for his state-bound athletes.

“This was a nice dress rehearsal for state,” Konieczki said. “We tried not to overdo it, but Caleb and the rest of the group look fresh and ready to go."

On the girls side, Jonesville senior Payton Nichelson earned Female Athlete of the Meet honors to close out her career with one of her best performances.

Nichelson ran a personal-best 27.01 to win the 200-meter dash and anchored the first-place 4x200 relay team. She also added a runner-up finish in high jump.

“It was really awesome to see her at her last meet do so amazing,” Jonesville girls coach Hailey Beilfuss said. “From freshman to now, her confidence has just grown. She’s been a great runner, a great role model and a strong leader for us.”

Beilfuss said the meet was a fitting ending for a team that saw multiple personal bests despite not sending qualifiers to the state finals.

“We had a lot of PRs today, especially in the relays,” she said. “It was a great meet to end the season on with good competition and great weather.”

While Nichelson will not advance to the state finals, her Athlete of the Meet honor provided a strong finish to her Comet career as she prepares to continue her education at Jackson College.

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Boys Track and Field Medalists

100 Meters

1. Brayden Wright – Senior – Reading – 11.12
2. Gaven Mckibbin – Senior – Reading – 11.19 PB
3. Harrison Packer – Junior – Jonesville – 11.40 PB

200 Meters

1. Dawson Scharer – Senior – Hillsdale Academy – 22.45 PB
2. Brendan Nave – Junior – Pittsford – 23.36
3. Hudson Mackie – Junior – Hillsdale Academy – 23.88

400 Meters

1. Luke Molenkamp – Senior – Hillsdale Academy – 51.74 PB
2. Parker Riddle – Sophomore – Reading – 53.53
3. Jordan Perry – Senior – Hillsdale Academy – 53.62 PB

800 Meters

1. Grayson Rorick – Senior – Hillsdale Academy – 1:56.75
2. Nicholas Fowler – Senior – Jonesville – 1:59.73 PB
3. Ashton Potwin – Sophomore – Jonesville – 2:00.49 PB

1,600 Meters

1. Caleb Blonde – Junior – Jonesville – 4:23.65 PB
2. Logan Youngman – Junior – Hillsdale – 4:24.18 PB
3. Bryce Youngman – Freshman – Hillsdale – 4:42.29 PB

3,200 Meters

1. Collin Fucile – Junior – Jonesville – 10:50.39
2. Jacob Gray – Sophomore – Jonesville – 10:59.25
3. Payton Belisle – Sophomore – Hillsdale – 11:04.37

110 Hurdles

1. Dawson Scharer – Senior – Hillsdale Academy – 14.71
2. Reece Rundquist – Junior – Jonesville – 15.88
3. Oliver Heckel – Junior – Hillsdale – 16:78 PB

300 Hurdles

1. Evan Towne – Junior – Hillsdale – 41.27 PB
2. Jorden Duque – Freshman – Jonesville – 41.29 PB
3. Jack Huffman – Freshman – Hillsdale Academy – 44.05 PB

4x100 Relay

• Hillsdale (Ashton Thornsbury, Marshay Harris, Cam Arnold, Brayden Taylor) – 43.22 (School and Meet Record)
• Jonesville (Charlie Spencer, Jorden Duque, Donovan Baker, Logan Stanton) – 45.47
• Pittsford (Mondale Knepfler, Gavin Leggett, Jacob Drawe, Brendan Nave) – 46.04

4x200 Relay

• Pittsford (Mondale Knepfler, Gavin Leggett, Jacob Drawe, Brendan Nave) – 1:35.15
• Camden-Frontier (Dominic Kurtz, Brandon Menchaca, Matthew Draheim, Skylar Walston) – 1:35.50
• Jonesville (Bryce Henry, Logan Stanton, Gavin Burton, Mason Jordan) – 1:35.95

4x400 Relay

1. Jonesville (Caleb Blonde, Briggs Baker, Harrison Packer, Logan Stanton) – 3:34.23
2. Hillsdale Academy (Robert Whalen, Jordan Perry, Zane Socha, Luke Molenkamp) – 3:44.07
3. Camden-Frontier (Dominic Kurtz, Skylar Walston, Dylan Drake, Brandon Menchaca) – 3:46.15

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4x800 Relay

1. Jonesville (Caleb Blonde, Collin Fucile, Ashton Potwin, Nicholas Fowler) – 7:54.82
2. Camden-Frontier (Matthew Draheim, Kharsen Dirrim, Skylar Walston, Colt Woodard) – 9:19.98
3. Waldron (Austin Cornett, Gabe Stiver, Jayden Justice, Ryan Anderson) – 9:33.20

Shot Put

1. Mason Town – Freshman – Hillsdale – 44-4
2. Josh King – Junior – Hillsdale Academy – 39-1
3. Lucus Stanton – Freshman – Jonesville – 38-7 PB

Discus

1. Joshua Herring – Senior – Hillsdale – 131-0 PB
2. Blaise Mayer – Sophomore – Hillsdale – 127-3
3. Markis Tucker – Senior – Reading – 122-10

High Jump

1. Mondale Kneffler – Senior – Pittsford – 6-0
2. Zane Socha – Senior – Hillsdale Academy – 6-0
3. Dominic Kurtz – Junior – Camden-Frontier – 6-0

Pole Vault

1. Brandon Menchaca – Junior – Camden-Frontier – 12-0
2. Carter Myers – Senior – Hillsdale – 12-0
3. Connor Hill – Senior – Hillsdale Academy – 11-6

Long Jump

1. Nathaniel Moes – Sophomore – Hillsdale – 20-5
2. Jacob Drawe – Senior – Pittsford – 19-11
3. Brendan Nave – Junior – Pittsford – 19-9

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Girls Track and Field Medalists

100 Meters

1. Effie Heckel – Sophomore – Hillsdale – 13.18 PB
2. Zailey Conroy – Sophomore – Camden-Frontier – 13.21
3. Caylee Whinnie – Junior – Reading – 13.45

200 Meters

1. Payton Nichelson – Senior – Jonesville – 27.01 PB
2. Zailey Conroy – Sophomore – Camden-Frontier – 27.48
3. Effie Heckel – Sophomore – Hillsdale – 27.95

400 Meters

1. Zailey Conroy – Sophomore – Camden-Frontier – 1:01.15 PB
2. Effie Heckel – Sophomore – Hillsdale – 1:02.75
3. Emily York – Sophomore – Hillsdale – 1:04.24

800 Meters

1. Kira VanKampen – Junior – Jonesville – 2:30.96 PB
2. Allie Miller – Junior – Hillsdale Academy – 2:31.73
3. Anne Gray – Senior – Hillsdale Academy – 2:33.68

1,600 Meters

1. Eliza Roberts – Freshman – Hillsdale Academy – 5:43.43 PB
2. Sophia Morgan – Freshman – Jonesville – 5:48.77 PB
3. Audrey Nehlsen – Senior – Hillsdale Academy – 5:50.22

3,200 Meters

1. Lorelei Stemme – Sophomore – Hillsdale Academy – 13:29.36 PB
2. Norah Tracy – Freshman – Hillsdale Academy – 13:39.88
3. Keira Knight – Junior – Jonesville – 13:40.89

100 Hurdles

1. Lucy Cote – Junior – Hillsdale Academy – 15.49
2. Amelia Heath – Freshman – Hillsdale Academy – 16.32 PB
3. Emma Gerth – Sophomore – Reading – 17.68

300 Hurdles

1. Amelia Heath – Freshman – Hillsdale Academy – 49.38 PB
2. London Trott – Sophomore – Reading – 52.21
3. Ameilia Means – Junior – Jonesville – 54.19

4x100 Relay

1. Reading (Caylee Whinnie, Makenzie Badgley, Lindzey Penza, London Trott) – 53.82
2. Hillsdale Academy (Anna Bissot, Kate Perry, Jane Whalen, Cate Gaetano) – 54.09
3. Pittsford (Tania Williams, Ellie Bump, Jaycee Kerspilo, Brielle Clark) – 55.13

4x200 Relay

1. Jonesville (Alexa Moore, Ameilia Means, Miley Dunlap, Payton Nichelson) – 1:51.37
2. Pittsford (Tania Williams, Ellie Bump, Jaycee Kerspilo, Brielle Clark) – 1:53.93

4x400 Relay

1. Hillsdale Academy (Jane Whalen, Kate Perry, Georgia Whalen, Lucy Cote) – 4:13.40
2. Jonesville (Ameilia Means, Sophia Morgan, Miley Dunlap, Payton Nichelson) – 4:25.07
3. Camden-Frontier (Zailey Conroy, Aubrie Drake, Esmeralda Montoya, Teegan March) – 4:26.91

4x800 Relay

1. Jonesville (Keira Knight, Kendahl Drake, Kira VanKampen, Sophia Morgan) – 10:37.84
2. Pittsford (Jordyn Slovacek, Arlene Powell, Lillian Jagielski, Danaja Williams) – 11:41.75
3. Camden-Frontier (Addison Kurtz, Aubrie Drake, Teegan March, Esmeralda Montoya) – 11:43.81

Shot Put

1. Anamarie Wentz – Freshman – Hillsdale – 31-2
2. Madison Recob – Senior – Hillsdale Will Carleton – 30-11
3. Faith Kipfmiller – Sophomore – Reading – 29-11 PB

Discus

1. Laura LeMar – Senior – Pittsford – 105-10
2. Faith Kipfmiller – Sophomore – Reading – 98-0 PB
3. Lillian Stier – Sophomore – Hillsdale Academy – 90-5

High Jump

1. Amelia Heath – Freshman – Hillsdale Academy – 5-1 PB
2. Payton Nichelson – Senior – Jonesville – 4-11
3. Kiely Kroa – Junior – Hillsdale – 4-7

Pole Vault

1. Eliana Stemme – Senior – Hillsdale Academy – 9-6
2. Anne Gray – Senior – Hillsdale Academy – 9-0
3. Alivia Hoover – Freshman – Pittsford – 9-0

Long Jump

1. Juliet King – Freshman – Hillsdale Academy – 15-1 1/2
2. Makenzie Badgley – Freshman – Reading – 14-5 3/4 PB
3. Grace Williams – Freshman – Hillsdale Will Carleton – 14-4 1/2

This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale Area Best highlighted by two honored Jonesville runners

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