Hamilton Community Schools will once again take center stage in Michigan high school athletics on Saturday, May 30 as the district hosts the MHSAA Division 2 Track & Field State Finals for a third straight year at the Hamilton football stadium.
Thousands of athletes, coaches and spectators from across the state are expected to visit Hamilton for one of the premier events in Michigan high school sports. But for seven Hawkeye student-athletes, this year’s state finals carry an even more personal meaning — the opportunity to compete for a state title on their home track.
Representing Hamilton at the Division 2 State Finals will be Garner Hurst (110-meter hurdles, 4x200 relay), Hudsen Hurst (110-meter hurdles, 4x100 relay, 4x200 relay), Kuno Chico (4x100 relay), Carter Hickok (4x100 relay, 4x200 relay), Jenna Dozeman (400-meter dash, long jump), Carter Ruzicka (shot put) and Nole Vigil (4x100 relay, 4x200 relay).
For many of the athletes, the experience of hosting the state finals has become familiar. In fact, Vigil and Hulst have competed at state before. Still, they say competing in front of their home community never gets old.
“I mean, I think it’s sweet,” said Vigil. “I think we have a great facility for everything. It’s always just a fun environment.”
The athletes spoke about the excitement and nerves that come with competing at the highest level in front of packed stands and a hometown crowd.
“The environment will just be exciting,” Hickok added. “You’ll get a chill when you’re about to run and you’ll be extremely nervous, but I feel like it’ll all be worth it. Once you start running and get that adrenaline, it’s one of the best feelings you’ll ever feel.”
Another athlete described the opportunity as something the group has worked toward all season long.
“I feel like we should all be pretty proud of ourselves that we get to represent Hamilton here at the state level,” said Chico. “We worked extremely hard past the time that we needed to. We had one goal in mind and that was making it to state.”
That hard work has included long practices, mental preparation and countless repetitions to fine tune the small details before the biggest meet of the year.
“A lot of it is mental,” added Dozeman. “We put in a lot of work this season. A lot of it is just keeping a strong mindset, especially with all the pressure and getting the little things down at practice so that we perform at a better level when it counts.”
For Hamilton’s relay teams, chemistry and trust have played a major role in their success throughout the season.
“We’re connected,” said Hudsen Hulst. “When things go wrong, we can bounce back, work on it, get better at it and get crisper handoffs. We’ve done that the past couple weeks and it’s shown.”
The athletes also credited the close-knit atmosphere of the team as one of the most rewarding parts of the season.
“I just think we’re a good group of guys who come together,” Vigil added. “We make jokes all practice. It’s just been fun. Everything’s been fun.”
For some seniors, the state finals also represent the closing chapter of their high school athletic careers.
“It’s cool that I qualified for state with my brother,” said Garner Hulst about qualifying with his brother, Hudsen, who added, “To close out my athletic career doing this — it’s great."
Hamilton Community Schools officials say hosting the state finals is a point of pride for the district and community. The event takes significant preparation from staff members, volunteers, athletic department personnel and community supporters to successfully welcome teams from across Michigan.
“Volunteer if you can because it really helps,” Vigil explained.
To volunteer, please reach out to Hamilton Athletic Director, Mr. Eric Talsma via email here.
