Romeo’s track and field team went the distance.

The Bulldogs piled up points in the three longest running events and had first-place finishes in those races plus four other events on the way to winning the Division 1 regional meet the Bulldogs hosted on a sunny, warm and windy Friday.

Layla Babich won the long jump, Samantha Sackfield the 400 meters and Romeo took the 800 and 1600 relays while scoring 155 points, 51 more than runner-up Dakota.

The 2024 state cross country champion, Romeo puts its distance might on display in the 1600, 800 and 3200 runs.

First up was the 1600, in which Ella Goodsell, Natalia Guaresimo, Annie Hrabovsky and Violet Hrabovsky finished 1-4, respectively, with all four qualifying for the state finals.

Goodsell, the winner in 4:59.76, and Guaresimo, who took second in 5:00.39, qualified by finishing first and second. Annie Hrabovsky, whose time was 5:00.96, and Violet Hrabovsky, 5:02.25, advanced by finishing under the additional qualifying time of 5:09.00.

“It’s really special,” said Guaresimo. “When you have depth like that, as you saw us working together in the (1600), it makes it so much easier to race. I’m so grateful to have this group of girls to work with. It makes it more fun to race.”

In the 3200, winner Annie Hrabovsky finished in 10:42.52 and runner-up Olivia Purdy in 11:01.13. Third-place Violet Hrabovsky’s 11:07.83 met the AQ time of 11:15.0.

In the 800, winner Guaresimo (2:16.56) runner-up Grace Grupido (2:16.88) of Fraser and third-place Goodsell (2:17.07) advanced.

Romeo scored 29 points in the 1600, 24 in the 3200 and 16 in the 800.

Sackfield, Sydney Fabbri, Evelyn Goedge and Josie Finkbeiner carried Romeo to first place in the 800 relay. The quartet finished in 1:42.04.

Goedge, Sackfield, Guaresimo and Evianna D’Angelo made up the winning 1600 relay team that finished in 4:00.57.

Grupido will return to the finals hoping to cap her career with a top-eight finish and all-state honors in what the senior said is her favorite event.

“I think it’s the perfect length,” Grupido said. “You can’t give up on yourself. It’s two laps. It’s fast, it’s fun.”

Grupido finished a half-second from making all-state in 2024.

“I want it really bad,” she said. “I really think that if I can make it into the fast heat I’ll have a good chance. I think I can do it. It’s my last chance.”

A decorated runner in cross country as well, Grupido is grateful for what she has experienced as a Fraser athlete.

“I don’t know where I’d be without Kevin (coach Storai) and my teammates,” she said. “There are no words for it, really. I’ve been so lucky to have been part of something like this.”

Eisenhower won the first running event of the meet. Charlotte Long, Jacalyn Yakel, Annabella Gjokaj and Maggie Baginski finished the 3200 relay in 9:43.30.

Dakota won three field events. Sydney Timpa won the high jump with a height of 5 feet, 2 inches; Anna Lucas the pole vault at 9-9 and Anna Torey the discus throw at 114-8.

Ford junior Claire O’Brien repeated as a champion when she won the shot put at 34-4.

Other individual winners were Mia Barnett, Chippewa Valley, 100 hurdles, 14.64; Abigail Boyd, Eisenhower, 100 dash, 12.60; Izzie Piotrowski, Troy Athens, 300 hurdles; 45.10, and Madelyn Piotrowski, Troy Athens, 200, 25.65.

Dakota won the 400 relay in 49.43 with a team of Timpa, Aniyah McMurrian, Jaea-Marie Dwyer and Kandis Finch.

Barnett became a four-time qualifier in the high hurdles, this time earning her second regional championship in the event after a 2024 season that was curtailed by a back injury.

“It was a fun race, a good race,” the Grand Valley State recruit said. “It feels good to graduate with a championship. I think it could have been better, but it was good — just amazing track weather.”

Barnett also qualified in the 200 with a runner-up finish and in the 800 relay as she teamed with Bryana Wooten, Nevaeh Robinson and Kennedy Gatlin for a finish of 1:43.28.

Four qualifiers emerged from four events: the 1600, both hurdles and the 800 relay. Troy Athens finished third with 58 points. Chippewa Valley had 48 and Ford 42 to complete the top five.

The state meet will be at East Kentwood on May 31.

Team scores

Romeo 155, Dakota 104, Troy Athens 58, Chippewa Valley 48, Ford 42, Eisenhower 40, Anchor Bay 37.5, Fraser 35, Port Huron 30, Utica 29, Stevenson 22, Port Huron Northern 18.5, L’Anse Creuse 17.

State qualifiers

Shot put: Claire O’Brien, Ford, 34-4. Leah Kern, LC, 34-2.25.

Discus: Anna Torey, Dakota, 114-8. Korin Hutton, AB, 111-11.

High jump: Sydney Timpa, Dakota, 5-2. Cameron Krause, LC, 5-0.

Long jump: Layla Babich, Romeo, 17-3.5. Malencia Price, PH, 17-1.25. Casey Cojocar, Dakota, 16-11.

Pole vault: Anna Lucas, Dakota, 9-9. Mackenzie Regier, AB, 8-3.

3200 relay: Eisenhower (Charlotte Long, Jacalyn Yakel, Annabella Gjokaj, Maggie Baginski) 9:43.30. Dakota (Julia Timpa, Layla Gendernelle, Gabriella Mercier, Lidia Clancy) 9:47.00.

100 high hurdles: Mia Barnett, CV, 14.64. Avery Glugla, Romeo, 15.33. Rachel Ifezue, Ford, 15.53. Gabrielle Robinson, TA, 15.54.

100 dash: Abigail Boyd, Eis, 12.60. Analiese Jajou, TA, 12.61.

800 relay: Romeo (Sydney Fabbri, Evelyn Goedge, Josie Finkbeiner, Samantha Sackfield) 1:42.04. Chippewa Valley (Bryana Wooten, Nevaeh Robinson, Kennedy Gatlin, Mia Barnett) 1:43.28. Ford (Mi’Kaila Pugh, Tatyana Ramey, Rachel Ifezue, Emma Nicholson) 1:44.24. Dakota (Kandis Finch, MaKayla Reed, Aniyah McMurrian, Jaea-Marie Dwyer) 1:44.81.

1600: Ella Goodsell, Romeo, 4:59.76. Natalia Guaresimo, Romeo, 5:00.39. Annie Hrabovsky, Romeo, 5:00.96. Violet Hrabovsky, Romeo, 5:02.25.

400 relay: Dakota (Sydney Timpa, Aniyah McMurrian, Jaea-Marie Dwyer, Kandis Finch) 49.43. Ford (Mi’Kaila Pugh, Tatyana Ramey, Rachel Ifezue, Emma Nicholson) 49.59.

400: Samantha Sackfield, Romeo, 57.1. Madelyn Piotrowski, TA, 58.11.

300 low hurdles: Izzie Piotrowski, TA, 45.10. Rachel Ifezue, Ford, 45.69. Evelyn Goedge, Romeo, 45.78. Maryn Smith, Eis, 46.73.

800: Natalia Guaresimo, Romeo, 2:16.56. Grace Grupido, Fraser, 2:16.88. Ella Goodsell, Romeo, 2:17.07.

200: Madelyn Piotrowski, TA, 25.65. Mia Barnett, CV, 25.91.

3200: Annie Hrabovsky, Romeo, 10:42.52. Olivia Purdy, Romeo, 11:01.13. Violet Hrabovsky, Romeo, 11:07.83.

1600 relay: Romeo (Evelyn Goedge, Evianna D’Angelo, Samantha Sackfield, Natalia Guaresimo) 4:00.57. Dakota (Jaea-Marie Dwyer, Aniyah McMurrian, MaKayla Reed, Lidia Clancy) 4:06.84.