ISHPEMING — The Houghton boys achieved a three-peat here Wednesday, earning their third straight WestPAC Conference track and field title with 171 points. They were followed by Negaunee 167 and Ishpeming Westwood 63.

“It’s always great for us to win conference,” Houghton coach Erik Johnson said. “Our No. 1 thrower (junior Michael Solena) hurt his ankle. We had 20 points to make up and the guys did a nice job doing it.”

The Negaunee girls captured their fifth consecutive WestPAC championship with 234 1/2 points, followed by Houghton 100 and Calumet 52.

“This is my 30th year as head coach and I’ve never had a team that was so deep,” Miners’ coach Vickie Paupore said. “The girls have an excellent team. They always come to a meet motivated and ready to compete. This is a smart group of girls who focus on everything they need to do to be successful.”

Negaunee’s latest victory took place just two days after they ran away with the Mid-Peninsula Conference title with an incredible 317 points.

The Houghton boys especially showed their strength in the sprints and distances.

They set a meet record in the 400-meter relay at 45.27 seconds and grabbed the top three places in the 100.

Junior Sam Roth, who was part of that winning relay, took the 100 in 11.38 and 200 at 22.98 and placed second in discus at 129-8.

Senior and Michigan Tech football recruit Brayden Goudge, also part of that relay, was runner-up in the 100 (11.65).

“It feels great to break the record,” he said. “We struggled with our third handoff, but Sam is real fast and got it done for us. We have a lot of young guys stepping up this year. I’m excited for the U.P. (Division 1) Finals. I think they’re going to be interesting.”

The Gremlins, who also won the 3200 relay, got a first in the 1600 from sophomore Brandon Van Karsen, who clocked in a personal-best 4:49.38.

Freshman Eli Garnell copped the 800 (2:06.73) with Van Karsen runner-up (2:10.16).

Gremlins’ senior Eli Hongisto captured the 300 hurdles (43.76) and junior teammate Jack Cooke won high jump with a personal-best leap of 5-11.

“Jack really stepped up for us,” Coach Johnson said. “Taking 1-2-3 in the 100 was big for us and getting the conference record in the 4×100 was also huge.”

Negaunee senior Derek McEachern copped the 400 (53.35), followed by Houghton senior Ben Hemmer at 53.98.

McEachern also helped the Miners take the 800 relay and placed second in the 200 (22.99).

Despite Negaunee’s dominance, the Houghton girls showed their strength in the distances.

Houghton senior Tessa Rautiola took the 3200 in a season-best 12:24.78, followed by Hancock sophomore Alena Pietila in a personal-best 12:49.83 and Houghton freshman Brooke Hopped at 12:58.46.

“I’ve been coming back from a stress fracture and battling shin splints,” Rautiola said. “All things considered, I’m happy with my time. I was hoping to finish a little better. I have only two high school meets left, although I’m looking forward to running cross country and track at Michigan Tech. I really love the U.P.”

Sophomore teammate Holly Cooke won the 1600 (5:45.1), followed by Rautiola (5:45.85) and Pietila (5:55.85).

Pietila took the 800 (2:36.71), followed by Houghton junior Mia Lawson (2:41.41) and freshman Sophia Lawson (2:45.81).

“I’m really excited to win this,” Pietila said. “I’m really happy with my time. I was just one second away from my PB (personal best). I think I’m continuing to build some momentum.”

The Lawson girls and Cooke also helped the Gremlins take the 3200 relay.

Except for the 1600 and 3200, Negaunee showed its depth across the board.

The Miners grabbed the top four places in disc and collected four firsts in shot.

Hancock sophomore Tatum Sporalski, however, took first with in shot a personal-best toss of 34-7.

Negaunee also placed four in the 100 and 300 hurdles and took three places in the 200 and long jump.

Junior Sadie Rogers provided the Miners with firsts in the 100 hurdles (16.52) and the 300s in a personal-best 46.99 and helped them capture the 1600 relay in a meet-record 4:09.83.

“This absolutely gives me momentum going into the U.P. Finals (May 30 at Kingsford),” she said. “This also gives me a big confidence boost. Although, this doesn’t mean anything right now. We have to perform in the Finals.”

Junior Keira Waterman, also part of that relay, took first in the 200 (27.1) and long jump (15-1½).

“I’d say I’m happy with that,” she said. “It definitely felt great to get the conference record in the 1600 relay. I need to work on my technique in the 400 and should practice for the 800 a little more.”

West Iron County sophomore Bristol Shamion won high jump (5-0) and placed second in the 100 hurdles (17.61) and 300s (48.59).

Calumet is hosting the Houghton County Invitational Tuesday.

WestPAC Conference

At Westwood

Boys

Houghton 171, Negaunee 167, Ishpeming Westwood 63, West Iron County 56, Gwinn 31, Calumet 14, Ishpeming 12, Hancock 9, Painesdale Jeffers 0.

3200 relay — 1, Houghton (Hemmer, Venlinski, Van Karsen, Garnell), 8:53.3; 2, Negaunee; 3, Ishpeming Westwood; 4, Hancock

110 hurdles — 1, Scherer, IW, 16.84; 2, Pekrul, N; 3, Nicholas, N; 4, Hongisto, Hou; 5, Kim, Hou; 6, Kim, G.

100 — 1, Roth, Hou, 11.38; 2, Goudge, Hou; 3, Xie, Hou; 4, G. Jones, G; 5, Koivisto, C; 6, Asikainen, N.

800 relay — 1, Negaunee (LaCosse, Peters, Asikainen, McEachern), 1:37.63; 2, Ishpeming Westwood; 3, Gwinn; 4, Houghton; 5, West Iron County; 6, Hancock.

1600 — 1, Van Karsen, Hou, 4:49.38; 2, Plummer, N; 3, Jaklin, N; 4, Gearhart, I; 5, Spencer, WIC; 6, Carlson, IW.

400 relay — 1, Houghton (Xie, Goudge, Kocour, Roth), 45.27 (meet record); 2, Ishpeming Westwood; 3, Gwinn; 4, Negaunee; 5, West Iron County; 6, Calumet.

400 — 1, McEachern, N, 53.35; 2, Hemmer, Hou; 3, Oberlin, WIC; 4, Krings, Hou; 5, Collins, N; 6, Cooke, Hou.

300 hurdles — 1, Hongisto, Hou, 43.76; 2, Prusi, N; 3, Nicholas, N; 4, Bell, G; 5, Kim, Hou; 6, Spickerman, N.

800 — 1, Garnell, Hou, 2:06.73; 2, Van Karsen, Hou; 3, Spencer, WIC; 4, Gearhart, I; 5, Venlinski, Hou; 6, Jensen, IW.

200 — 1, Roth, Hou, 22.98; 2, McEachern, N; 3, Asikainen, N; 4, King, IW; 5, Peters, N; 6, Lounibos, Hou.

3200 — 1, Jaklin, N, 10:43.14; 2, Plummer, N; 3, Carlson, IW; 4, Gearhart, I; 5, Hutchinson, Hou; 6, Livesay, Hou.

1600 relay — 1, West Iron County (Meske, Smith, Robles, Oberlin), 3:49.89; 2, Negaunee; 3, Ishpeming Westwood; 4, Hancock; 5, Gwinn.

High jump — 1, Cooke, Hou, 5-11; 2, Oberlin, WIC; 3, Nagel, C; 4, Pekrul, N; 5, Smith, WIC; 6, Nolan, Hou.

Pole vaut — 1, Salmi, IW, 11-0; 2, Ollanketo, Hou; 3, Koivisto, C; 4, R. Jones, G; 5, Comero, IW; 6, Ryynanen, Hou.

Long jump — 1, Prusi, N, 18-3½; 2, Xie, Hou; 3, Samuelson, Hou; 4, G. Jones, G; 5, Potvin, N; 6, Lypsinmaa, C.

Shot put — 1, Ghigga, WIC, 42-4; 2, Gauthier, N; 3, Barabe, N; 4, Ollanketo, N; 5, DuBord, WIC; 6, Bonovetz, WIC.

Discus — 1, Gauthier, N, 133-4; 2, Roth, Hou; 3, Ghigga, WIC; 4, Barabe, N; 5, Matteson, Hou; 6, LaClair, IW.

Girls

Negaunee 234½, Houghton 100, Calumet 52, West Iron County 50, Hancock 43, Ishpeming Westwood 18, Gwinn 16, Ishpeming Westwood 13½, Painesdale Jeffers 0.

3200 relay — 1, Houghton (Lawson, Bastian, Lawson, Cooke), 10:45.8; 2, Calumet; 3, Negaunee; 4, Ishpeming Westwood; 5, West Iron County; 6, Hancock.

100 hurdles — 1, Rogers, N, 16.52; 2, B. Shamion, WIC; 3, Dank, N; 4, Mechling, N; 5, Miller, N; 6, Koivisto, C.

100 — 1, Coyne, N, 12.95; 2, Rauvala, C; 3, Francisco, N; 4, Hallum, IW; 5, Anderson, I; 6, Jakubowski, G.

800 relay — 1, Negaunee (Wieciech, Francisco, Reichel, Coyne), 1:52.3; 2, Calumet; 3, Gwinn; 4, Houghton; 5, West Iron County; 6, Hancock.

1600 — 1, Cooke, Hou, 5:45.1; 2, Rautiola, Hou; 3, Pietila, Han; 4, Lawson, Hou; 5, Hoppe, Hou; 6, Mahoski, I.

400 relay — 1, Negaunee (Wieciech, Francisco, Reichel, Coyne), 53.85; 2, West Iron County; 3, Gwinn; 4, Houghton; 5, Calumet; 6, Hancock.

400 — 1, Woodruff, Hou, 1:01.89; 2, Wieciech, N; 3, Conklin, N; 4, Strom, C; 5, Bastian, Hou; 6, Johnson, WIC.

300 hurdles — 1, Rogers, N, 46.99; 2, B. Shamion, WIC; 3, Mechling, N; 4, Miller, N; 5, Reichel, N; 6, Koivisto, C.

800 — 1, Alena Pietila, Han, 2:36.71; 2, Lawson, Hou; 3, Lawson, Hou; 4, Chapman, N; 5, Gobert, IW; 6, McParlan, C.

200 — 1, Waterman, N, 27.1; 2, Francisco, N; 3, Hallum, IW; 4, Wieciech, N; 5, B. Shamion, WIC; 6, McDonald, Hou.

3200 — 1, Rautiola, Hou, 12:24.78; 2, Alena Pietila, Han; 3, Hoppe, Hou; 4, Mahoski, I; 5, Adelyn Pietila, Han; 6, Williams, Hou.

1600 relay — 1, Negaunee (Mechling, Korsman, Rogers, Waterman), 4:09.83 (meet record); 2, Houghton; 3, Calumet; 4, Hancock; 5, Ishpeming Westwood; 6, West Iron County.

High jump — 1, B. Shamion, WIC, 5-0; 2, O’Donnell, N; 3, Anderson, I; 4, Stafford, C; 5, Coyne, N; 6, Josephson, I.

Pole vault — 1, Korsman, N, 7-6; 2, Kaye, N; 3, Aho, Hou; 4, Stapleton, WIC; 5, Miller, N; 6, Tatman, C.

Long jump — 1, Waterman, N, 15-1½; 2, Mechling, N; 3, Strom, C; 4, Korsman, N; 5, L. Shamion, WIC; 6, Derwin, G.

Shot put — 1, Sporalski, Han, 34-7; 2, O’Donnell, N; 3, Morey, N; 4, Niemi, N; 5, Bourdeau, N; 6, Walsh, WIC.

Discus — 1, Nelson, N, 98-0; 2, Niemi, N; 3, Morey, N; 4, Bourdeau, N; 5, Derwin, G; 6, Strom, C.