High school track and field athletes are only allowed to compete in four events during a meet.
The coaches of Grand Ledge's Harris Edwards and Lansing Catholic's Zach Zingsheim had difficult choices when it came to deciding which four they would put their star athletes in each meet.
Zingsheim won all four of his events while helping the Cougars earn a Division 3 state title: the 800-meter run individually and the 3,200, 800 and 1,600 relays.
"He might have been the best 400 runner in the area if he ran in the bigger meets, and he ran a 4:23 mile indoors," Lansing Catholic coach Tim Simpson said.
The best 400 runner -- with a couple of 47-second relay splits -- as well as the best high jumper and long jumper in the area was the versatile Edwards, who also ran the second-fastest 200.
He finished second in the high jump, fourth in the 200 dash, sixth in the 800 relay in the tough Division 1 state meet.
"He would have scored in the mile relay as well, but his teammate dropped the baton," Grand Ledge boys coach Brett McCartney said. "He would have scored in six events if he had been allowed to compete, but we picked the ones that were best for him in terms of the amount of rest and the way the schedule worked."
McCartney was pleased with how Edwards handled the lost opportunity in the 1,600 relay.
"Harris is always positive and didn't get down on him," McCartney said. "Kids gravitate toward Harris, because he's fun-loving and enjoys being around people. That helps him be a good leader."
But Edwards also enjoys pressure situations.
"I knew I could always count on him when it was an important meet, important time or important event," McCartney said. "He relished and always seemed to enjoy those moments."
Edwards, who has signed with Indiana Tech, improved by working indoors at Michigan State during the winter and extra with McCartney and assistants Rich White and Jameel Jones.
Lots of off-season work also helped Zingsheim, a Division 3 cross country individual state champion who will run for Georgetown.
"He's a leader at our school," Simpson said. "He leads by example and by words, encouraging everyone."
Encouragement by current and former teammates helped Zingsheim set the school's 800 record at MSU's Spartan Classic on April 27.
"I believe we broke five school records that meet: the 4x100, 4x200, 4x800, and Jimmy (Hicks in the 3,200 run)," Zingsheim said. "We competed so well that I knew the state title was a definite possibility after that."
Other members of the state champion and school-record relays with Zingsheim were Hicks, Joe Marrah and Austin Winter in the 3,200; Hicks, Matt Macksood and Conner Caporale in the 1,600; and Caporale, Macksood and Cedric Lee in the 800.
Others on the Grand Ledge 800 relay were Luke Vasilion, Connor Anderson and Marq Adams.
