MENOMINEE — This has been a long time coming for the Gladstone girls.

The Braves were crowned Great Northern Conference track and field champions for the first time in 22 years by edging perennial contender Marquette 104-97.5. Escanaba placed third with 67 points.

“That was huge,” Braves’ coach Jim Murtha said. “The girls are very excited and pumped up. That was definitely our goal and we felt we had a shot at it. I’m so happy for the girls and so proud of them. Marquette really wanted it. We had to do what we could, where we could. Every point mattered tonight. They weren’t going to give up their title without a fight and we respected that.”

The Marquette boys, as expected, captured the title with 156 points. They were followed by Kingsford 93 and Gladstone 60.

Gladstone junior Jacie Tuljus won the girls’ 100-meter dash in 12.9 seconds, 200 (27.47), 400 (1:03.4) and anchored the winning 400 relay (51.34).

Tuljus trailed much of the 400 prior to surging ahead Menominee senior Erin Schuettpeltz near the finish.

“That’s a tough race,” Tuljus said. “That’s the toughest race I’ve ever run. My 200 has been slower since I’ve started running the 400. Yes I won, but those weren’t my best times. Hopefully, the longer breaks between races at the U.P. Finals will help.”

Schuettpeltz, clocked at a personal-best 1:03.64 in the 400, later anchored the winning 1600 relay (4:22.72) on this sunny and warm day.

“I could hear her coming behind me, but I couldn’t quite hang on,” Schuettpeltz said. “I think our team is doing pretty good. I felt good about the way we ran the 1600 relay.”

Braves’ sophomore Payton Takkunen won the 800 in a personal-best 2:28.83, followed by four Marquette runners.

“Our coach wanted me to pick up my pace a little sooner,” she said. “I started to get really tired in the end, but I reached my goal (sub-2:30). This is a pretty good bunch of runners.”

Marquette also grabbed the top four spots in the fourth, followed by Gladstone junior Mayce Hanson (6:29.25).

“It was really exciting to come down here and win the GNC,” she said. “Marquette came out real strong. We knew we were going to lose some points, but our sprinters came through. Jacie always goes for it and we’re excited about Payton winning and reaching her goal in the 800.”

Sophomore Ella Fure paced the Sentinels in the 1600 (5:47.82) and 3200 (12:45.84) and came out of a slower heat to place third in the 400 (1:05.49).

Menominee freshman Winley Brandt was runner-up in the 3200 in a personal-best 12:57.52 with Marquette junior Monet Argeropoulos taking third (13:17.05).

“The girls were having fun today,” Marquette coach Shaylee Marr said. “They also came here to compete and they ran hard. It’s interesting having the conference meets after the regionals. This is a good opportunity for some kids to run one more race.”

Esky senior Sophia Wagner won pole vault at 10 feet with Gladstone juniors Lucy DeGroot and Chelsea Demeuse placing second and third at 8-6.

“Our pole vaulters came through bigtime,” Murtha said. “So did Zoey (Gillis) in shot and disc. Payton ran a really nice race. We told her to pick it up at 300 meters (left) and a quick 200 in the beginning set the tone. We’re really proud of the way the girls responded in the 800. All four of them ran PRs (personal records) and Jacie gave us her typical strong races. We just missed the school record in the 400 relay. We have one more week to finetune our handoffs and shave some more time. It was a little hot today for some of the girls. We have one more week to hopefully keep improving.”

Esky senior Adrianna Getzloff won high jump with a personal-best leap of 5-2 with Gladstone junior Kristy Karl and Menominee sophomore Emily Schuettpeltz clearing five feet and finishing second and third, respectively.

Also adding firsts for Esky were sophomore Ava Stalboerger in the 100 hurdles (17.53), junior Maggie Martin in the 300s (51.32) and senior Ava Getzloff in shot put with a personal-best toss of 29-10.

Stalboerger was runner-up in the 300s (51.75). Karl placed second in the 100s (17.97) and Esky senior Mara Liss was third (18.25).

“I think our field events went really well and Ava Getzloff getting a personal-best throw in shot put is definitely a highlight,” Esky coach Dan DeLong said. “Sophia had another nice jump in the pole vault we’re happy about Ava Stalboerger winning the 100 hurdles.”

Gladstone senior Luke Bracket swept the boys’ hurdles, taking the 110 (15.09) and 300 (42.83).

“Both of my starts were pretty good,” he said. “The guy doing the timing did a nice job. It wasn’t long or too short. I’ve been averaging in the low 15s in the 110s all year. The 300 is a tough race. You never know which leg you’re going to use (to lead off).”

Marquette junior Michael Cattoor won pole vault with a school-record jump of 13-6 and Kingsford senior Noah Johnson took shot with a personal-best throw of 52-5 and disc (163-4), nearly 40 feet further than the remaining throwers.

Classmate Michael Floriano added firsts in the 100 (11.55) and 200 (23.99) and anchored the winning 800 relay (1:33.58). Gladstone senior Nate Young was runner-up in the 100 (11.65).

Menominee sophomore Darrent Butler took high jump (6-4) and Gladstone sophomore Mason Peltin was runner-up (6-2), both PBs.

In long jump, Marquette junior Kyler Sager was the winner (20-10). Braves’ senior Evan Woelffer took third (19-9) and Peltin was fourth (19-3), also believed to be PBs.

“Our guys did really well,” Sentinels’ coach Derek Marr said. “We also have a good group of young girls. It’s exciting to see them come into their own. Hopefully, this is a springboard for the future.”

Boys

Marquette 156, Kingsford 93, Gladstone 60, Menominee 39, Escanaba 4.

3200 relay — 1, Marquette (Slette, Wernholm, Barch, Balko), 9:04.03; 2, Menominee; 3, Kingsford; 4, Escanaba.

110 hurdles — 1, Bracket, G, 15.09; 2, Olson, K; 3, Jurkiewicz, Men; 4, Hendrickson, Mqt; 5, Waite, Mqt.

100 — 1, Floriano, K, 11,55; 2, Young, G; 3, Sager, Mqt; 4, J. Olson, K; 5, DeAgostino, G.

Adaptive 100 — Bennett, Mqt, 29.31.

800 relay — 1, Kingsford (Sorenson, J. Olson, Quick, Floriano), 1:33.58; 2, Marquette; 3, Gladstone; 4, Menominee.

1600 — 1, Camilli, Mqt, 4:29.18; 2, Kraeg, Mqt; 3, Howes, G; 4, Clements, Mqt; 5, Tomasoski, K.

400 relay — 1, Marquette (Bradley, DuVall, Richardson, Sager), 44.52; 2, Kingsford; 3, Gladstone; 4, Menominee.

400 — 1, MacPhee, Mqt, 51.53; 2, Komp, Men; 3, Ballard, Mqt; 4, Hrodey, Mqt; 5, Tuccini, Mqt.

300 hurdles — 1, Bracket, G, 42.83; 2, Richardson, Mqt; 3, S. Olson, K; 4, Kudej, Mqt; 5, Edwards, Mqt.

800 — 1, Kraeg, Mqt, 2:07.25; 2, Kuhl, Mqt; 3, Bourion, Men; 4, Teeple, Mqt; 5, Clements, Mqt.

200 — 1, Floriano, K, 23.99; 2, J. Olson, K; 3, MacPhee, Mqt; 4, DeAgostino, G; 5, Richardson, Mqt.

Adaptive 200 — Bennett, Mqt, 52.56.

3200 — 1, Holmquist, Mqt, 10:06.76; 2, Argeropolous, Mqt; 3, Thomsen, Mqt; 4, Tomasoski, K; 5, Howes, G.

1600 relay — 1, Marquette (Hrodey, Ballard, Balko, MacPhee), 3:44.1; 2, Menominee; 3, Kingsford; 4, Escanaba.

High jump — 1, Butler, Men, 6-4; 2, Peltin, G; 3, Williams, Mqt; 4, Waite, Mqt; 5, Jurkiewicz, Men.

Pole vault — 1, Cattoor, Mqt, 13-6 (school record); 2, Bradley, Mqt; 3, Karl and Olsen, G (tie).

Long jump — 1, Sager, Mqt, 20-10; 2, Williams, Mqt; 3, Woelffer, G; 4, Peltin, G; 5, Berthaume, G.

Shot put — 1, Johnson, K, 52-5; 2, Veale, K; 3, Smith, Mqt; 4, Palmer, K; 5, Racine, G.

Discus — 1, Johnson, K, 163-4; 2, Palmer, K; 3, Veale, K; 4, Hughes, G; 5, Smith, Mqt.

Girls

Gladstone 104, Marquette 97½, Escanaba 67, Menominee 56, Kingsford 28½.

3200 relay — 1, Marquette (Malherbe, Blackburn, Maki-Warne, Veverka), 10:54.1; 2, Gladstone; 3, Escanaba; 4, Menominee.

100 hurdles — 1, Ava Stalboerger, E, 17.53; 2, Karl, G; 3, Liss, E; 4, Jackson, Mqt; 5, Demeuse, G.

100 — 1, Tuljus, G, 12.9; Sundquist, G; 3, Coleman, Mqt; 4, Pesola, Men; 5, Todd, Mqt.

800 relay — 1, Kingsford (Mylee Kreider, Rutter, Fornetti, Maddie Kreider), 1:52.82; 2, Menominee; 3, Gladstone; 4, Marquette.

1600 — 1, Fure, Mqt, 5:47.82; 2, Argeropoulos, Mqt; 3, Veverka, Mqt; 4, Maskart, Mqt; 5, Hanson, G.

400 relay — 1, Gladstone (Sundquist, DeGroot, Pankonien, Tuljus), 51.34; 2, Kingsford; 3, Marquette; 4, Escanaba.

400 — 1, Tuljus, G, 1:03.4; 2, Erin Schuettpeltz, Men; 3, Fure, Mqt; 4, Malherbe, Mqt; 5, Maki-Warne, Mqt.

300 hurdles — 1, Martin, E, 51.32; 2, Ava Stalboerger, E; 3, Jackson, Mqt; 4, Demeuse, Mqt; 4, Coleman, Mqt.

800 — 1, Takkunen, G, 2:28.83; 2, Maki-Warne, Mqt; 3, Blackburn, Mqt; 4, Malherbe, Mqt; 5, Argeropoulos, Mqt.

200 — 1, Tuljus, G, 27.47; 2, Sundquist, G; 3, DeGroot, G; 4, Rutter, K; 5, Van Ooyen, K.

3200 — 1, Fure, Mqt, 12:45.84; 2, Brandt, Men; 3, Argeropoulos, Mqt; 4, Maskart, Mqt; 5, Maki, E.

1600 relay — 1, Menominee (Coduti, Marineau, Emily Schuettpeltz, Erin Schuettpeltz), 4:22.72; 2, Marquette; 3, Escanaba; 4, Gladstone.

High jump — 1, Adrianna Getzloff, E, 5-2; 2, Karl, G; 3, Emily Schuettpeltz, Men; 4, Erin Schuettpeltz, Men; 5, Meister, Mqt.

Pole vault — 1, Wagner, E, 10-0; 2, DeGroot, G; 3, Demeuse, G; 4, Menard, G; 5, Royer, E.

Long jump — 1, Todd, Mqt, 15-1; 2, Milostan, Men; 3, Mylee Kreider, K; 4, Maddie Kreider, K; 5, Ava Stalboeger, E.

Shot put — 1, Ava Getzloff, E, 29-10; 2, Peterson, Men; 3, Gillis, G; 4, Sage, K; 5, Spreitzer, G.

Discus — 1, Peterson, Men, 88-9¼; 2, Gillis, G; 3, Adrianna Getzloff, E; 4, Boehmer, K; 5, Olson, K.