SAULT STE. MARIE — It doesn’t get much closer than this.

Five points separated the top four girls’ track and field teams here Saturday as Manistique and Sault Ste. Marie shared the title with 60 points each.

Pickford edged Escanaba 58-55 for third place in the Fourth Annual Indoor Invitational at Lake Superior State University’s Norris Center.

“We try to preach the team concept,” Manistique coach Erik Mason said. “We try to get points in every event. In the long jump, we got first and third which gave us 16 points. We’ve never done that before over here. We also tell the girls to run happy and that’s what they do. This year we’re fortunate enough to have four assistant coaches and they’ve been awesome.”

Charleviox squeezed past Alpena 86-85 for the boys’ crown. They were followed by Pickford 65.5, Sault 56 and Esky 35.

Manistique senior Leah Goudreau won girls’ long jump (15-6) and junior Maya Carlson placed third (14-4). Goudreau also took the 55-meter hurdles in 7.78 seconds.

Junior Ava Stahlboeger provided Esky with its lone first in the 55 hurdles at 9.66.

“This is a big confidence builder,” she said before Monday’s practice. “There were a lot of nerves going up there. Sault had a couple good hurdlers and the St. Ignace girl was fast. I think I had a good start. I warmed up on two sets of hurdles and felt warm after that.”

Esky senior Alisha Mabie placed second in the 800-meter run at 2:42.09, 1600 (5:41.85), nearly a five-second improvement from her previous meet in Houghton April 3.

She was also runner-up in the 3200 (12:12.3) and anchored the 1600 relay to a second-place finish (4:42.82) on Saturday.

Pickford junior Talya Schreiber won the 800 (2:30.64), 1600 (5:15.55) and 3200 (11:16.96) and helped the Panthers take the 3200 relay (11:15.52).

“Alisha had a solid day and Talya looked good,” Esky coach Ryan Wender said. “I’m happy with the effort. This is good way to start the season. This gives us something to build on. Ava winning the 55 hurdles was obviously a nice performance.”

Manistique junior Gwen Brewster took third in shot put (31-3).

Senior Hope Varoni gave Bark River-Harris its highest finish, taking fifth in the 800 (2:46.19).

Esky junior Ben Sands copped the boys’ 400 in 53.5 and BR-H sophomore Gionni McDonough took the 55 hurdles (8.45).

“The 200-meter track is a hard one,” Sands said. “My spikes were too long and they bothered my ankles, although my hip is better now. There’s a lot of competition here. The first five in the 400 were all under 55. I tried to make up the stagger right away and wanted to be even with them at the cut-in. This is a good start to the season. I was one second off my personal-best from last year.”

Freshman Andrew Hamlin provided Esky with a second-place finish in high jump (6-0). BR-H senior Justin Bergquist took second in the 55 dash (6.92) and Manistique sophomore Sam Moose was runner-up in shot put (42-4).

BR-H senior Cody Roll placed third in long jump (18-4) and Manistique senior Blake Mason was third in high jump (5-8).

Sands helped the Eskymos place third in the 1600 relay (3:55.25) with Manistique taking fourth (3:57.8).

The 3200 relay was a learning experience for Esky junior Andrej Jankura, an exchange student from Slovakia.

“I did an exchange for the first time today,” he said. “This is an amazing learning experience. I was nervous before the meet. This is my first track meet and I’m enjoying it so much. I think it’s easier running indoors. You don’t have to fight the wind like you do outdoors.”