KINGSFORD — Defending any title is a challenge.

The Gladstone girls got the job done here Monday, however, retaining their Great Northern Conference championship with 129 points. They were followed by Marquette 116 and Escanaba 52.

“That was a big win for our girls,” Braves’ coach Jim Murtha said. “It was a fight for it last year, too. Marquette is a very, very good team. Our depth in the field events really came through.”

Marquette ran away with the boy’s title with 207 points, followed by Kingsford 52 and Gladstone 36.

Gladstone grabbed the top three places in girls’ pole vault, topped by freshman Maggie Karl’s leap of nine feet. Maggie also shared first with senior sister Kristy Karl in high jump at 4-10.

Esky junior Ava Stahlboerger won shot put with a personal-best throw of 30-½ with Gladstone sophomore Adele Ostlund taking second at 27-5½.

“Adele’s second-place finish and taking fourth and fifth in shot put was huge for us,” Murtha said. “Going 1-2-3 in pole vault and Maggie and Kristy tying for first in high jump was also very important. We got a lot of points in the field events.”

Braves’ senior Lauren Sundquist breezed to victory in the 100 (13.15) and anchored the winning sprint relays.

“My starts were good actually,” she said. “Running a PR (personal record 27.37) in the 200 is a confidence boost for sure. Ella (Bracket) and I practice together a lot. Having someone to train with is huge. Having Ella alongside me, working as hard really helps.”

Bracket took the 200 (27.12) and 400 (1:03.25) and helped the sprint relays. Sophomore teammate Eva Pankonien was runner-up in the 400 (1:04.41) and Esky senior Maggie Martin placed third in the 200 (28.21) on this sunny, breezy and cool day.

“Overall, my starts were good, although I could definitely work on those more,” Bracket said. “When I’m running I don’t think about the wind. I just try to take care of business. We adjusted our handoffs in the sprint relays, continually changing and adjusting to the wind. This is really a nice confidence boost. In every track meet, we’re practicing for the U.P. (Division 1) Finals.”

Kristy Karl added a first in the 100 hurdles in a personal-best 16.45, nearly 1½ seconds ahead of the field.

“Kristy had almost a perfect race in the 100 hurdles and Eva’s second in the 100 kept Marquette out of points,” Murtha said. “The girls felt they let down in the regionals, but today there were no let downs. We made up for it today. The girls know they can perform up here.

“In the sprint relays, everytime we have Lauren we’re winning. She’s going to track them (opponents) down.”

Esky senior Alisha Mabie took the 800 (2:33.58), was runner-up in the 3200 (12:10.8), third in the 1600 (5:34.26) and anchored the third-place 3200 relay.

“In the 800 I didn’t have the time I wanted, but it felt good to get the win,” she said. “I liked this temperature (mid 50s) for running. It was very important to get a meet in here before the Finals. I think that will help a lot. I want to work on my speed during this break. It’s a matter of doing the work and trusting in God.”

Marquette junior Ella Fure won the 1600 in a personal-best 5:20.98 and 3200 (11:52.25) and placed second in the 800 (2:34.16).

Sophomore teammate Chloe Jackson ran a PR while winning the 300 hurdles (49.28), followed by Martin (50.94) and Stahlboerger (52.21).

Jackson also helped the winning 1600 and 3200 relays and classmate Taylen Todd won long jump at 15-5, an inch further than Kingsford senior Maddy Kreider who will be playing volleyball at Michigan Tech this fall.

Beside her PR in long jump, Kreider placed second in the 100 (13.48).

“The 100 went really well and our relays went well,” she said. “We’re excited for the Finals. I’m pleased with my long jump. That’s the best I jumped all year. We hope to place in the top five in both relays. I just want to give my best effort. Coming into the season my big goal was to place in the regional. It’s been a nice season.”

Gladstone senior Aaron Hughes swept the boys’ weight events, taking shot put (44-2½) and discus (131-3) and Esky freshman won high jump (6-0), edging Menominee junior Darrent Butler on a tie-breaker.

Marquette took first in 13-of-17 events.

Sentinels’ senior and Michigan Tech basketball recruit Jacob MacPhee captured the 200 (22.95) and 400 (51.33) and anchored the 800 and 1600 relays.

“We’re definitely very confident,” he said. “We put up 200 points at Negaunee (May 9) and had a good regional. It’s a good feeling to win the GNC. It’s kind of a trap meet because you start focusing on the U.P. Finals after the regional, although you have to come ready to compete in every meet. My starts weren’t as good as I hoped. I think the break will be good for us. That definitely gives us more time to work on things.”

Sophomore Lucas Ballard copped the 800 in a personal-best 1:56.46, followed by senior James Barch (1:59.67), also a PB, and junior Beepsee Teeple (2:01.8) and senior Evan Balko (2:02.94).

MacPhee, Ballard, Barch and Balko comprised the 3200 relay which became the first U.P. team to break the eight-minute barrier in a meet downstate (7:58.97).

“I tried to get out as fast as I could,” Ballard said. “I’m happy with my 800 time. There’s great competition downstate which helps us a lot. It was fun to get under eight minutes. It felt great. Over the winter, we figured we were going to do it. We have great coaching. It’s great to be part of this team. Coach (Derek) Marr draws the best out of us. He’s a great motivator.”

The Sentinels, using a different lineup, were runners-up to Kingsford in the 3200 relay Monday.

“I didn’t remember much right after we broke eight minutes,” MacPhee said. “Everything was kind of a blurr, but I was very happy to be part of that team.”

In the 400, MacPhee was followed by Menominee junior Nathan Komp (53.52) and Esky junior Ben Sands (54.2) and Hamlin (55.76).

Marquette senior Drew Bradley also won multiple events, taking the 100 (11.4) and pole vault (14-0), edging classmate Michael Cattoor on a tie-breaker. Gladstone sophomore Andrew Karl placed third (13-6).

Esky, Marquette and Menominee are idle until May 31 when they return to Kingsford for the U.P. Finals.

Gladstone hosts the Mid-Peninsula Conference meet Thursday at 3:30 p.m. and Kingsford resumes in the Dan Juntilla Memorial Invitational at Calumet May 27.