You'll recall some blasts from the past with this list.
Remember, we're introducing a potential All-Decade team each Thursday until December, when, based on your comments and my original groupings, we'll come up with our All-Decade teams for each sport. Check out the links at the bottom of this post to contribute to all of the conversations so far.
For the track teams, I've combined how we pick all-area each season (based on both top performances and head-to-head competition) with how a true track team might be comprised. Here's what I've got so far:
Throwers: Okemos' Astin Steward (class of 2003, then to Purdue), Sexton's Samantha Lockhart (2009, Grand Valley State) and Olivet's Jamie Wells (2002): Steward set the Division 1 state meet discus record in 2003 at 154-9, and Lockhart was a five-time Dream Team selection in either discus or shot put, winning two state championships. Wells gets the nod for the third spot because of her skills in both tosses. Also in the conversation: Sexton's Karen Backus and Eaton Rapids' Whitney Nevins.
Jumpers: Okemos' Stephanie Linz (2001, Michigan), Holt's Alisha Weaver (2010), Lakewood's Rhianna Stalter (2002, Michigan State) and East Lansing's Victoria Lipscomb (2009, Oakland): Linz held the Division 1 state meet high jump record at 5-7 until 2008, and Weaver has gone 5-6 and won the last two Honor Roll meets. Stalter has the area's top long jump of 18-6 to finish Division 2 state runner-up in 2002, and Lipscomb edges former Eastern standout Micah Jones after breaking her Honor Roll Meet record. Also in the conversation: Jones and Fowlerville's Ashley Henry.
Pole vault: Ovid-Elsie's Carly Schiffer (2006, Michigan) and Grand Ledge's Jackie Clark (2005): Both went 11-6 -- Schiffer to win the Division 3 state title in 2006, and Clark to set the Honor Roll Meet record in 2005. Also in the conversation: Bath's Jamie Foote, Stockbridge/Perry's Christina Watson and Pewamo-Westphalia's Kirstie Wieber.
Sprinters: Waverly's Jordan Dunn (2007), Sexton's Shayna Sangster (2003, Western Michigan), Laingsburg's Julie Johnson (2003), Grand Ledge's Stephanie Staubus (2005): Dunn was on two state champ relays and never lost in the 100 or 200 in league competition. Sangster was one of the state's top sprinters during her time, especially in the 100, and even while overshadowed by Johnson, a three time LSJ track Athlete of the Year. Staubus makes the list in part for flexibility as a Dream Teamer in separate years in either the 100 or 200. (Lipscomb would also help out in the 200.) Also in the conversation: Eaton Rapids' Kathrine Wright and Everett's Ashley Heggins.
Middle distance: Haslett's Hadiyah Olowolafe (2007, volleyball at Cal Poly), Portland's Sarah Stornant (2002, MSU) Lansing Catholic's Allison Strouse (2006, Aquinas College) and Haslett's Monica Barnes (2009, Michigan): Laingsburg's Johnson is the area's best in the 400 and Holt's Kelly Robinson is the best in the 800 but will be listed with the distance runners. Helping them would be Olowalafe, the area's best at 57.4 in the 400 as a senior; Barnes, whose 2:15.64 is second-best only to Robinson this decade; Strouse, who was all-area in the 100, 200 and 400 at different times during a record-setting career for the Cougars; Stornant, a three-time Dream Team pick and 800 state champ as a senior. Also in the conversation: Lansing Catholic's Liz Watson.
Distance: Robinson (2004, Air Force), Portland's Melissa Miller (2000, Central Michigan) and Grand Ledge's Emily Langenberg (2007, MSU): Robinson is arguably the area's top track athlete this decade, with two Honor Roll records when she graduated as the LSJ Athlete of the Year. Miller was state runner-up in both the 1,600 and 3,200 as a senior, and Langenberg was the area's best two-miler this decade. Also in the conversation: Okemos' Danielle Dakroub.
Hurdles: Sexton/Eastern's Crystal Stanley (2006, CMU), Williamston's Leslie Combs (2001), Alma's Meghan Moore (2003, CMU and GVSU for volleyball): Stanley was the area's best in the 100 or 300 multiple times and the LSJ Athlete of the Year in 2006. Combs ran the decade's best 100 time of 14.7, and Moore was the dominant hurdler before Stanley. Also in the conversation: Sexton's Sharonda Hurd and DeWitt's Tori Desira.
400 relay: Sangster, Staubus, Dunn then Johnson would be our best team. But the best as a group this decade was Everett's this spring of Jessica Barnett, Ashley Heggins, Jazmen Moore and Ja'Naye Haynes, who went 49.07.
800 relay: Sangster, Lipscomb, Dunn then Johnson. Best of area this decade was Everett in 2002, Shantel Hughes, Tamera Thomas, Danielle Ross and Patrice Smith, who went 1:42.65.
1,600 relay: Olowolafe, Strouse, Sangster and Johnson. Best this decade was Sexton, also in 2002, Hurd, Abby Champion, Whitney McBurrows and Sangster, who went 4:00.9.
3,200 relay: Barnes, Stornant, Miller and Robinson. Best this decade was Holt in 2004, Robinson, Liz Huber, Missy Darling and Kristen Wheaton, who went 9:24.5.
Coach: Michael Kuyers, Potterville: Has led the Vikings to the last two Division 4 state titles, and built the dominant program in a strong Central Michigan Athletic Conference. Also in the conversation: Williamston's Mitch Lutzke, East Lansing's Charles Pollard/Bob Brown, Haslett's Kevin Tobe, Grand Ledge's Tim Hoshal, Lansing Catholic's Tim Simpson.
Other All-Decade blogs so far:
