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That would be true about the competition that both the Harbor Beach girls and the USA boys faced throughout the season. While the Pirates had to contend with an Ubly team that had won back-to-back state titles, the Patriots tangled with Cass City and Reese, who edged them out at the league meet and both went on to win regional titles.

But that tough competition throughout the year only made them better, as both teams brought home hardware last Friday night.

Harbor Beach, who won league and regional titles in the same season for the first time in history, scored 136 points to finish ahead of Ubly (105.5), USA (97.5) and Deckerville (93.5).

USA rebounded from a third place finish in the GTW meet by beating Dryden 135-100 to secure the win; Harbor Beach finished third overall (94) and Ubly fourth (82).

"Reese and Cass City were incredible teams this year. It was difficult through the year to go out and get beat by those teams time after time," first year coach Brian Keim explained.

But the Patriots, didn't let those losses get them down, instead they used them as motivation. "These guys seemed to have a vision beyond that, knowing we were going to enter the smaller school division in regionals. They knew if they kept working they would have their day," he said.

He added, "I had to fight back tears a couple of times, when I saw how hard they were competing."

For the Patriots, Joel Goodwin finished first in the 110 hurdles (15.60) and the high jump (5-7), while the 1,600 relay team of Dylan Kuhl, Corey Haag, Tyler Kuhl and Travis Blunt (3:37.66) also earned a win.

Carl Bednarski also qualified for a pair of events at the state meet as he won the discus (134-6) and finished second in the shot put (44-5).

Other state qualifiers for USA included the 400 relay team of Timothy Canfield, Tyler Masse, Haag and Dylan Kuhl (46.32); the 800 relay team of Jordan Largent, Haag, Tyler Kuhl and Travis Blunt (1:36.90) and Tyler Kuhl in the pole vault (12-3), all of whom finished second in their events.

For Harbor Beach, qualifiers include Travis Schock, who won the long jump (20-3 1/4) and finished second in the 110 hurdles (15.74) and 300 hurdles (43.00), as well as Matt Titus in the 400 (52.58)

Athletes who qualified for the state meet from Ubly include their 3,200 relay team of Cory Booms, Brandon Glaza, John Creguer and Evan Stomack (9:01.11). Glaza also qualified in the 3,200 (10:53.40), while Jason Schroeder did in long jump (19-11 1/2) and Eric LaBuhn in discus (130-3).

On the girls' side, the Lady Pirates were led by first place finishes from Jacqueline Kirsch in the 100 hurdles (16.43) and pole vault (8-9), as well as Bri Woycehoski in the 800 (2:25.54). Other Harbor Beach athletes who advanced for the finals include Alicia Seltz, who qualified on time in the 100 hurdles (16.98) and Woycehoski and Ali Wessels, who finished second and third respectively in the 1,600 (5:33.59 and 5:34.31). Kirsch qualified in the 300 hurdles (49.01), Holly Buchholz in the 800 (2:26.96) and Wessels in the 3,200 (12:04.33).

The 1,600 relay team (4:12.94) and the 3,200 relay team (10:02.63) also advanced.

"It was all a team effort. The kids buckled down and did what they had to do," coach Steve Linn said.

He added, "The 1,600 was huge; we got four of the top six places."

Linn was also proud of some athletes who didn't run, but were there supporting and encouraging their teammates.

"Lynette Roggenbuck didn't even run today, but she was their supporting the team and telling them what they had to (at different points in the race). It was a big team effort," he said.

For the runner-up Bearcats, they got firsts from the 3,200 relay team of Kayla Kubacki, Lyndsay White, Jennifer White and Chelsey Kubacki (9:53.52); the 800 meter relay team of Lauren Peplinski, Caitlyn Holdwick, Kalyn Helewski and Tammy Rutkowski (1:55.48); and Rutkowski in the long jump (15-8).

Other qualifiers included Helewski in the 100 hurdles (16.60), Kayla Kubacki in the 400 (1:02.92) and the long jump (15-3 1/2), Chelsey Kubacki in the 800 (2:29.87) and Jennifer Messing in the 3,200 (12:29.16), as well as the 1,600 relay team (4:14.97) and the 400 relay team (54.48).

The third place Patriots were led by firsts from Sara Turschak in the 1,600 (5:27.64) and the 3,200 (12:00.19), a second in the pole vault (8-9) and was also part of a 3,200 relay team (with Amanda DiSemplare, Mercy Martinez and Cami Valentine) that qualified for the state meet on time (10:07.37). Others qualifiers include Zoey Wissner in the 200 (28.27) and Abby Scharf, who finished first in the shot put (35-1) and second in the discus (102-11).

Other area qualifiers included North Huron's Megan Heffner, who finished first in the 100 (13.22), 300 hurdles (47.34), high jump (4-10) and was part of the winning 400 relay team (54.36) along with Caitlyn Homrich, Heather Dobson and Stephanie Goretski. Additionally, Homrich won the 200 with a time of 28.19. Port Hope's Heather Zick advances to the finals with a win in the 400 (1:02.58).

For more pictures from this past week's track action, as well as baseball, soccer and softball, head over to the Huron County Press sports blog at http://hcpsports.blogpsot.com.