2017 ATH Kahlee Hamler running things

He's already becoming one of the more decorated high school athletes in the state of Michigan, and he just finished his sophomore year at Orchard Lake St.Mary's on Friday. After finishing first in both the 400-meter and 800-meter relays last year as a freshman in the state finals, Kahlee Hamler, helped his young Eaglets team take home a Division 2 state title this time, over the weekend.

Hamler and his St.Mary's teammates defended their 400m and 800m titles this year, but as collective unit, were also able to earn enough points to take home top team honors as well.

"It was a great feeling," Hamler said on winning a track and field state title. "But I think this time was more special to us, because we won the whole thing. Last year, we won se events, but we went even bigger this year. So to have our whole team winning is just a blessing to us."

Sure it rained most of the day in Zeeland, Michigan, and the unusually cold temperatures made stole the main headlines for the state championships, but even that couldn't have put a damper on what Hamler and his teammates had just accomplished at St.Mary's.

"It was so exciting and energetic," said Hamler after they were crowned state champions. "Even though we were the last ones out there waiting in the rain for them to announce that we had won, we made history. We were the first to to ever win a whole state title in track at St.Mary's, which I think was really good for us altogether as a team."

Eight participants on OLSM's 2015 Division 2 track and field state title team, Hamler, Ryan Johnson, Shermond Dabney, Richard Bowens, Tyler Cochran, Ross Moore, Ky'Ren Cunningham, and Justin Myrick, also play football for St.Mary's, and several of them were a huge factors in their Division 3 football state title victory back in November, Hamler is a starting wide receiver and kick returner for St.Mary's, and although it was fun winning both titles with his football teammates, there is only one brotherhood at St.Mary's, who now stake claim to 16 state titles, in five sports.

"We are all equal here, and it means a little bit more to everybody," Hamler said about his peers at St.Marys. "We are all brothers, and it doesn't just revolve around the football team that ran track, it revolves around everybody.

"In my opinion, I think we (St.Mary's) is one of the overall best programs in the state."

Now that track season is over, Hamler can focus on the sport he's really good at, which says a lot. The 5-9, 160-pounder is one of the best football players in his class in Michigan, with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, Indiana, San Diego State, and Pittsburgh, just to name a few. The summer means visit/camp season for many high school players like Hamler, who will jump right into that on Tuesday, visiting a school he holds an offer from already.

"It's been going pretty smooth," Hamler said of his recruitment. "I'm going to visit Michigan on Tuesday with the rest of the top class of 2017 kids.

"I'm looking forward to meeting Coach Harbaugh, and actually getting to know him. I haven't really got to talk to him, so I want to see what he's like as a coach."

Hamler said he isn't in a rush to make a decision, with him only being a junior now in high school, and will take his time with the whole process. Aside from Michigan, he wants to hear more from Notre Dame, Tennessee, USC, and Oregon. He hope to take a trip out west to visit some of those schools out there, and also will look more into a school's track program as well as their football pedigree.

"I'm going to see if I can get out to see what Oregon, USC, UCLA, and schools like that have to offer," Hamler said. "I also think that I am going to run track in college, even though I don't like track, but it does benefit me as football player, so I'm going to look into it for college."