As the defending state champion in the 110-meter hurdles, plenty of runners want to take down Pioneer High School junior Drake Johnson at this weekend's Division 1 finals at Rockford High School.

None more than his own teammate, senior Kyle Foster.

Foster finished second to Johnson in the event at the regional meet and has the fifth-fastest qualifying time in the state. Johnson has the fastest at 13.80 seconds, which beats his state-winning time of 14.17 seconds last June.

Johnson said having a teammate like Foster to push him at every practice, and every meet, helps him stay on top of his game.

“(Foster’s) especially good out of the start, so when he’s good out of the start it helps me for my start and my quickness to the first hurdle,” Johnson said. “Inadvertently, that helps me throughout the race.”

By now, Johnson should be used to the constant pushes he gets at practice. Last year, Drake's brother and teammate, Carter Johnson, finished third in the state in the event.

“It’s not like there’s a frustration or a tension between us,” Johnson said of he and Foster. “It’s kind of like we have a respect for each other.”

Washtenaw County athletes will be participating in all four track and field state finals on Saturday, here are some stories to look for out of each meet.

DIVISION 1 BOYS
Where: Rockford High School.

Local schools: Pioneer, Huron, Saline, Dexter, Ypsilanti, Lincoln, Skyline.

Local storyline: Team wise, no one in the area, or state for that matter, is likely to come close to defending champions East Kentwood. But the area does have multiple individuals with all-state potential. Along with Johnson at Foster (also the No. 2 seed in the high jump), watch for Ypsilanti junior Austin Sanders who will participate in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and will likely anchor the team's 800 relay.

Projected team standings, by seeds: 1. East Kentwood (62), 2. Detroit Catholic Central (43), 3. Pioneer (31), 4. West Bloomfield (24), 5. Walled Lake Central (23), t19. Ypsilanti (13), t35. Dexter (6), t.56. Saline (2), t.60. Lincoln (1).

QUALIFIERS
Top qualifying times and all Washtenaw County participants in each event:

Discus: 1. Sam Brunner, Romeo (169-11); 17. Konstantin Kecman, Pioneer (141-9).

Shot put: 1. Feerooz Yacoobi, Dearborn (56-11); 31. Mike Lewis, Huron (46-10 3/4).

High jump: 1. Justin Peguese, Berkley (6-8); 2. Kyle Foster, Pioneer (6-7); 7. Ervin Lofton, Pioneer (6-4).

Pole vault: 1. Nicholas Alaniva, Canton (14-7); 3. Andrew Herring, Dexter (14-4); 12. Tyler Leach, Pioneer (13-4); 13. Steven Bastien, Saline (13-4); 14. Rocky Schilke, Saline (13-4); 21. Jeremy Horner, Dexter (12-10).

Long jump: 1. James Vincenttaylor, Farmington (22-5 1/2); 8. Tyree Waller, Lincoln (21-6 1/4); 10. Steven Bastien, Saline (21-5 1/2); 18. Cody Norat, Pioneer (21-2 1/2).

100 meter dash: 1. Ricco Hall, East Kentwood (10.40); 9. Austin Sanders, Ypsilanti (10.80).

110 hurdles: 1. Drake Johnson, Pioneer (13.80); 5. Kyle Foster, Pioneer (14.40).

200 meter dash:1. Jake Spuller, Detroit Catholic Central (21.70); 3. Austin Sanders, Ypsilanti (21.80); 11. Garrick Roemer, Saline (22.20).

300 hurdles: 1. Javonte Lipsey, Portage Northern (38.00); 5. Andrew Hunt, Ypsilanti (39.10); 6. Drake Johnson, Pioneer (39.30).

400 meter dash: 1. Phillip Washington, West Bloomfield (47.80); 10. Noah Hiser, Dexter (49.90); 14. Garrick Roemer, Saline (50.00).

800 meter run: 1. Ben Reed, Midland (1:52.90).

1,600 meter run: 1. Omar Kaddurah, Grand Blanc (4:15.20); 28. Nick Renberg, Saline (4:27.50).

3,200 meter run: 1. Gerrett Zuk, White Lake Lakeland (9:21.80); 10. Taylor Neely, Dexter (9:31.30); 14. Matt Greve, Dexter (9:36.10); 17. Nick Renberg, Saline (9:36.70).

400 meter relay: 1. Battle Creek Central (42.40).

800 meter relay: 1. Jackson (1:26.20); 5. Pioneer (1:28.90); 6. Ypsilanti (1:28.90).

1,600 meter relay: 1. Detroit Catholic Central (3:20.10); 17. Saline (3:25.20); 22. Ypsilanti (3:27.20).

3,200 meter relay: 1. Detroit Catholic Central (7:48.00); 7. Saline (7:57.30).

DIVISION 2 BOYS

Where: Houseman Field, Grand Rapids.

Local schools: Chelsea, Milan.

Local storyline: Just as they were for the cross country season, Chelsea teammates August Pappas and Bryce Bradley have been two of the top distance runners in the state. Bradley peaked at the state finals in cross country with a runner-up finish while Pappas finished a disappointing seventh after entering the meet as one of the favorites. Pappas was sixth in the 1,600 and fourth in the 3,200 last year.

Projected team scores, by seeds: 1. East Lansing (79), 2. Ferndale (45), 3. Byron Center (44), 4. Allegan (36), 5. Chelsea (33).

QUALIFIERS
Top qualifying times and all Washtenaw County participants in each event:

Discus: 1. Derek Sievers, Byron Center (183-5).

Shot put: 1. Derek Sievers, Byron Center (61-5 1/4).

High jump: 1. Dartis Willis, Detroit Country Day (6-10).

Pole vault: 1. Jaime Salisbury, Marine City (14-6); 3. Michael Hovater, Chelsea (14-5).

Long jump: 1. Dartis Willis, Detroit Country Day (22-11 1/4); 17. Dequan Chambers, Milan (20-3 1/2).

100 meter dash: 1. Jamarius McTear, Ferndale (10.40); 11. Berkley Edwards, Chelsea (10.70).

110 hurdles: 1. Chaz Bradshaw, Alma (14.20); 4. Mason Borders, Chelsea (14.40).

200 meter dash: 1. Gary Jones, Allegan (21.60).

300 hurdles: 1. Justin Balczak, Cedar Springs (38.10); 5. Mason Borders, Chelsea (39.00).

400 meter dash: 1. Jamael McTear, Ferndale (48.80); 15. Luke Oliver, Chelsea (50.70).

800 meter run: 1. Timothy Simon, Richland Gull Lake (1:57.50).

1,600 meter run: 1. Jeff Sattler, Byron Center (4:18.50); 5. August Pappas, Chelsea (4:21.40); 6. Bryce Bradley, Chelsea (4:21.50); 27. Ike Fink, Milan (4:29.90).

3,200 meter run: 1. Taylor Compton, Hamilton (9:34.70); 6. August Pappas, Chelsea (9:37.90); 7. Bryce Bradley, Chelsea (9:38.20).

400 meter relay: 1. East Lansing (42.60); 24. Chelsea (44.20).

800 meter relay: 1. Ferndale (1:27.50); 12. Milan (1:31.30).

1,600 meter relay: 1. East Lansing (3:19.90); 6. Chelsea (3:26.50).

3,200 meter relay: 1. East Lansing (8:02.50); 6. Chelsea (8:06.90).

DIVISION 3

Where: Comstock Park High School.

Local schools: Willow Run, Father Gabriel Richard, Manchester.

Local storyline: After placing fourth in the discus and fifth in the shot put as a junior, Father Gabriel Richard senior Dominic Leoni enters the weekend with the third-best discus qualifying distance and 14th-best distance in the shot.

Projected team standings, by seeds: 1. Grandville Calvin Christian (49), 2. Union City (40), 3. Frankenmuth (37), 4. Parchment (33), t26. Father Gabriel Richard (8), t26. Willow Run (8).

QUALIFIERS Top qualifying times and all Washtenaw County participants in each event:

Discus: 1. David Scouten, Brooklyn Columbia Central (178-4); 3. Dominic Leoni, Father Gabriel Richard (154-11); 7. Nate Donnellon, Father Gabriel Richard (148-2).

Shot put: 1. David Scouten, Brooklyn Columbia Central (61-7 3/4); 14. Dominic Leoni, Father Gabriel Richard (48-10 3/4).

High jump: 1. Brendan Banker, Ida (6-5).

Pole vault: 1. Isaac Austin, Kent City (15-0).

Long jump: 1. Logan Howe, Kent City (22-10).

100 meter dash: 1. Chris Maye, Union City (10.60); 28. Aaron Richmond, Willow Run (11.20).

110 hurdles: 1. Kyle Hanselman, Napoleon (14.50).

200 meter dash: 1. Chris Maye, Union City (21.90).

300 hurdles: 1. Kyle Hanselman, Napoleon (39.40)

400 meter dash: 1. Cameron Wilson, Millington (49.50); 19. Nate Donnellon, Father Gabriel Richard (51.40); 23. Alex Mutchler, Manchester (51.50).

800 meter run: 1. Luke Bade, Frankenmuth (1:55.00); 11. Zach Dunsmore, Manchester (1:59.90); 24. Josh Fons, Father Gabriel Richard (2:02.30).

1,600 meter run: 1. Stu Crowell, Parchment (4:21.80).

3,200 meter run: 1. Caleb Rhynard, Shepherd (9:45.70); 23. Ron Milbocker, Whitmore Lake (10:08.40).

400 meter relay: 1. Grandville Calvin Christian (43.80); 2. Willow Run (44.00).

800 meter relay: 1. Lansing Catholic (1:29.90).

1,600 meter relay: 1. Lansing Catholic (3:24.10)

3,200 meter relay: 1. Frankenmuth (7:59.40); 19. Whitmore Lake (8:30.00).

DIVISION 4

Where: Jenison High School.

Local school: Greeenhills.

Local storylines: Greenhills senior Jeffrey Bord is the county's lone participant. Bord will run the 3,200, which he placed eighth in last year.