The finish line is almost here for seniors like Savannah McLauchlan and Linda Aron.

Regional track and field meets are this week.

That means it’s go-time for athletes like Dakota’s McLauchlan and Michigan Collegiate’s Aron to earn berths in state finals.

“I want to be able to go out with a bang,” McLauchlan said after winning the high jump at the Dakota Invitational on Saturday.

“States is where my mind is set,” McLauchlan added. “I want to get there and at least make all-state.”

Aron, a transfer from Warren Woods-Tower, has similar goals.

“I want to win the state championship,” she said.

Aron believes the 400-meter dash is her best event.

Her coach thinks she can be a force in that race and more.

“I believe Linda can win three state championships, in the 400, the 200 and the long jump,” Ricky Gonzalez said. “She should at least be all-state in all three.”

Michigan Collegiate competes in the Division 4 regional at Bishop Foley on Thursday.

Aron takes a quality resume to the meet.

The school record holder in the long jump and the 400, she won her preliminary heat in the 200 and jumped 16-5.5 on a cold and cloudy day at Dakota. She finished second in the 200 final, won the 400 championship and wound up second in the jump.

Aron won the 400 and 200 at the Charter School Conference meet at Mount Clemens on May 4.

“If she keeps progressing like she has over the past month, I think she’ll be right there at the top in Division 3,” Gonzalez said.

McLauchlan jumped her personal best of 5-4 as a 10th-grader.

After clearing 5-2 at her school's invitational, she missed making 5-4 but took her performance in stride.

“We’re getting there,” the Oakland University recruit said. “My steps have been really messed up.  I need to get those in place.

“I’ve got the height. Other than that, I need to get in the right place.”

The Cougars are in the regional at Warren-Mott on Friday.

Last year, McLauchlan extended her season by reaching the additional state qualifier height of 5-2.

“I jumped that today. Hopefully I can keep it there,” she said.

Emanuela Pepaj of Sterling Heights had a career-best 32-6 early in the shot put competition at Dakota.

“I’m so happy,” the junior said.

Pepaj wound up seventh in the shot put, won by Richmond's Shannon Gaffney.

The season has been uneven for Pepaj.

“I came in strong. Threw a PR,” she said.

Then she hit the proverbial "wall”  and performances stagnated.

“I got really, really frustrated,” Pepaj said. “It’s hard to describe. I think maybe personal things affected track. I’m glad things are going well right now.”

Pepaj also plays basketball.

Last winter, she sprained her right ankle.

During her sophomore basketball season, she sprained her left ankle.

“That really messed with my vertical (jump),” she said.

A shot putter and discus thrower like Pepaj doesn’t want tender ankles in endeavors that require sound footwork.

“That’s why this is so hard,” she said.

Pepaj will be at the Warren-Mott regional.

She wants to throw the shot 35 feet. She’d also like a spell of favorable weather.

“I don’t know what Michigan is thinking right now,” Pepaj said, perhaps echoing the sentiments of all spring-sports athletes. “We had sunshine two minutes ago.”

Gaffney's winning throw was 35-9.75. She finished second to Dakota's Janan Khalil in the discus.

Cora Kolodge of Anchor Bay won the 1600 in 5:08.15. That broke the school record the freshman set a week ago at the Harold Arft Sterling Heights Invitational.

Makayla Sumrall of Roseville was a double winner. The senior ran a personal-best 12.66 in the 100 and added the long jump championship.

Riley Redmond of Utica won the 200, and Ashley Quinn won the 800.

Maddy Bean (3200) gave Richmond a second first-place finisher.

Micah Martin of L'Anse Creuse won the high hurdles and Ahjanae Brady of Lamphere won the lows.

Kaylee Koch was the pole vault winner.

In the boys meet, Romeo senior John Jackman won the 100 and 200 meters. Dylan Johnson of Roseville won the 400 and Jack Wilson of Romeo took the 800.

Distance races were won by Wilson (1600) and William Hofmann (3200) of Grosse Pointe North.

Darrin King of Detroit Country Day won the high hurdles and Brandon Michalak of Dakota won the intermediates.

Anchor Bay and Dakota had a pair of field event winners apiece.

The Tars' Al Biland won the pole vault and Sebastian Tesch took the discus throw. The Cougars' Zachary Webb won the high jump and Brandon Ross won the shot put.

Sam Kunnuji of L'Anse Creuse won the long jump.