Benzie Central's Jones, St Louis Pull Away
November 7, 2020
By Jason Schmitt
Special for Second Half
BROOKLYN – Never one to refuse a challenge, Benzie Central’s Hunter Jones certainly accepted the challenge presented to him Saturday at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Boys Cross Country Finals.
The sophomore successfully repeated as Division 3 individual champion, finishing the course at Michigan International Speedway in a time of 15:28.96. And part of the challenge was that he had to run by himself — nearly 30 seconds ahead of his next-nearest competitor and in the first of two races in his division. Due to COVID-19 safety measures, each division was separated into two races.
“He was chasing the times from yesterday,” said his coach, Asa Kelly, referring to a pair of sub-15 minute performances by Hartland’s Riley Hough and Ann Arbor Skyline’s Hobbs Kessler in the Division 1 Finals. “That’s definitely where he sees himself, running up there with guys like that. It’s so hard to go out there by yourself. It’s tough, but it is what it is, running in separate divisions like that.”
Jones said he had to change up his strategy a bit due to the unusual circumstances.
“I usually look at my times and gauge myself out on the course, but I really didn’t have that today,” said Jones, who beat his time on the same course from a year ago by 17 seconds. “I just have to remember to keep pushing through, and it worked out for me today. It felt great to get back here (and win), and I can’t wait for the next two years.”
Kelly sees the work Jones puts in each and every single day yet is still impressed every time his sophomore adds to his list of accomplishments.
“Back to back state champ and you’re only a sophomore, only the second kid that’s done that so far,” Kelly said. “He has a really high bar set for himself, and every single day he works his tail off to get to this race. He definitely deserves everything he gets out there.”
Cass City senior Nick McArdle finished second overall in a time of 15:58.9. New Lothrop senior Carson Hersch was third, followed by Memphis senior Tyler Carlson and Manton junior Noah Morrow in the top five.
St. Louis captured the team title, finishing with a team score of 103 points to beat out Hart (116), the pre-race favorite. The Sharks had four runners finish among the top 23 overall, led by junior Aaron Bowerman, who crossed the line ninth in a time of 16:26.66. Also scoring for the team were senior Keegan Honig, junior Nate March, freshman Ben March and senior Joe Erickson.
“We knew there were five or six really good teams that could really make a run for it, and we wanted to put ourselves in a position to have that opportunity,” St. Louis coach Jay Puffpaff said after the race. “In a year like this, with all this adversity all around us, just being out here with an opportunity to bring home a state championship to our community, it means everything. The kids embraced that opportunity all year long and ran for each other the whole way.”
It was the first Finals championship for the Sharks since 2005, when they took home a Division 4 crown.
Senior Alex Enns paced Hart with his fourth-place finish. He crossed the line in a time of 16:21.59.
Traverse City St. Francis was third with 182 points, while Grandville Calvin Christian (186) and Hanover-Horton (205) rounded out the top five teams.
PHOTOS: (Top) Benzie Central’s Hunter Jones approaches the finish line at MIS during the Division 3 Finals on Saturday. (Middle) St. Louis’ Keegan Honig (173) and Nate March (175) push through the final stretch with Ithaca’s Espen Lehnst. (Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)
Litzner Completes Career Finals Sweep to Set Pace at UP Boys XC Finals
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 18, 2025
MUNISING — It’s not often a cross country runner gets to end his or her high school career as a four-time Upper Peninsula Finals champion.
Sault Ste. Marie senior Gabe Litzner wasn’t going to be denied on this sunny and warm Saturday, however, completing the sweep by covering the Pictured Rocks Golf Course 3.1-mile course in 15:58.3.
He was followed by Marquette seniors Rorik Holmquist at 16:15.8 and Peter Argeropoulos (16:24.5) and junior Lucas Ballard (16:40), and Sault Ste. Marie senior Shea Armstrong (16:54.9).
“It’s awesome to look back at all the memories and friends I made,” Litzner said. “It feels like the conditions were a lot better last year. It warmed up quickly, and I think it caught everybody off guard. We’ve had quite a few colder races. The temperature had been in the 50s nearly every day.
“The Marquette guys were definitely pushing me throughout the race. I used a lot of the same strategy as last year. I followed a conservative approach in the first mile, then took off.”
Marquette captured its seventh-straight Division 1 title with 34 points. Sault was runner-up for the seventh consecutive time at 43, and Houghton placed third with 84.
Litzner became the first boys runner since 2019 to take a fourth U.P. championship, following Brimley’s Austin Plotkin, who earned top honors four times in a row in Division 3.
“Gabe and Shea did what they do,” Sault coach Jim Martin said. “We had some kids step up. One of our freshmen (Drew Burtt) really stepped up. We had five guys run good races. They found a way to get it done.”
Division 2
Painesdale Jeffers made it five team titles in a row, placing seven racers among the top 14 and scoring 23 points. The Jets were followed by Rudyard with 51 and Munising with 117.
“On the first day of practice we talked about it, and the biggest accomplishment is all seven boys and both girls medaled,” Jeffers coach Sam Kilpela said. “It ended up being a great day.
"This speaks volumes for our program. Overall, we stayed healthy, and on the last day we finished the job. This is the first time in our school history we won it five years in a row.”
Jeffers senior Cameron Anderson won an individual Finals championship for the first time, in 16:41.1, followed by classmate Landon Larson (17:33.4), Rudyard senior Steven Kirschner (17:51), Jeffers sophomore Branson Anderson (18:07) and Pickford junior Jacob Mitchell (18:11.6).
Division 3
Crystal Falls Forest Park clinched its first Division 3 championship with 58 points, followed by St. Ignace with 71 and 2024 champ Engadine at 91.
“This is a very special day,” Forest Park coach D.J. Rasner said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the boys. They worked so hard all year. Having a full team put us in a better situation. We got our fifth runner halfway through the season, and it gave us a lot of momentum. I think we’re also gaining some momentum in our school. More kids want to be a part of this.”
Cedarville/DeTour junior Ethan Snyder gained the top individual honor at 17:32, becoming the first from his school to take a U.P. title since 2004 when Cedarville’s Chad Schlosser was crowned champion.
Ishpeming junior Kemper Gearhart was runner-up at 17:51.7. He was followed by Rock Mid Peninsula freshman Ashdeyn Gerow in a personal-best 17:55, Engadine sophomore Nate Stielstra (18:13.4) and St. Ignace senior Dalton Champion (18:30.9).
PHOTOS (top) Sault Ste. Marie's Gabe Litzner is the first to cross the finish line in the UP Division 1 Boys Final on Saturday in Munising. (Middle) At the beginning of the Division 2 Final, Painesdale-Jeffers' Cameron Anderson (280), Wakefield-Marenisco/Bessemer's Sean Lake, Pickford's Jacob Mitchell (293), and Rudyard's Eli Folkersma (331), Seth Templeton (336) and Oliver Dankert (330) lead the field. (Below) Cedarville/DeTour's Ethan Snyder takes over the lead in the Division 3 race. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)