Gladstone Ace Shaving Seconds, Stacking Wins in Building Memorable Run
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 7, 2021
GLADSTONE — Drew Hughes has been piling up victories throughout this cross country season.
The Gladstone High School junior won for the ninth time in as many races Tuesday, finishing first at the Gladstone Invitational at Richer's farmhouse.
That victory came three days after earning top honors at the Sault Ste. Marie Elks Invitational by covering the 3.1-mile course in 16 minutes, 35 seconds. At Munising on Sept. 28, he ran a personal-best 16:22.4 in the El Harger Memorial Invitational at Pictured Rocks Golf & Country Club, shaving seven seconds off his previous best at the Holly Invitational on Sept. 18 at Davisburg.
What has made him so successful?
“It’s probably the training I did this summer,” said Hughes, who averages 20 miles a week. “I ran with a lot of my friends, and they pushed me a lot. Although, most days I was running by myself. After a meet when I get a good time, I just want to keep getting better.”
Hughes has finished under 17 minutes in his last five races, including the John Prokos Memorial Invitational in Escanaba where he was clocked at 16:47 on Sept. 25. He also ran a 16:47 on Tuesday.
After the Holly Invite, he was selected the Athlete of the Meet for Division 3-4-5 after becoming the first male runner from the Upper Peninsula to take top individual honors in the meet’s 53-year history.
“I thought that was real cool,” said Hughes, who ran a 5:10 split in his first mile. “After the first mile, I wanted to keep that pace. I also wanted to make sure I didn’t burn out. I slowed down slightly in the second mile, but not too much. Coach (Gary Whitmer) told me my two-mile split. At that point, I wanted to go for under 17.”
Gladstone placed third at Sault Ste. Marie with 84 points. South Lyon won at 27, followed by the host Blue Devils with 51.
“My teammates and coaches have been very helpful, and they’ve been helpful and respectful to other teams,” said Hughes. “We’re a real good small team.”
On race day, he enjoys the competition and camaraderie with other runners.
“Marquette is real solid and fun to race against,” he said. “Houghton is doing well, and Sault is fun to race against. They have a nice course up there.
“My girlfriend and whole family come to the meets when they can. They’re also very supportive even when they can’t make it to the meets.”
Hughes started running in third grade under former coach Dan Paul.
“I just loved running,” he said. “My brother Luke was among the best runners in middle school, and that really motivated me. He had a lot of speed and height. In second grade, I started getting interested in running by watching him. They had a lot of people there. That was awesome.
“Our coach would treat us to ice cream after some practices. He and my grandfather came with us and rode their bikes while we were running.”
Hughes hopes to retain his Great Northern Conference title at Menominee on Oct. 14 and Mid-Peninsula Conference crown in Ishpeming on Oct. 18.
The season ends with the Upper Peninsula Finals on Oct. 23 at Gentz Golf Course in Chocolay Township (near Marquette). Hughes finished 12th in the Division 1 race in 2020.
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTO Gladstone's Drew Hughes leads and wins the Dale Phillips Invitational on Sept. 3 at Presque Isle Park. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)
Solgot Realizes Championship Potential, Working to Become Michigan's Best
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
October 30, 2026
MACOMB — For Macomb L’Anse Creuse North junior Xavier Solgot, last year’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Cross Country Finals were about more than just where he finished.
Sure, Solgot was thrilled to nearly crack the top 10, placing 11th and finishing as the top underclassman at the meet.
But more than the result, his performance was a personal revelation revealing what kind of runner he can become.
“It gave me a lot of confidence and just showed I can stick with those top guys,” Solgot said. “Last year, I came in and I didn’t think I was going to be up there that much. I feel like my goal was just to get all-state. Getting 11th was more than I expected. Going into this year, it showed me that I can push through what my expectations are for myself.”
Solgot has certainly pushed to even better things so far this fall. Last month, Solgot broke his own school record, clocking a time of 15.02. He also repeated as champion at the Macomb County meet on Oct. 17, finishing nearly a full minute ahead of the second-place finisher with a time of 15:22.9.
Barring anything unforeseen at the Regional on Friday at Algonac, Solgot should qualify for next week’s Finals and enter on the short list of individual Division 1 title contenders.
“I’m not as worried about place this year as I was last year,” Solgot said. “I think that I just want to push myself as much as I can. Just give it everything and just stay with the top guys as long as I can. Last year, I think I was third at the mile (marker). This year, I think I can stick with them longer.”
Solgot said he first got into cross country when he was in sixth grade after being “peer pressured” by friends to get into the sport, but said a turning point came when he was running a meet during eighth grade.
“In eighth grade, we had a Regional meet and I took my (2-mile) PR from 12:00 to an 11:31, and then I realized I could be pretty good at this and I should start training more in the offseason,” he said.
This season, Solgot looks to be in even better form, and for more reasons than just being a year older and stronger.
For one, he said he prioritizes being fresh each day.
“I’m always getting about 10 hours of sleep every night and making sure I’m well-rested before starting to train,” he said.
Two, Solgot said he has remedied an issue that plagued him during track season when he ran the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.
“I found out at the beginning of cross season that I was very deficient on iron,” he said. “That is kind of why I did so bad at the end of the season of my track year. I’ve been taking iron supplements, and every day I feel better than the last day.”
Finally, Solgot said he has made sure to fully optimize his mental outlook going into each race.
“I’ve kind of changed my perspective going into races,” he said, noting he has upped his training by five miles per week this season. “I used to be nervous, and then I started seeing a sports psychologist to feel less nervous and more prepared for the race. Not be so anxious.”
It’s all made for a terrific junior season, and going into the final week, Solgot and the rest of the state know he belongs among the top echelon of Division 1 contenders.
Keith Dunlap has served in Detroit-area sports media for more than two decades, including as a sportswriter at the Oakland Press from 2001-16 primarily covering high school sports but also college and professional teams. His bylines also have appeared in USA Today, the Washington Post, the Detroit Free Press, the Houston Chronicle and the Boston Globe. He served as the administrator for the Oakland Activities Association’s website from 2017-2020. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTOS (Top) L’Anse Creuse North’s Xavier Solgot runs with a pack toward the finish of last season’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final at Michigan International Speedway. (Middle) Solgot holds up his medal after this season’s Macomb County championship meet. (Finals photo by RunMichigan.com. County awards photo provided by Solgot.)