Holland Calvary Christian Boys Repeat in Record-Tying Fashion
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 7, 2026
BROOKLYN – Holland Calvary Christian boys cross country coach Richard Laninga knew his team had a chance to not only repeat as Lower Peninsula Division 4 champion Saturday at Michigan International Speedway, but make history.
He just didn’t tell his runners the second part.
Calvary finished with 35 points to claim its second-straight title and tie the Finals record for lowest team score.
“It kind of crossed my mind a little bit, but we didn’t really focus on that,” Laninga said. “We just kind of felt like if we came in and we emptied the tank and ran our best, we’d just accept whatever result we got out of that. But I did think it was possible, I just never told the boys.”
Calvary’s 35 points matched Wyoming Potter’s House Christian’s 2022 race, and bested a very dangerous Breckenridge team that placed two of its runners among the top 40 team-connected competitors.
But Calvary had five of the top 11 team scorers on the day, which was simply too much for the Huskies to overcome.
“It’s crazy,” said Calvary senior Noah Schipper, who led the team by finishing fifth overall and scored two points for his team at 16 minutes, 3.7 seconds. “Coming into it, we weren’t even thinking about (tying the record). We knew there were some good teams out there and that we had to do our best. All I could see was a Breckenridge guy in front of me and one behind me. They ran a great race. I was just trying to do my best and trust that (my teammates) would do their best.”
All five Calvary runners finished in the top 15 overall, as Christian Getz was seventh (fourth among team competitors) at 16:06.1, Brody VanTuinen was 12th (eighth) at 16:31.9, Gibson White was 14th (10th) at 16:38.7 and Reagan Downing was 15th (11th) at 16:41.1.
Owen Ledebuhr was 17th at 16:44.8 to also finish all-state, and seventh runner Linkon Utter finished just two places outside of the podium, finishing 32nd at 17:02.9
While Calvary Christian was running away with the team title, Wyoming Tri-unity Christian’s Lincoln Laansma was running away with the individual crown.
The junior led wire to wire and finished off his school’s first Finals title with a 15:50.6, five seconds ahead of Breckenridge’s Anthony Rowe running second at 15:55.6.
“I felt pretty good the first mile, but with the wind and stuff that second mile, it just killed me,” Laansma said. “I know it’s going to sound crazy, because I was way far off, but I was hoping to try and hit (Marek Butkiewicz of Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep’s Division 4 Finals record of 15:09.7 set in 2024), but I just didn’t have it. I maintained the pace for 1K, but then I just fell off after that.”
Laansma was running essentially by himself throughout the race, as he had already opened up a 10-15 meter lead after the first 400.
“I had my coach toward the end of the second mile and he said, ‘Hey, you have a 40-50 yard gap,’” Laansma said. “I knew they were going to start upping the pace, so I knew I had to push it. That’s what I did at the end and luckily was able to come away with the win.”
Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central’s Abram Fettig was third in 16:00.5, with Elias Baldwin of Decatur finishing fourth at 16:02.9. Schipper rounded out the top five.
PHOTOS (Top) Calvary’s Noah Schipper (1204) chases Mesick’s Kyle Redman during the final stretch of the Division 4 Final on Saturday. (Middle) Christian Getz (1202) leads another group toward the finish. (Click for more from Dave McCauley/RunMichigan.com.)
Preview: Champs Collide In D3 Final
October 18, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A shuffling among the Upper Peninsula’s smallest-school powers has set up an intriguing matchup at Saturday’s MHSAA Cross Country Finals at Gentz Homestead Golf Course in Munising.
The move of reigning Division 2 champion Stephenson into Division 3 not only pits the Eagles against still-loaded reigning D3 champion Munising, but means the reigning individual champions from those two divisions also will chase each other.
Here's a look at those matchups plus more stories behind all of the favorites. Click for Saturday's race schedule and links to all qualifiers.
DIVISION 1
Reigning champion: Sault Ste. Marie
2012 runner-up: Escanaba
2013 top three: 1. Marquette, 2. Houghton, 3. Escanaba.
Marquette has been locked out of the top two spots the last two seasons after winning Division 1 from 2008-10. But the top-ranked team is anchored by one of the top returning placers from 2012 in sophomore Lance Rambo, who will look to build on his fourth-place finish. He was 19 seconds behind third-place finisher and Houghton junior Jacob Colling, who was only nine off the lead and might be the favorite this time. Escanaba returns three from last season’s top 21 and should make a push.
Individuals: Four more top-10 placers also are back, led by Menominee senior Davey Luplow, who finished fifth. Calumet senior Devin Berg finished seventh, Kingsford sophomore Nate Carey was eighth in his first season, and Negaunee senior Keenan Gantz will look to finish his career by building on last season’s ninth-place finish.
DIVISION 2
Reigning champion: Stephenson
2012 runner-up: Norway
2013 top three: 1. Hancock, 2. Ishpeming, 3. Ironwood.
Stephenson has won the last three Division 2 Finals, but is running in Division 3. The door appears most open for third-ranked Ironwood, which returns junior Jared Joki, the reigning individual runner-up, and last season’s 10th-place finisher Coli Clausen, also a junior. The only other top-10 placer returning to this race is Hancock senior Jacob Jarvis, ninth in 2012, and he’s joined by 11th-place Hayden Heikkinen, also a senior. Ishpeming finished only seventh last season, but could make a jump led by sophomore Derek Mahoski, who finished 36th as a freshman.
Individuals: Two others from last season’s top 15 should make a big move up the chart. Manistique junior Ryan Ramey is coming off an 11th-place finish and was a mere 11 seconds from ninth. Norway junior Justin Anderson was just behind Ramey in 12th.
DIVISION 3
Reigning champion: Munising
2012 runner-up: Cedarville
2013 top three: 1. Powers North Central, 2. Eben Junction Superior Central, 3. Stephenson.
Munising curiously is ranked only fifth despite winning the last two Division 3 titles and returning last season’s individual champion in sophomore Brett Hannah (17:55.0), third-place finisher in junior Izaak Mahoski and 10th-place finisher senior Sam MacArthur. Stephenson certainly is intriguing as well with reigning Division 2 individual champion Connor Cappaert (17:25.7), just a junior, looking to add another few titles. Dollar Bay does bring back a top-20 finisher in senior Cameron Ringler plus 21st-place senior Tom Autio. Superior Central sophomore Jesse Elsenbroek finished 24th last season as an individual qualifier and leads the second-ranked team.
Individuals: Five more of last season’s top 10 also will run this weekend. Fourth-ranked Pickford features seniors Jacob Anderzjak and Alec Firak, who finished seventh and ninth, respectively. Bessemer junior Zack Mazurek should push the favorites after finishing fourth as a sophomore, while Carney-Nadeau senior Dionte Blahnik (sixth) and Cedarville junior Teddy Bowlby (eighth) also are good bets to be in the hunt.
PHOTO: Houghton’s Jacob Colling (57) is the top returning placer from last season’s UP Division 1 Final, where he placed third in 16:59.3. (Photo courtesy of RunMichigan.com/Paul Gerard.)