Jazwinski Caps Career as D2's All-Time Fastest Champ, EGR Claims Close Team Race
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 7, 2026
BROOKLYN – Robert Jazwinski was racing down a record Saturday in the Lower Peninsula Division 2 Boys Cross Country Final.
While he didn’t reach the ultimate one, Dathan Ritzenhein’s all-Finals Michigan International Speedway course record set back in 2000, the Whitehall senior did set the Division 2 meet record Saturday with a time of 14 minutes, 49.3 seconds to claim his second-straight championship.
“TJ Hansen (who set the previous mark at 14:50.5 for Freeland in 2024) is insane, he’s a sub-4 miler, second at NXN, and that’s a great name to be in partnership with,” Jazwinski said. “But today, I’m not going to lie, my goals were a lot bigger than that. I’m happy with how I finished strong, even though I wasn’t feeling my best.”
Ritzenhein’s remarkable 14:10.4 has not been threatened in the quarter century since the future Olympian from Rockford set it. But Jazwinski, who has run 14:23 this season and is committed to Brigham Young University, seemed to have as good of a shot as anyone in that timeframe.
His time is the fifth-fastest ever run at MIS.
“I don’t know if today was my best day, but I went for it, and said I was going to go for it,” Jazwinski said. “I went through the mile right around that pace. I kind of slowed down right around the end, got a bit tired. But yeah, I’m pretty happy with it today.”
Alma’s Ezekial Baltierra was second to Jazwinski, running 15:20.4,with Lennox Naswell of Flint Powers Catholic in third at 15:22.2, Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Mitchell Dunlap fourth at 15:23.1 and East Grand Rapids’ Micah Becker in fifth at 15:25.4.
Becker was able to celebrate a Finals title as well, as he led EGR to a first-place team finish. The Pioneers finished with 152 team points, barely holding off Holland Christian in second at 159 and Pinckney in third at 160.
“I think it’s pretty incredible,” Becker said. “You can say that cross country is about how every single person runs by themselves, but ultimately it is a team sport. You can’t win a state championship with one runner. It takes an incredible group of guys that work their tails off to achieve something like that.”
Becker and teammate Thomas Fisher both finished ahead of the top placer from Holland Christian, Grant Lampen, who himself had an all-state finish (30th). Fisher was 24th overall and 16th in the team scoring with a time of 15:55.8.
Beckett Kneisel was 48th (30th in team points) at 16:14.8, Lucas Aardema was 61st (39) at 16:22.4 and Sean Wilson-Ross was 101st (64) at 16:41.4 for the Pioneers.
PHOTOS (Top) Whitehall’s Robert Jazwinski charges through the final stretch of his record-setting run Saturday. (Middle) East Grand Rapids’ Micah Becker has the finish line in sight. (Click for more from Dave McCauley/RunMichigan.com.)
Preview: Chasing the Champions
October 17, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
It’s not rare to see a repeat MHSAA Finals individual champion in cross country. Over the last decade alone, five Upper Peninsula runners have won multiple boys titles.
But how likely are three repeat champions in one season?
Stephenson senior Connor Cappaert can become the 14th to win three individual championships after earning his first two in different divisions over the last two seasons. Marquette junior Lance Rambo will have a chance to join that elite group next year if he can repeat this weekend in Division 1, and Ironwood senior Jared Joki can add a fourth top-three finish and second straight title in Division 2.
Here’s a look at some of the competition standing in the way, plus favorites for the team titles. Click for Saturday's race schedule and a list of all qualifiers.
DIVISION 1
Reigning champion: Marquette
2013 runner-up: Escanaba
2014 top three: 1. Marquette, 2. Escanaba, 3. Negaunee.
Marquette has two runners back from its top five that won last season’s title team. Rambo was the individual champion and came only six seconds from breaking the top 10 times in U.P. Division 1 history, and junior Troy Sergey added a 17th-place finish. But Escanaba is imposing with five of its top six back including fifth-place Joey Wolfe and seventh-place Eric Cousineau, a sophomore and senior, respectively.
Individuals: The field is loaded. In addition to Rambo, Wolfe and Cousineau, four more from last season’s top 10 are back: Houghton seniors David Jazsczak (third) and Jacob Colling (sixth), Kingsford junior Nate Carey (fourth) and Menominee senior Gunther Dedamos (ninth). Calumet sophomore Mitchell Delong was 15th last season and could move up. Negaunee’s Grant Johnson finished only 30th but won the Mid-Peninsula Conference title this fall.
DIVISION 2
Reigning champion: St. Ignace
2013 runner-up: Hancock
2014 top three: 1. Ishpeming Westwood, 2. Powers North Central, 3. Ironwood.
Westwood is seeking its first title since 2004 and hasn’t finished among the top two since 2006. The Patriots run six seniors and a junior, and senior Ryan Hunt placed ninth at last season’s Final. Powers North Central is the reigning Division 3 champion and looks like a strong candidate despite the move in division – sophomore Seth Polfus finished third individually and junior Bryce Holle was fourth last season in Division 3, and total the team returns four of last season’s top seven. Ironwood also has four of its seven back after finishing fourth a year ago, led by reigning individual champion Joki. A senior, he also finished third as a freshman and second as a sophomore.
Individuals: Norway senior Justin Anderson is looking to contend again after finishing fourth last fall, 13th in 2012 and 14th in 2011. Ishpeming could impact the team standings as well with senior Mark Holmgren and juniors Kazmine Langness and Derek Mahoski; they finished 14th, sixth and 16th, respectively, in 2013.
DIVISION 3
Reigning champion: Powers North Central
2013 runner-up: Pickford
2014 top three: 1. (tie) Stephenson, 1. (tie) Munising, 3. Cedarville.
This field is relatively open with North Central moving into Division 2. All seven runners from last season’s seventh-place finish are back for Stephenson, led by Cappaert. He’ll run for his third MHSAA title after winning Division 3 last season and Division 2 in 2012 (and finishing sixth in Division 2 in 2011). Munising, tied for the top spot in the final coaches poll, ran only four in 2013 and hence didn’t earn a team score, but has three of those back including junior and 10th-place finisher Brett Hannah.
Individuals: While Cappaert is a heavy favorite, he’ll have plenty of familiar competition. Reigning runner-up Zak Mazurek of Bessemer, also a senior, is back hoping to close the 18-second gap. In addition to Hannah, five more of last season’s top 15 are back – Wakefield-Marenisco junior Sam Dean (11th), Painesdale-Jeffers’ junior Kevin Semmens (ninth) and senior Anthony Harris (15th) and Marquette North Star Academy senior John-Henry Kibit (13th).
PHOTO: Kingsford’s Nate Carey (219) and Houghton’s Jacob Colling (215) are among top finishers from 2013 looking to challenge reigning champions Saturday. (Photo courtesy of RunMichigan.com/Paul Gerard.)