Marquette, Wyma Reign at UPD1 Boys Race
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 25, 2020
MARQUETTE — The Marquette boys grabbed four of the top seven places here Saturday, retaining their Upper Peninsula Division 1 cross country title with 38 points.
They were followed by Sault Ste. Marie with 47 and Houghton with 69.
“Running as a pack paid off for us again,” said Marquette coach Kyle Detmers. “Our guys really came through. My biggest perspective was getting the meet in, and the fact we got it in is huge.”
Sault senior Jaron Wyma, who’s verbally committed to Saginaw Valley State, won the 3.1-mile race in 17 minutes, 19 seconds. Houghton junior Eric Weiss was runner-up at 17:32.5.
“Going into this race, I really didn’t know where I’d finish,” said Wyma. “This is a big surprise. I thought it would come down to the last few steps. The last 800 meters were tough. My legs were burning, although I felt good the whole race. I engaged my arms and used the hills to my advantage. I knew I could win it if I toughed it out mentally. I guess you could say I was on a mission. It feels great to win this meet.”
Sophomore Carson VanderSchaaf was Marquette’s pacesetter in third (17:40.8). He was followed by Escanaba senior Derek Douglas (17:46.9) and twin brother Colin VanderSchaaf (17:50).
“I kind of wanted to stay with the lead pack,” said Carson. “He (Wyma) pulled ahead at 1 1/2 miles and Eric from Houghton made his move at about two miles. I’m satisfied with how I ran and how the team did. Having a bunch of guys to run with in practice helps our training, and today it paid off.”
Douglas said he adjusted his strategy for Saturday’s Final.
“My strategy was to go out hard and take the lead and stay with the pack through the woods,” he added. “It was a little cold, but there wasn’t much wind. Although, the wind didn’t really bother me. It felt pretty good taking the lead, and I think it helped me. Although, once we got into the woods I changed things up. I always get a little tired in the second mile, but tend to pick it up in the third.
“This is a great way to end the season. This was my last high school race. I wanted to give it everything I had.”
Sault came into this meet with high hopes, according to coach Jim Martin.
“We ran well, and Jaron worked so hard,” he said. “We’re just glad we got to run today.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Sault Ste. Marie's Jaron Wyma heads to the finish line in first place in the Division 1 Cross Country Final at Presque Isle Park in Marquette. (Middle) Marquette's Lincoln Sager (41), Carson VanderSchaaf (42), Luke Janofski (37) and Colin VanderSchaaf (43) lead the way at the start of Saturday’s race. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)
Be the Referee: Cross Country Uniforms
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
September 10, 2024
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Today we’re talking roster sizes and uniforms in cross country.
In the regular season, a school can enter a maximum of 12 competitors, and the top seven contribute to the school’s score. In the postseason, schools can enter a max of seven runners, with the top five contributing to the team score.
In the past, all members of a team had to wear identical uniforms. But that’s no longer the case. Now, each runner must wear a uniform that clearly indicates their team through the use of their predominant school colors, school logo, or nickname. They don’t have to be identical – but the school they are representing must be obvious, and it must be clear who your teammates are.
Something to think about the next time you are getting ready to run 3.1 miles.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen
PHOTO Newberry's Samantha Taylor (321) and Abby Taylor (320) lead the beginning of the Wildcat Invite last month at Northern Michigan University, with Samantha eventually finishing first and Abby third. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)