Mora Caps Career with D2 Title
November 3, 2012
By Bill Khan
Special to Second Half
BROOKLYN — When it was time to make a move, Connor Mora had no idea how it would play out.
All he knew was he wanted to finish his last high school cross country race with no regrets.
The Cedar Springs senior passed Mason’s Tanner Hinkle with three-quarters of a mile to go and kept surging toward the finish line, winning the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 championship with a time of 15:04.2 on Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.
Hinkle, who ran a stride ahead of Mora most of the race, finished second in 15:09.8.
“He’s a great competitor,” Mora said of Hinkle. “There wasn’t a point where I felt I had him until I finished the race. I guess I gave it all I had. If he had a better day than me, then that’s what it was, but I gave it all I can.”
Hinkle set a fast early pace, reaching the mile in 4:48. Mora was content to let Hinkle do the work for at least the first two miles.
“I went in ready to adjust my strategy with whatever the race threw at me,” Mora said. “When Hinkle took it out hard, I decided to just sit back and wait until the two mile to see where he would take it. He had me up until the two mile. That’s the point where I felt confident enough to go to the finish.”
Mora didn’t feel he performed well in past MHSAA Finals, though four top-15 finishes is a rare accomplishment in the larger-school divisions. He was 15th in 2009 (16:23.4), fifth in 2010 (15:39.0) and third in 2011 (15:33.2). Hinkle was one place behind him last year in 15:41.3.
Mora’s time was the fastest of the day in all four divisions. Erie Mason’s Nick Raymond won Division 3 in 15:05.1, while Milford’s Brian Kettle won Division 1 in 15:07.3.
“I haven’t always had great state meets these past years,” Mora said. “I guess I just usually have an average race.”
St. Clair edged Linden by a 114-128 margin for the team championship. Linden had three all-state runners (top 30 overall), but St. Clair had its five scoring runners in the top 47, while Linden’s fifth runner didn’t cross until 93rd place.
It was the first team title for the Saints, who had six top-10 finishes in the previous 12 years.
Senior Brennan Shafer led St. Clair, placing seventh among team runners in 15:39.6. Junior Cody Smith was 10th in 15:51.4, junior Trevor Holowaty 28th in 16:09.3, senior Dakota Hazel 34th in 16:17.9 and senior Andrew Snider 35th in 16:18.6.
PHOTO: Mason's Tanner Hinkle (right) and Cedar Springs' Connor Mora ran together most of the Division 2 Final before Mora pushed ahead for his first championship. (Click to see more from RunMichigan.com.)
Preview: Stage Set for Several Storylines Featuring Past Champs, New Stars
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 31, 2025
Three returning champions to Saturday’s Lower Peninsula Boys Cross Country Finals are hoping to add to title streaks that already have extended over multiple seasons.
But none of those three is considered the favorite in its respective race – and with only one 2024 individual winner back as well, title opportunities abound at one of the MHSAA’s largest championship events.
At least two contenders hope they’ll be celebrating like it’s the 1950s again – they’re seeking first championships in more than 70 years. Division 4 favorite Maple City Glen Lake is hoping to climb the MIS stage as a team champion for the first time.
See below for several team and individual contenders. The "season bests" list referred to frequently is a ranking list of every runner's best time this season, maintained by Athletic.net. The first boys race, in Division 4, begins at 10:50 a.m.; click here for the full schedule and ticket information.
Additionally, all eight races Saturday at MIS will be streamed live and viewable with subscription on the NFHS Network: Divisions 1 & 2 | Divisions 3 & 4.
Division 1
Reigning champion: Northville
2024 runner-up: Saline
2025 top-ranked: 1. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2. Northville, 3. Kalamazoo Central.
Northville can become the sixth program in Lower Peninsula history to win a fourth-straight Finals championship – and the first since Dexter won the last of a five consecutive in 2006. Four runners return from last year’s lineup including ninth-place senior Ben Hartigan and 10th-place junior Brandon Cloud. But the rankings call for Pioneer to move up from 14th last season to claim a first team championship since 2017. Five Pioneers are back from last season’s lineup, including eighth-place senior Beckett Crooks – who has run the second-fastest top time (14:48.2) in the state regardless of peninsula or division – and junior Kamari Ronfeldt, who was fourth as a freshman in 2023, wasn’t able to finish last season’s race but enters this one with the top time statewide of 14:47.9. A Kalamazoo Central championship would make for incredible headlines; the Maroon Giants have a Lower Peninsula-record 11 Finals titles in this sport but with their most recent won in 1954. They finished fourth last season and return their top four racers from that lineup, with junior Samuel Baker back after finishing 14th individually and senior Andrew Wright posting the third-fastest top time in Division 1 this fall.
Individuals: A total of 12 of last season’s top 20 placers will return this weekend, led by Canton senior Aiden Pengelly, who finished runner-up a year ago and just 6½ seconds off the lead. Milford senior Kyle O’Rourke also returns after finishing third and just a second behind Pengelly. Joining those two and the others noted above from the 2024 top 20 are Grand Haven juniors Luka Hammond (fifth) and Aron Gal (19th), Howell junior Jack MacGregor (sixth), Kalamazoo Loy Norrix senior Jackson Lam (12th), Utica senior Harper Wesley (15th) and Saline junior Jacob Szalay (16th).
Division 2
Reigning champion: Allendale
2024 runner-up: Ada Forest Hills Eastern
2025 top-ranked: 1. Flint Powers Catholic, 2. Alma, 3. East Grand Rapids.
West Michigan teams have claimed this division three years in a row, and 2022 champ East Grand Rapids is among those expected to be in the mix again. Flint Powers is seeking its first team title since 1999, which would be an incredible story as well as the Chargers sent only two individual qualifiers to the Finals a year ago. Senior Bryce Gross (20th) and sophomore Lennox Naswell (32nd) are both headed back this weekend, and Naswell has run the fourth-fastest top time in the division. Alma is seeking to make a jump from fifth last fall to win what would be a first team title since 1952. Five of the Panthers’ top six from last season will run again, including 14th-place senior Thomas Larson, whose fastest time this fall ranks sixth just behind that of junior teammate Ezekiel Baltierra. East Grand Rapids finished third last year without a senior and the entire lineup is back, paced by fifth-place senior Jonah Workman. Parma Western, ranked No. 5, has a pair of top-20 placers from last year back in senior Edison Lopeman (eighth) and junior Ryan Good (17th), and reigning champion Allendale is ranked No. 13 but also has two top finishers back in junior Mason Hill (ninth) and senior Ronnie Silveira (15th).
Individuals: Workman was the only finisher among the top seven last season who didn’t graduate, and he’ll be considered among favorites along with Whitehall junior Robert Jazwinski III, who has won all of his races this fall, has the fastest time in the Division 2 (14:56.6, with Workman second on the top time list at 14:58.8), and placed third in Division 3 for Hart in 2023. In addition to Workman and the others mentioned above, also back from last year’s top 20 are Adrian senior Moises Salazar Jr. (11th) and Ada Forest Hills Eastern junior Steven Zawacki (18th).
Division 3
Reigning champion: Traverse City St. Francis
2024 runner-up: Saugatuck
2025 top-ranked: 1. Jackson Lumen Christi, 2. Charlevoix, 3. Lansing Catholic.
St. Francis graduated six of its seven runners from last season and will enter this weekend unranked as it races for a third-straight Finals team title. Lumen Christi graduated its top two from last year’s fourth-place team but returns the other five runners as it seeks a first championship since 2012. Charlevoix is running for its first Finals win since finishing a streak of five straight in 1991, and after finishing 14th a year ago with only one senior. Five of the Rayders’ top six runners from that lineup are back, led by ninth-place junior Hunter Eaton – who has the fastest time in Division 3 this season at 15:22.4. Lansing Catholic’s most recent title came in 2015, and the Cougars placed ninth a year ago also with only one senior. They bring back their top three from that lineup and five racers total.
Individuals: Central Montcalm senior Gage Hoffman was the only non-senior among last year’s top four, finishing third, and he has the third-fastest top time in Division 3 this season. Joining him and Eaton back from last year’s top 10 are Jonesville junior Caleb Blonde (fifth), Ithaca senior Landen Styka (sixth) and Flat Rock senior Jacob Stanislawski (eighth). Junior William Ready (11th) is the only St. Francis runner returning. Manton senior Robert Dykhouse (12th), Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central sophomore Christian Craanen (14th), Flat Rock senior Lucas Taraszkiewicz (18th) and Caro junior Luke Herron (20th) also placed among the top 20 last fall, and Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest sophomore Nole Lorenzen was 21st and has the second-fastest top time (15:24.5) in the division this season.
Division 4
Reigning champion: Hillsdale Academy
2024 runner-up: Holland Calvary
2025 top-ranked: 1. Maple City Glen Lake, 2. Holland Calvary, 3. Hillsdale Academy.
Hillsdale Academy has finished first and Holland Calvary second the last two seasons, and they’re expected to be in the mix again. But Glen Lake is the favorite this time as it pursues a first Finals championship. The Lakers finished third last year and return their second through fifth runners, led by 18th-place junior Abraham Feeney, plus have one of the top freshmen in Spencer McNitt. Holland Calvary ran all sophomores in 2024 to its second-straight runner-up finish, and five are back including Noah Schipper (23rd) and Christian Getz (29th). Hillsdale Academy graduated just two runners after last season and has four runners back including fourth-place senior Grayson Rorick.
Individuals: This field is loaded, with 13 of last year’s top 20 back including the top four placers. Now-senior Marek Butkiewicz is the reigning champion after clinching last year’s race 15 seconds ahead of the field. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic senior Abenezar Cerone is the reigning runner-up, while Three Oaks River Valley senior Landon Rogers was third and Hillsdale Academy’s Rorick fourth. Petoskey St. Michael senior Cody Bradley (seventh), Whitmore Lake senior Landen Livingston (10th), Mesick juniors Kyle Redman (13th) and Ty Redman (20th), Hackett senior Sean Siems (14th), Riverview Gabriel Richard junior Jacob Ferdubinski (15th), Harbor Beach senior Brody Karg (16th), Glen Lake’s Feeney (18th) and Brown City senior Carson Burgess (19th) also are back from the top 20. Butkiewicz (14:59.4) and Cerone (15:25.0) rank first and second, respectively, on the Division 4 top times list.
PHOTO Central Montcalm’s Gage Hoffman crosses the finish line first Saturday at his Division 3 Regional at Bath. (Photo by John Johnson.)