Pioneer's Ronfeldt Outpaces Fast Field Again, Jenison Claims Historic Win
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 7, 2026
BROOKLYN – Kamari Ronfeldt ran the second-fastest time in MHSAA Boys Cross Country Finals history Saturday to claim his second-straight Lower Peninsula Division 1 title.
The Ann Arbor Pioneer senior conquered the 5K course at Michigan International Speedway in 14 minutes, 45.9 seconds, winning a highly-competitive race that saw five runners finish under 15 minutes and best the previous year when four accomplished the impressive feat.
“I knew it was going to be like this,” Ronfeldt said. “Last year we had the most sub-15s ever in state history at this course. This year looked just as strong. Caden (Livermore of Grandville, who finished second) got me at Portage. He has an amazing kick, so I had to dig deep in that last 200.”
Livermore’s runner-up time of 14:48.6 was the fourth-fastest ever run at MIS, and Northville’s Brandon Cloud also made the top 10 in taking third at 14:51.2.
Kalamazoo Central’s Samuel Baker was fourth at 14:54, while Macomb L’Anse Creuse North’s Xavier Solgot was fifth at 14:59.4.
A massive pack ran at the front of the race through the first two miles, and it wasn’t until the final 200 meters that Ronfeldt took control.
“I know (Livermore) has a great kick,” Ronfeldt said. “I really didn’t think I had it in me until I started closing on him a little bit. He made a move early, like pretty much as soon as we entered (the final stretch in the stadium), so I knew I had to try to keep up with him.”
While history was being made at the front of the race, Jenison made some of its own, claiming the first team title in program history.
The Wildcats finished the day with 101 points, well ahead of second-place Ann Arbor Skyline at 168.
Both teams had strong packs, but Jenison’s was simply closer to the front, as Ethan Burks (15:30.9), Carter Cooke (15:31.5), Caleb Conner (15:32.2) and Chase Sherman (15:40.5) finished 19th, 20th, 21st and 30th overall, and 12th, 13th, 14th and 21st in the team standings.
“When I say we’re a family outside of this, we’re a family when we’re running,” said Burks, the lone senior in Jenison’s lineup. “We are always together in a group, and we are always working together. We are a team all through it. When I turned around and saw that we were all together, I was like, ‘What does this mean? What does this mean?’ We have been so consistent from the start. We have always been together.”
Hans Templeton finished 61st overall and 41st in the team standings to round out the scoring for Jenison with a time of 15:59.7.
The win for Wildcats also ended Northville’s dominance in the division, as the Mustangs had won the past four Division 1 Finals titles. Northville finished 13th.
PHOTOS (Top) Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Kamari Ronfeldt (6) and Grandville’s Caden Livermore sprint toward the finish line Saturday at MIS. (Middle) Jenison’s Ethan Burks (65), Carter Cooke (67) and Caleb Conner (far left) charge through the final stretch. (Click for more from Dave McCauley/RunMichigan.com.)
Carson City-Crystal Earns Finals Sweep
November 7, 2020
By Jason Schmitt
Special for Second Half
BROOKLYN – When Carson City-Crystal’s Coleman Clark crossed the finish line Saturday, he raised his arms over his head and belted out a loud scream.
He had plenty of reasons to celebrate.
The senior captured the Division 4 individual title at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Boys Cross Country Finals, beating out a loaded field in the second of two races in the division. He broke 16 minutes, finishing in 15:58.55.
And his Eagles also captured the school’s first boys cross country team title since 1994.
“My goal was to come in here and win it,” said Clark, who finished runner-up to Breckenridge’s Mason Sumner a year ago. “And to have my team win as well, this is awesome.”
Clark said his strategy was to take an early lead and keep it. That’s what he did.
“Throughout the race, it could have been anybody’s. But once I got to the stretch, I knew I was going to win it,” he said. “This is the strongest front pack we’ve had in a long time. There were a lot of top runners up there. I’m friends with a lot of them. I race them all the time.
And to break 16. It feels great, amazing.”
Saugatuck junior Max Sharnas finished runner-up in a time of 16:06.51. Sumner finished third (16:31.27), while Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart senior Matthew Nowak finished fourth and Petoskey St. Michael Academy junior Samuel Paga fifth overall.
As a team, Carson City-Crystal was solid one through five. Junior Ashton Keiffer finished 25th overall, earning all-state honors after running a time of 17:38.74. Also scoring for the Eagles were sophomore Brayden Clark and seniors Jared Shepler and Calvin Clark.
“In past years, we haven’t had a super, great team,” Clark said. “This year, we’ve got the most amazing, talented group of guys I’ve ever raced with. I knew that we could pull off a state title if we worked hard.”
Head coach Grant Woodman knew a championship would not come easy. But when he learned his team had accomplished the feat, he was more than fired up.
“It’s pretty freaking awesome,” the coach said, still somewhat in disbelief. “Our history at the school is pretty steeped with tradition, so to bring a state title back is pretty cool.
“We knew it was going to be a fight from the beginning. Saugatuck, Breckenridge and Webberville, we’ve been fighting back and forth with those teams all season. Breckenridge is in our league, and we’ve been keeping an eye on Saugatuck on the other side of the state. They are a powerhouse every year.
Carson City-Crystal’s last Finals team title came back in 1994, the same year the school last produced an individual state champion (Justin Curry).
Breckenridge finished runner-up, led by Sumner’s third place. Also earning all-state honors for the Huskies were junior Trent Carter (8th place) and Colttion Vine (20th place).
Concord was third overall, followed by Kalamazoo Christian and Saugatuck in the top five.
PHOTOS: (Top) Carson City-Crystal’s Coleman Clark digs for the final paces of his Division 3 Finals heat with Saugatuck’s Max Sharnas just behind. (Middle) Ashton Keiffer was the second Eagles runner to cross Saturday. (Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)