DaDamio, Forsyth Add to Family Fame
November 6, 2020
Second Half reports
BROOKLYN — Two familiar last names battled for the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 girls cross country individual championship Friday, but in separate races.
In the end, Birmingham Seaholm senior Audrey DaDamio had the fastest time in the two heats that were run in a cross country final that was redesigned to limit the size of races in the year of COVID-19.
DaDamio, who ran the first heat with individual qualifiers and runners from third-place teams at Regionals, crossed the line at Michigan International Speedway in 17:46.07.
She had to wait for the second heat to be run before celebrating her MHSAA championship. In that race, Ann Arbor Pioneer freshman Rachel Forsyth took first place in 17:55.60.
Both girls have older sisters who had second-place finishes at the MHSAA Finals. Rachel DaDamio was runner-up in 2014, and Anne Forsyth was second in 2016.
Audrey DaDamio improved every year at MIS, finishing 62nd as a freshman, 11th as a sophomore and fifth as a junior.
“It’s really special,” DaDamio said. “I’ve been dreaming about crossing the line since, honestly, probably middle school, but really freshman year when I was here in the 60s. I was like, ‘How do girls run so fast?’ To have worked to put myself in this position where I’m contending for a title is something really special. I’ve had a lot of good role models on the team and in my family to help me believe in myself so I could get there. I’m really thankful to have them.”
DaDamio ran pretty much a solo race, leading by six seconds at the mile and 15 seconds at two miles.
Forsyth wasn’t made aware of DaDamio’s time before she raced. She had more of a battle on her hands, outkicking Traverse City Central’s Julia Flynn (17:59.18) and Plymouth’s Lauren Kiley (18:03.92) to win her heat. An exhausted Forsyth slowed up right before the finish line.
Forsyth has a strong support system which includes her older sister.
“She helped me a lot,” Forsyth said. “Honestly, me and my sisters feel some pressure, obviously, just coming from a great family. It’s not anyone’s fault. My dad said it doesn’t matter what time you run; just go out there and do your best.”
DaDamio expressed gratitude for the opportunity to have an MHSAA championship meet, but missed the opportunity to race the other top runners in the state.
“I’m really excited we have a state meet,” DaDamio said. “I know a lot of states don’t have that. I’m just grateful to be here. I was kind of thinking about that during the race to kind of give me an extra boost. It’s a little upsetting not to be able to race a lot of girls I know from other teams. Some of the girls in the other race, I was excited to work with to push each other.”
Forsyth, like her older sister, led Pioneer to a team championship. The Pioneers scored 129 points, with Traverse City Central taking second with 168.
Cookie Baugh was fourth among team runners in 18:10.78, Sarah Forsyth was 20th in 19:22.88, Charlotte Batra was 34th in 19:47.28 and Emily Cooper was 48th in 20:04.36 for Pioneer.
PHOTOS: (Top) Birmingham Seaholm’s Audrey DaDamio runs the final stretch of her championship-winning race Friday at MIS. (Middle) Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Rachel Forsyth paces the second heat in leading her team to the title. (Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)
Houghton Cross Country Teams Support Coach's Cancer Fight with Surprise Uniforms
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 28, 2025
MUNISING — Houghton’s cross country teams ran one for their coach while placing third in both girls and boys races at the Upper Peninsula Division 1 Finals on Oct. 18.
Under assistant coach Erik Johnson’s direction, the Gremlins unveiled new pink-toned uniforms at the Pictured Rocks Golf Course in honor of Cancer Awareness Month and their head coach Traci Welch, who has led the program since 1998 and recently was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“I had no idea they were doing the new uniforms,” she said. “They really surprised me. The prognosis is good right now. I felt I dealt with chemo better than most people. I’m about to start radiation, but I’d rather be with them. This helps me get through it.”
Welch has led the girls team to Upper Peninsula Division 1 Finals championships twice, in 2020 and 2021, and the boys team to a Finals title in 2017.
Johnson says Welch is a real competitor. “Traci has always been an inspiration,” he added.
The Marquette girls capped this season by winning the Division 1 meet for the fourth straight time with 39 points. They were followed by Sault with 52 and Houghton with 63.
“This is much better than being at home,” Welch said. “The more I’m with them, the better. They persevered all year. They came every day, worked hard and had fun. The team camaraderie is just fantastic.”
The Gremlins girls were led by sophomores Holly Cooke in fourth (20:39.4) and Sela Niska fifth (20:41.1).
“We’re all very happy we can support (our coach),” Cooke said. “She would go to a doctor’s appointment, then come to practice for us.”
Niska believes she and Cooke share a common bond.
“She’s my best friend,” Niska says. “It’s very fun. Holly didn’t run last year. I’m glad she came out. We were right next to each other and paced off each other. We told ourselves to go out and run one for our coach.”
The Marquette boys won for the seventh consecutive year with 34 points, followed by Sault Ste. Marie with 43 and Houghton with 84.
Senior Ben Hemmer led the Gremlins with a seventh-place finish, covering the 3.1-mile course in 17:27.8. Sophomore Brandon Van Karsen took ninth at 17:40.7.
“We were running for our coach. She’s the best coach we ever had,” Hemmer said. “She comes to practice every day.
“I’m just grateful for cross country.”
Senior Jovie Williams took 16th (21:57.6) and Tessa Rautiola, who was crowned U.P. Division 1 champion a year ago, missed most of this season due to a stress fracture but was able to place 18th this time (22:05.8).
“We lost Norah (Woodruff) due to appendicitis,” Welch said. “Although, we’re glad Tessa was able to run. Tessa ran well considering she hadn’t run in about six weeks, and she was very appreciative.”
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTOS: From left, standing for a photo, are Houghton's Lilli Gast (150), Cecilia McDonald (152), Romi Mattson (151), Sela Niska (153), Holly Cooke (149), Jovie Williams (154), and Tessa Rautiola (155). (Middle) Cooke (149) and Niska (153) run together during the UP Division 1 Cross Country Finals at Pictured Rocks in Munising. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)