Engadine's Rock & Roll Relays Provide Runners with Interval Challenge
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
August 27, 2026
ENGADINE — This was not your ordinary cross country meet.
Last week’s Engadine Rock & Roll Relays provide interval training for the runners, who do a mile on three occasions during the races and start and finish with music playing in the background.
“It went pretty good,” Engadine junior Ed Frankowiac said. “The breaks are nice, but you have to keep moving. It’s fun. We didn’t have this meet two years ago because it conflicted with a meet in Munising (Larissa Vartti Memorial Invitational), but we’re glad we had it last year. We’re trying to build this up.”
Frankowiak combined with junior Nate Stielstra for the first-place finish as they covered the six miles in 35 minutes, 17.18 seconds on a sunny and mild Aug. 20 day.
Rapid River, however, won the boys meet with five points. The host Eagles scored six and Manistique finished with 11.
The Rapid River girls retained their title by edging the Eagles 5-6.
“This is the second year we got the plaque,” Rockets’ sophomore Victoria Coppock said. “This is a nice boost for our team. Engadine has a couple real good runners.
“This is one of the meets I really look forward to. I think it’s more competitive. It’s also easier to look at placement and know where you are.”
Engadine sophomores Sarah Chapman and Fern Stielstra combined to win the girls race at 44:59.31. Rapid River juniors Kaylee Tyler and Julia Poma were runners-up (47:53.93) followed by Coppock and junior Ashlynn Thompson (49:02.42).
“All my miles were under seven minutes,” Chapman said. “I’m very happy with my times and how I finished each time. It’s hard to stop and go, but it’s fun. It’s a great way to open the season. I think last year’s experience is helping me. It was nice out there. It wasn’t too hot and we had a nice breeze. I think it went well.”
Engadine junior Birch Bitely, who teamed with Oliver French for a fifth-place finish among the boys (41:08.53), also enjoys this meet.
“It’s a good course,” he said. “There’s one big hill toward the end and a few rolling hills before that. We had better conditions this time. Last year we had rain with temperatures in the 50s. The nice weather made it easier to keep your legs warm.”
Rapid River senior Jae Poma and sophomore Owen Truitt were boys runners-up at 35:40.63, followed by senior teammates Jeb Green and Jon Denkins (38:38.56).
“I really like it,” Poma said. “It’s something different. This helps our speed, and it’s kind of a tune-up for other races. It’s nice to get the break, but you have to keep moving to keep your legs warmed up for your next interval.”
Poma also has some personal and team goals in mind.
“I would like to get under 18 minutes,” he added. “I feel we have a shot at the U.P. (Division 3) title. There’s a lot of good teams out there, but if we work hard I think we have a chance.”
Rapid River senior Camden Holmio and Engadine’s Eli Frankowiak teamed for a sixth-place finish in 48:01.53.
“I was a little excited to run with a guy from another school,” Holmio said. “I think that made it more fun. Interval training is pretty helpful. The breaks are good, but it’s sometimes a little hard to get going after you stop.”
Sophomore Keira Hart, who represented the Manistique girls, ran on a boys team with fellow Emeralds Trent Mason and James King.
“I really wasn’t that nervous, but standing at the starting line alone was the hardest part mentally. It just felt weird because I wasn’t running with the other girls,” she said. “It was a good first meet. It was also kind of a learning experience.”
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 (Top) Rapid River and Engadine medal winners stand for a photo together after the Engadine Rock & Roll Relays. (Middle) The Rockets enjoy a moment together after their win. (Photos courtesy of the Rapid River cross country program.)
Marquette, L'Anse Girls Extend Title Streaks, Munising Returns to Top Spot
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 25, 2026
HOUGHTON — The Marquette girls cross country team continued its winning ways Saturday, earning a fifth-straight Upper Peninsula Division 1 Finals title with 49 points at Michigan Tech.
The Sentinels were followed closely by Houghton with 55 points, Sault Ste. Marie with 67 and Negaunee with 83. Marquette freshman Charlotte Jones was crowned individual champion by covering the 3.1-mile course in 19 minutes, 42.4 seconds.
“It’s the mental aspect of it, keeping positive thoughts and pushing through the pain,” she said. “It was just a matter of passing the other girls. I was sixth after the first mile and third after the second. It was really hot in the sun. Houghton is pretty good. It’s a little more satisfying winning when it’s close. I’m just proud of our team.”
Marquette coach Kyle Detmers was naturally pleased with the team’s performance.
“We knew it’d be a battle,” he said. “We had a game plan. Charlotte ran a great race and I want to give a shout-out to Evelyn Grant and to Houghton for hosting the meet. They have a great venue. Emma Ziegler and Ava Cantway and the rest of our girls also had great races.”
Ziegler, a sophomore, finished sixth individually, while Cantway – also a sophomore – placed ninth. Sophomore Amira Perrier placed 13th, senior Eryn Veverka rounded out the scoring in 20th and sophomore Sophie Coxon was right there as well placing 21st.
Kingsford junior Maria Murvich placed second at 20:02.8, and Negaunee freshman Julia Plaxco was third (20:11.6).
“My time wasn’t super-fast,” Murvich said. “The heat didn’t help, although Charlotte definitely ran a great race. I have another year. I definitely want to take another shot at it. This is certainly a motivator. This will get me to work a little harder and put in more miles.”
Division 2
Munising captured its first Finals title in four years, taking top honors in Division 2 with 48 points. The Mustangs, who were crowned Division 3 champions in 2022, were followed by last year’s Division 2 champion Rudyard with 57 points and Painesdale Jeffers with 69.
“It’s awesome,” Munising coach Bob Hill said. “This is a young team which battled injuries all year. Our depth is huge. Hats off to the other teams that pushed us all year. The journey was a blast.”
Newberry senior Abby Taylor gained her first U.P. Finals individual title in 20:16.1, and sophomore teammate Molly McNamara was runner-up at 20:29.3.
Taylor had finished second as a sophomore and third as both a freshman and junior.
“It’s super exciting,” Taylor said. “I felt I had a pretty good chance, and I’m happy about Molly taking second. This is probably the toughest course I ran on. I wanted to go out conservatively and save it for the next two miles. My finish wasn’t the best. The hills toward the end were tough. Those took a lot out of me.”
McNamara said she was feeling a little under the weather.
“I definitely didn’t feel the best,” she added. “My feet were pretty sore, and it got a little hot out there. My goal was to get under 20 (minutes). Although, it’s a good course. There were a lot of long hills. I had a pretty good season overall. I’m really excited for track next spring.”
Munising freshman Emma Conklin placed third (21:15.1), and junior Addie Bowerman was seventh (21:56) to lead the team title charge. Freshman Edon Kidd (14th) and juniors Maya Weiss (15th) and Zoey Kidd (17th) rounded out the scoring.
“It’s so cool to win as a team,” Bowerman said. “This is what we worked for all year. To go home with the championship trophy is so awesome. Emma ran a great race. Everybody did her best, which is all you can ask for.”
Division 3
L’Anse retained its Division 3 title with 38 points, followed by Ewen-Trout Creek with 74 and Rapid River with 82.
Juniors Lily Froese (seventh), Kwynn Voskuhl (ninth) and Princess Pierre (10th) led a balanced championship lineup, with senior Tessa Thor (13th) and junior Aaliha Maki (17th) right behind him.
“One of our keys to success is the athletes held each other accountable,” L’Anse coach Erin DiCarlo said. “This is a tight-knit group. This is also huge for our program. It helps other kids when they see the success. It was good for us to run against Houghton. They’re the only team to beat us all year. They made us better.”
Eben Junction Superior Central freshman Edye Burdett was the individual winner in 19:55. She was followed by E-TC senior Bree Besonen (20:46.7) and Crystal Falls Forest Park freshman Ellie Zaupa (21:59).
“I’m super happy with how everything went today,” Burdett said. “I was hoping to run with Charlotte (Jones). I was very, very fortunate with the results. This is certainly a motivator.”
PHOTOS (Top) Runners take off at the start of the Upper Peninsula Division 1 Final on Saturday on the Michigan Tech Nordic Ski Trails. (Middle) Runners begin to separate during the first portion of the Division 2 race. (Below) Ewen-Trout Creek's Bree Besonen (290) and Eben Junction Superior Central's Edye Burdett (269) lead the Division 3 Final. (Photos by Cara Kamps/RunMichigan.com.)