Finals Preview: Running for Another First
October 31, 2012
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Three of last season's girls cross country team champions are again ranked among the top three in their respective divisions heading into Saturday's MHSAA Finals at Michigan International Speedway. Three of last season's four individual winners also are back for another title try.
Just pencil them in for first again, right? Cross country isn't that easy to forecast.
West Bloomfield's Erin Finn, Grand Rapids Christian's Julia Bos and Breckenridge's Kirsten Olling all are back to defend their 2011 MHSAA championships. But they'll face a number of challengers, most they've run against but a few newer faces as well. Same for most of the favored teams, which have likely crossed paths at least once this fall. But often that doesn't matter when they're coming down the MIS home stretch.
Here's a look at some of the teams and individuals expected arrive on the medal stand by the time Saturday's races are done. Click for Saturday's race schedule and links to all qualifiers.
DIVISION 1
Reigning champion: Grosse Pointe South
2011 runner-up: Saline
2012 top three: 1. Birmingham Seaholm, 2. Saline, 3. Grosse Pointe South
Seaholm moved ahead of Grosse Pointe South about two weeks ago as the favorite in Division 1, with the top four from last season’s fourth-place Finals finisher back and led by senior Aubrey Wilberding – who crossed 11th in 2011. Saline finished second last season on the strength of four placers among the top 33, and five of the team’s top six from that day are back. But don’t be shocked to see a repeat from the Blue Devils, with all five of last season’s placers back in the lineup. They took five of the top nine at the Regional.
Individuals: Seven of last season’s top 10 will be back at MIS, with West Bloomfield senior Finn and Grosse Pointe South senior Hannah Meier regarded nationally, the latter a bit more from her track prowess. Finn won the title last season in 17:22.6, and Meier was third in 17:24.1.
DIVISION 2
Reigning champion: East Grand Rapids
2011 runner-up: Cedar Springs
2012 top three: 1. Ada Forest Hills Eastern, 2. Spring Lake, 3. East Grand Rapids
Forest Hills Eastern is looking to make a giant jump from last season’s 14th-place finish, and is paced by Regional champion and senior Clara Cullen – with junior Mary Kostielney taking seventh and freshman Lauren Allard 10th last week. Cullen finished 18th individually at last season's Final. Spring Lake didn’t even make the Final as a team last season, but now-senior Brittany Beeler finished 13th individually and was one of three from her team among the top 18 at a strong Regional last weekend. East Grand Rapids graduated its top two from last season’s championship team, but got a sixth-place Regional finish from sophomore Kaela Theut. Grand Rapids Christian, led by individual reigning champion Bos, beat both Spring Lake and East Grand Rapids at the Regional and is ranked No. 4.
Individuals: Bos, a senior, won the Regional in 17:18.21 and edged Cedar Springs’ Kenzie Weiler by 11 seconds in last season’s Final; Weiler is back this fall as a sophomore. Three more of the 2011 top 10 also are back, with Remus Chippewa Hills senior Megan O’Neil and Cedar Springs senior Katie Weiler following Kenzie for the top three spots at their Regional after the latter two finished fifth and sixth, respectively, at last season’s Final.
DIVISION 3
Reigning champion: Benzie Central
2011 runner-up: Kent City
2012 top three: 1. Grandville Calvin Christian, T-2. Benzie Central, T-2. Jackson Lumen Christi
Calvin Christian enters as the favorite on the strength of six of the top seven from last season’s eighth-place finisher. Six of those seven finished among the top 17 at the Regional. Benzie Central placed six of the top 19 at its Regional, and junior Bryce Cutler finished 26th at last season's Final. Lumen Christi finished fourth in 2011 in large part thanks to two freshmen who are now even better sophomores – Aubrey Penn and Caitlin Clark, who are both coming off top-47 Final finishes.
Individuals: Seven of last season’s top 10 also return in this division, headlined by reigning runner-up and senior Raquel Serna of St. Louis and Ida sophomore Ashley Sorge. Serna ran an 18:21.4 at the Regional to beat a groupby 32 seconds that included two more returning top-10 Finals finishers. Sorge also won her Regional, by 28 seconds, in 19:02.3.
DIVISION 4
Reigning champion: Hesperia
2011 runner-up: North Muskegon
2012 top three: 1. Harbor Springs, 2. Bear Lake/Onekama, 3. Beal City
Harbor Springs finished fifth in Division 3 last season and has four of those top six runners back this weekend. Bear Lake/Onekama finished 12th in Division 4 last season with only one senior; the other six runners all are back, including four who were freshmen in 2011. Beal City returns five of its top seven from last season’s 10th-place team, and freshman Hannah Steffke finished third at the Regional.
Individuals: Breckenridge junior Kirsten Olling has won the last two Division 4 Finals and did so last year by nearly 38 seconds. She won her Regional last week by 1:20 with a time of 18 minutes flat. Montabella junior Taylor Smith finished runner-up at that Regional, and might be the second-fastest in the entire Division 4 field after finishing fifth as a sophomore.
PHOTO: Breckenridge's Kirsten Olling rounds the final bend before re-entering the MIS track area during last season's Division 4 Final. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com).
Fure Completes Comeback, Rudyard Sweeps & L'Anse Claims 1st Finals Win
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 18, 2025
MUNISING — A few months ago, Ella Fure wasn’t sure she’d be able to run cross country this fall.
The Marquette High School senior had mononucleosis this summer and missed a lot of time from training and a few early-season meets.
She made up for lost time and regained her Upper Peninsula Division 1 title here Saturday by covering the 3.1 miles on the Pictured Rocks Golf Course in 18:53.3 – the fourth-fastest time in UP Division 1 Finals history.
“That was my goal,” she said. “I ran in God’s name more than in my own, and that’s why I think I was successful. It was also my goal to run as hard as I can. This was my last high school cross country meet. I just left it all on the course.”
This marked the fourth straight team title for Marquette, which scored 39 points. The Sentinels were followed by Sault Ste. Marie with 53 and Houghton with 63.
“I’m really excited,” Fure said. “I’m going to the MITCA meet in Mount Pleasant in two weeks and will be going downstate for indoor meets. I’m proud of all the girls. They really showed up today. I’m really proud of Emma (Ziegler), who’s a freshman. We worked so hard for this.”
Kingsford sophomore Maria Murvich placed second (20:25.5), followed by Negaunee junior Keira Waterman (20:33) and Houghton sophomores Holly Cooke (20:39.4) and Sela Niska (20:41.1).
“I tried to keep Ella within my sight,” Murvich said. “I’m so proud of her. She has come a long way.
“I’m very happy with my season. I have something to build on. It was a little warm out there, but a good day for a run. This is awesome.”
Houghton senior Tessa Rautiola, who was crowned champion two of the past three years, ran for the first time in six weeks due to a stress fracture. She placed 18th this time in 22:05.8
Division 2
Rudyard edged four-time reigning champion Hancock 28-32 for its first title in 14 years. Third-place Ironwood scored 67 points.
“The girls worked their tails off all year,” Rudyard coach Mike Kirschner said. “We have a group of girls who worked all summer long. They (Hancock) were injury-riddled this season, but really poured it on toward the end.
“We have a young group. I’m just so proud of the way they performed. We should be stronger next year.”
Rudyard freshman Melissa Kirschner won in 21:56.6. She was followed by Munising sophomore Addie Bowerman at 21:58.4, Hancock senior Jill Berg (22:05.1), Painesdale Jeffers sophomore Remi Coponen (22:37.7) and Hancock senior Lydia Pelli (22:49.3).
“I just wanted to get out there and run my race and have a big kick,” Kirschner said. “It really helps having everyone on different parts of the course and cheering me on. It was nice having somebody at the mile mark calling out my time. This is a big motivator to keep me running and pushing hard.”
Division 3
This marked what is believed to be the first U.P. Finals team title for L’Anse, which scored 51 points. The Purple Hornets were followed by last year’s champion Ewen-Trout Creek with 99 and Stephenson at 112.
Pickford senior Talya Schreiber claimed the Division 3 individual race at 18:31.6, followed by Newberry senior Samantha Taylor (18:48.7), junior Abby Taylor (20:29.3) and freshman Molly McNamara (20:52.5), and L’Anse sophomore Lily Froese (21:02.1).
Schreiber had broken 18 minutes twice this season. She ran a 17:46 at Shepherd on Sept. 27 and 17:54 in the final leg of the Eastern U.P. Conference jamborees at her home course Monday.
“I felt really good (Monday),” she said. “That may have taken a little out of me for today, but it’s pretty amazing. I will probably run in some indoor meets this winter. I’m hoping track season will be pretty good.”
PHOTOS (Top) Marquette's Ella Fure leads and eventually wins the Upper Peninsula Division 1 Girls Final at Picture Rocks Golf Course in Munising. (Middle) As Rudyard's Melissa Kirschner approaches the finish line, Munising's Addie Bowernman challenges. (Below) L'Anse's Lily Froese is close behind Ewen-Trout Creek's Bree Besonen. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)