Fornari, Sacred Heart Join Finals Greats
November 7, 2015
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
BROOKLYN — The feeling of elation had yet to replace the feeling a runner gets after laying it all on the line.
Walking away from the finish line, Tessa Fornari of Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes was breathing heavily, even though she finished with plenty of breathing room to win the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 individual cross country championship Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.
"I don't think it's really sunk in yet," Fornari said as she continued to walk.
After a couple of heavy breaths and a pause, it had apparently sunk in.
"I'm gonna cry," she said.
Fornari, a senior, led last year's Division 4 Final through the mile, but faded to eighth in a race won by Ava Strenge of Battle Creek St. Philip. This year, Fornari let Strenge lead most of the way before overtaking her to win in 18:14.5. Strenge, a junior, was second in 18:23.5.
"Oh, my gosh," Fornari said. "There's so much time leading up to this one moment. All the pace work, all the pain. Finally, right here, is where it all gets paid back."
It was a wiser and more confident Fornari who stood on the start line for the first of eight races on Saturday at MIS.
She had two MHSAA championships on her resume from last spring, winning the 1,600-meter run in 5:06.39 and coming back to take the 3,200 in 11:33.70 at the LP Division 4 Track and Field Final. Last fall had represented a step backward in cross country for Fornari, who was third in the cross country finals in 2012 and second in 2013. She is a four-time regional champion.
"The 1,600 and 3,200 in track really prepared me for this," Fornari said. "A state title was kind of intimidating to me at first, but then I did it and realized it's really just a title. It's about running the best you can that day. Today I wanted to do the best I could. I know I did my best, because I can't feel my legs or my arms."
Scrapping her front-running tactics from last year, Fornari didn't make her move until shortly after the leaders entered the track. Once Fornari committed to a move, it was decisive.
"I didn't want to pass her at first, because I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep it," said Fornari, the first Our Lady of the Lakes boy or girl to win an MHSAA title in cross country. "I decided I had to do it at some point, so I did it at that turn back there. I just sprinted the last 800 meters, 1,000 meters, because I did not want to lose it. I said, 'I'm here now, I want to stay here,' so I sprinted the whole thing."
In the team race, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart staked a claim to being the best Division 4 girls team of all-time.
The Irish set an LP Division 4 record with 52 points, breaking the record of 66 set by Harbor Springs in 2009. Sacred Heart also became the first Division 4 girls team to have five runners break the 20-minute mark at MIS.
Ann Arbor Greenhills had four runners break 20 minutes in 2005, but finished third that year because its fifth runner crossed in 23:10.9.
Junior Alexis McConnell was fourth in 18:55.6, sophomore Bailley McConnell was fifth in 19:11.4, freshman Scout Nelson was 10th in 19:19.4, freshman Cammie McConnell was 17th in 19:31.2 and freshman Lauren MacDonald was 26th in 19:59.2.
The Irish could've still won by including No. 6 runner Megan Nowak (36th, 20:26.8) or No. 7 runner Rowan Fitzpatrick (20:45.0), both sophomores. All seven Sacred Heart runners broke 20 minutes in the Regional.
Sacred Heart's only other MHSAA title came in Class D in 1999. The Irish was third last season, the second-best finish in school history.
Harbor Springs was second Saturday with 119 points, while Saugatuck was third with 124. Two-time reigning champion Beal City was fourth with 156 points.
The MHSAA Cross Country Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.
PHOTOS: (Top) Waterford Our Lady’s Tessa Fornari races down the stretch on the way to the LP Division 4 individual title. (Middle) Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart’s Bailley McConnell, left, works to stay ahead of Concord’s Samantha Saenz. (Click for more from RunMichigan.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.)