Performance of the Week: Holland West Ottawa's Helen Sachs
September 22, 2022
Helen Sachs ♦ Holland West Ottawa
Cross Country ♦ Sophomore
Sachs ran what was the second-fastest time in the state this season, 17:15.8, to win the Elite race at the Spartan Invitational on Sept. 16 at Michigan State University's Forest Akers East. On Tuesday, she took over the top spot on fastest times list with a 17:01.6 personal record at the first Ottawa-Kent Conference Red jamboree. She's won three of four races this season, finishing second only to teammate Arianna Olson at the season-opening Under the Lights Invitational on Aug. 26 at Grand Rapids South Christian. Olson's 17:11.30 in that race was the only time faster than Sachs' best before this week.
An immediate standout last season, Sachs went on to finish fifth at the Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final as Olson placed third and West Ottawa as a team was runner-up. At this past spring's LPD1 Track & Field Finals, Sachs finished fourth in the 3,200 (10:26.59), sixth in the 1,600 (4:52.38) and ran on the runner-up 3,200 relay (9:04.06) as West Ottawa finished fourth as a team. Her 17:01 earlier this week was nearly 25 seconds faster than her season-best cross country time a year ago. West Ottawa finished second as a team in the Spartan Invitational Elite race, to Ohio championship contender Hilliard Davidson.
Follow the MHSAA on TikTok.
Second Half’s "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
2022-23 Honorees
Sept. 15: Nina Horning, Lake Orion volleyball - Report
Sept 8: Arturo Romero, Muskegon Oakridge soccer - Report
Sept. 1: Austin King, Midland Dow tennis - Report
Aug. 25: Olivia Hemmila, Troy Athens golf - Report
(Photos courtesy of Helen Sachs.)
Schroeder Surges To Front Near Finish, Lansing Catholic Pulls Away in Repeat
November 1, 2025
BROOKLYN, Mich. — Jackson Lumen Christi junior Samantha Schroeder never lost confidence, even as the gap began to seem insurmountable between her and the fastest girl in Division 3 cross country this season.
Schroeder was in fourth place at the mile and two-mile marks during the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Final, trailing leader Hailey Creisher of Leslie by 8.8 seconds at the first split and 9.2 at the second at Michigan International Speedway.
She would not only have to make up a sizeable amount of distance to win the championship, but she would have to pass three runners in the process.
“I visualize a lot of things,” Schroeder said. “At the beginning, before the gun went off, I visualized her being a good amount in front of me and being able to catch her.”
With time nearly running out, Schroeder unleashed a furious kick to win the race with a time of 18 minutes, 7.0 seconds. Creisher finished second in 18:11.2.
Schroeder ran the third mile in 5:46.7 and the final tenth in 30.7 seconds. Creisher was 5:54.9 for the third mile and 35.9 for the last tenth.
“It was really exciting, because I really like having competition,” Schroeder said. “It pushes me to do things I never thought I could do. I don’t think I would be able to get that much of a kick if I was by myself.
“I had no clue if I was going to catch her or not, because she was still a good distance in front. My confidence was pretty good, though.”
Creisher came into the meet with the fastest time in Division 3, having run 17:51.9 on Oct. 11 at the Greater Lansing Cross Country Championships. She won 14 of 16 races coming into the Finals, including a showdown with Schroeder at the Jackson Invitational on Sept. 20.
Creisher won handily that day with a time of 18:10.0. Schroeder was second in 18:42.2.
Schroeder learned something about how to approach a race against Creisher from that meeting.
“She goes out in the beginning really fast and goes back into even pace,” Schroeder said.
The team competition wasn’t nearly as close. Lansing Catholic repeated as champion by 69 points to win by 110 over Pewamo-Westphalia.
The Cougars put four runners on the all-state (top 30) podium. Josie Bishop was sixth in 18:38.4, Grace Wonch seventh in 18:38.7, Anna Drauer 11th in 18:51.1 and Isabelle Currie 17th in 19:06.0. Frances Melinn was 42nd in 19:49.1 to complete Lansing Catholic’s score.
It was the third Finals championship for the Cougars, who also won in 2017.
Pewamo-Westphalia, which was second to Lansing Catholic by only 11 points last season, finished runner-up for the third time over the last four seasons and fourth time in 10 seasons.
The Pirates were led by fourth-place Alyssa Kramer, who finished in 18:27.5. The Cougars had all five scoring runners across the line before Pewamo-Westphalia had four finishers.
PHOTOS (Top) Jackson Lumen Christi’s Samantha Schroeder (866) pulls past Leslie’s Hailey Creisher during the closing stretch of Saturday’s Division 3 Final at Michigan International Speedway. (Middle) Lansing Catholic's Josie Bishop (874) and Grace Wonch (880) and Roscommon's Alaina Civinskas (1194) surge toward the finish line. (Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)