Preview: History Awaits Finals Field
November 1, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Breckenridge High School has a mere 244 students. But one could finish this weekend's MHSAA Finals among an elite few in state girls cross country history.
Three-time champion Kirsten Olling already is one of the all-time greats. But if she can win one more title, she’ll become just the seventh to claim four – and first in the Lower Peninsula since Rochester Adams’ Katie Boyles finished her surge in 2000.
Here's a look at the contenders to watch from all four divisions. For those who can’t make the trip to Brooklyn, MHSAA.TV will provide camera views at the start and finish lines and two more points on the course, with audio from reporters stationed along the way. Cost is $9.95 for Saturday only, which also includes access to all four Lower Peninsula Boys Soccer Finals, or $14.95 for a month pass that will allow fans to also watch live the Volleyball Semifinals and Finals and Lower Peninsula Girls Swimming & Diving Finals.
Click for Saturday's race schedule and links to all qualifiers and the live streams.
DIVISION 1
Reigning champion: Birmingham Seaholm
2012 runner-up: Grosse Pointe South
2013 top three: 1. Northville, 2. Birmingham Seaholm, 3 Saline.
Reigning champ Seaholm and 2011 champ Grosse Pointe South both graduated star sets of sisters who played big parts in the programs’ successes over the last few seasons – although South does return eighth-place individual finisher Ersula Farrow. Northville, meanwhile, is the favorite returning five from last season’s fifth-place team, and Saline brings back five from the team that finished third including sixth-place Elianna Shwayder. All four of these teams won their Regionals in dominating fashion.
Individuals: Gone are graduated stars Erin Finn of West Bloomfield and Hannah Meier of Grosse Pointe South, along with the rest of the top five from last season. Three more of the top 11 also are back, however: Rochester senior Jessica Goethals, Hudsonville senior Alex Berends and Salem senior Kayla Kavulich. Add into the mix Seaholm junior Audrey Belf, who won her Regional by more than a minute in 17:41, plus Grandville sophomore Valerie Wierenga (17:55.7) and Jenison senior Ellie Leonard (17:58.5) – first and second, respectively, at their Regional.
DIVISION 2
Reigning champion: Ada Forest Hills Eastern
2012 runner-up: Spring Lake
2013 top three: 1. Grand Rapids Christian, 2. Spring Lake, 3. Warren Regina.
Rarely does a team lose one of the top runners in MHSAA history (graduate Julia Bos) and come back the next season expected to improve from third place to first. But the Eagles return their second-fourth and sixth-fastest runners from last season’s Final and have been ranked No. 1 all fall. Spring Lake, with five of its top six back from last season’s runner-up team including 15th-place Carlyn Arteaga, has been figuratively only a step behind. Warren Regina finished ninth last season without a senior scoring, and its top five all are back this weekend including Regional champ and senior Cassie Bloch.
Individuals: Twelve of last season’s top 20 were juniors or younger, and this year’s group is incredibly strong. Cedar Springs junior Kenzie Weiler – last season’s runner-up and one of the top runners regardless of division throughout her three-year career – won her Regional in 18:51.56 ahead of Remus Chippewa Hills senior Megan O’Neil, who finished seventh at the 2012 Final. Hudsonville Unity Christian junior Kelli Nesky finished fifth last season and won her Regional in 18:47.62 – just a second ahead of Hamilton freshman Erika Freyhof. Mason sophomore Meg Darmofal is coming off an eighth-place finish last season and won her Regional in 18:16.9, and Charlotte sophomore Lindsey Carlson was 10th last season. Detroit Country Day junior Jackie Bredenberg won her Regional by a minute in 17:51. Others to watch include Battle Creek Pennfield senior Audrianna Bornamann, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern junior Morgan Posthuma, St. Johns junior Karrigan Smith, Grand Rapids South Christian junior Alexis Miller, Otsego freshman Megan Aalberts and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood junior Claire Ford. All cleared 19 minutes at their Regionals. Essexville-Garber junior Julia Jeczmionka finished sixth in Division 3 last season.
DIVISION 3
Reigning champion: Jackson Lumen Christi
2012 runner-up: Grandville Calvin Christian
2013 top three: 1. Shepherd, 2. Macomb Lutheran North, 3. Benzie Central.
Reigning individual champion: Gina Patterson, Macomb Lutheran North.
Shepherd often is in the conversation but is the favorite this time as it pursues its first MHSAA team title since 1994. Three of the Bluejays’ top four are back from last season’s ninth-place team including individual seventh-place finisher Kaylie Rhynard, a senior who won her Regional in 18:57.7. She and her teammates could be chasing Macomb Lutheran North junior Gina Patterson, last season’s individual champion as the team finished seventh; total, the top four from that lineup are back this weekend. Benzie Central, the 2011 team champ, also returns its top four from last season’s third-place team including last season’s 10th-place finisher, senior Alyssa Bennett.
Individuals: Only four of last season’s top 25 graduated. Three more sophomores joined Patterson in rounding out the top five last season, and Manistee’s Annie Fuller, Charlevoix’s Amber Way and Holland Black River’s Allison Vroon are all back after placing third-fifth, respectively, as is Ida junior Ashley Sorge, who finished eighth. Way (19:06.4) won her Regional ahead of Fuller and Bennett, and Sorge (18:23.6) and Patterson (18:11) also were Regional champions. Others of note are Clare Freshman Jasmine Harper, a Regional champion in 18:47.4; Kent City senior Ashley Russo, who finished ahead of Vroon in 18:18.62 at their Regional; and Frankenmuth senior Emily Sievert, who also broke 19 minutes in winning hers.
DIVISION 4
Reigning champion: Homer
2012 runner-up: Bear Lake
2013 top three: 1. Homer, 2. Pewamo-Westphalia, 3. Breckenridge.
Reigning individual champion: Kirsten Olling, Breckenridge.
Homer returns its top four and five of last season’s championship seven this weekend. Senior Amanda Reagle was the individual Regional champ in 19:20 and she and now-juniors Jessica Reagle and Bailey Manis all finished among the top 23 at the 2012 Final (when Jessica Reagle placed ninth). Pewamo-Westphalia finished 15th last season, but did so without a senior and brings back five of its top six. Breckenridge didn’t make the Finals as a team when Kirsten Olling was a freshman and have finished seventh and then 10th the last two seasons, respectively. But she leads a team that could push the favorites with its top four and seventh runners from 2012 all back.
Individuals: Only one senior placed among the top 10 last season, and only two placed among the top 20. Olling won her Regional by nearly two minutes in 17:39.8, but 2012 runner-up Holly Bullough also is back and won her Regional title, as did 2012 third-place Tenna Fornari of Waterford Our Lady and sixth-place Lauren Jenkins of Saugatuck. Last season placers Taylor Smith of Blanchard Montabella (fourth), Kendra Colesa of Deckerville (fifth) and Hannah Steffke of Beal City (eighth) also return to the mix.
PHOTO: Breckenridge’s Kirsten Olling runs the final paces on the way to her third MHSAA Lower Peninsula cross country title last season at Michigan International Speedway. (Click to see more from High School Sports Scene.)
UP Champs Repeat as Rudden Takes 1st
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 24, 2015
FLAT ROCK — Marquette High School’s Lindsey Rudden has excelled in track and cross country throughout her prep career.
The senior harrier has earned her share of Upper Peninsula Division 1 titles in track, but hadn’t won at the U.P. Cross Country Finals prior to Saturday.
That all changed on a cloudy, rainy and breezy day at Beauchamp’s Grove as she captured her first MHSAA cross country championship, covering the 3.1-mile course in 18 minutes, 59.8 seconds.
She was followed by Negaunee sophomore Clara Johnson (19:05.8), Westwood senior Katie Etelamaki (19:09.6), Sault Ste. Marie sophomore Mackenzie Kalchik (19:21.6) and Marquette senior Holly Blowers (19:27.4).
“It’s overdue,” said Rudden, who plans to run at Michigan State University next fall. “The second mile was real fast. We were pushing each other. It’s pretty humid, which made it hard to breathe. The course was pretty muddy in the first mile; otherwise it was pretty solid.”
The Marquette girls the team title won for the third consecutive year, edging Sault Ste. Marie 40-49. Negaunee placed third with 97 points, followed by Calumet 115 and Houghton 131.
“All the girls ran well in tough conditions,” said Marquette coach Dale Phillips. “I’m happy for Lindsey. This definitely takes a weight off her shoulders. This is a nice addition to her resume. Holly ran a nice race and I think Becci (McNamee) had a personal best. Our fifth and sixth girls (Chloe Henning and Samantha Borzick) also ran their personal bests, which was a big help.”
Johnson’s strategy was to stay with Rudden as long as she could.
“She (Rudden) is really good,” said Johnson. “I hung with her for nearly two miles. I didn’t have enough to stay with her all the way, but I thought it was worth a try. I thought Katie (Etelamaki) also ran real well. I’m glad I got to race with her all year. She was really closing the gap in the end.”
Kalchik ran a personal-best time, helping her move up a place from last year’s Finals.
“I didn’t want to go out too fast,” said Kalchik, who got sick after two miles. “I felt pretty rough, but just pushed through it. The girl from Marquette (Blowers) was coming up on me. It was hard. I felt good coming in here, knowing the competition. I had a better idea what to expect.”
This also marked a personal best for Blowers, who had hoped to break 19 minutes.
“This is not what I was hoping for, but we were working as a team,” she said. “I wanted to do it for the team. We have great girls on our team and great competition. I’m going to miss this so much.”
Sault Ste. Marie’s Megan Arbic placed sixth (19:32.2) and teammate Courtney Arbic took eighth (19:45.9).
“It went great,” said Sault coach Jim Martin. “Our top five girls ran lifetime bests by 20-30 seconds. They just went out and ran like they wanted to be on the podium. I’m real happy for them.”
Gladstone junior Leigha Woelffer, who was crowned champion a year ago, took 10th this time (20:19.8). Etelamaki also was seeking her second individual title after winning the Division 2 race in 2014.
Division 2
Ishpeming was a repeat champion with 31 points. The Hematites were followed by Hancock at 49, Gogebic at 83, St. Ignace at 89 and Norway with 118 points.
“I’m pleased to see our boys and girls both win,” said Ishpeming coach P.J. Pruett. “This is only the fourth time the Ishpeming girls were U.P. champions. It happened in 1979 and ‘80 and now last year and this year, and our boys were pretty dominant.”
Ishpeming junior Khora Swanson earned top individual honors at 20:56.2, followed by Hancock’s Taylor Pertile (21:15.2), teammate Mariah Bertucci (21:44), Gogebic’s Melissa Wanink (21:45.4) and Hancock’s Madisyn Wright (21:46.4).
“I’m pleased with my time,” said Swanson. “I just worked hard today. We had to get our points by catching people in front of us. I’m just happy we won as a team.”
Division 3
Chassell edged Munising 67-69 for its second straight Division crown, followed by Cedarville at 92, Dollar Bay at 105 and Brimley at 114.
“Sticking to the basics and believing in themselves were the keys to our victory,” said Chassell coach Marco Guidotti. “They were up to the challenge. They really like competing in the West-PAC (West Peninsula Athletic Conference). Competition in our conference is strong year in and year out.”
Newberry senior Natalie Beaulieu won the Final for the second straight time in a school-record 19:24.5. She was followed by Chassell senior Shitaye Sam (19:46.6), Munising sophomore Alyssa Webber (19:57.4), Cedarville’s Emma Bohn (20:55.7) and Brimley’s Lauren Halvorsen (21:30).
“I made my move at the mile mark and started to get some separation,” said Beaulieu, who ran the first mile in 5:51. “I was a little concerned at first because I thought I may have gone out too fast. But I knew where I needed to go, and the hills were then my only concern. I just tried to stay in my pace.”
The MHSAA Cross Country Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.
PHOTOS: (Top) Marquette’s Lindsey Rudden (left) runs stride for stride with Negaunee’s Clara Johnson before breaking away for the Division 1 championship. (Middle) Ishpeming’s Khora Swanson sprints the stretch in first place in leading the Hematites to their second straight title. (Below) Newberry’s Natalie Beaulieu won her second straight individual title in Division 3, while Chassell’s Shitaye Sam led her team to its second straight team championship. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)