Redettes' Rudden Aims to Add to Legacy
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
August 20, 2015
MARQUETTE — Lindsey Rudden has enjoyed a stellar high school track career, to say the least.
The Marquette High School senior is the current Upper Peninsula Division 1 Finals record holder in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs and was part of U.P. record-setting 1,600 and 3,200 relays this spring at Kingsford.
She could graduate next spring as the top high school female distance runner in Upper Peninsula history. But one accomplishment that has eluded her, however, is a U.P. cross country title – something she’ll begin next week to pursue one last time.
At the end of her freshman year, Rudden was well ahead of the MHSAA Finals field with a half-mile remaining at Munising when she became ill and passed out. In Marquette as a sophomore, she was runner-up to Kameron Burmeister of Menominee. Then, she and now-junior Amber Huebner missed a flag in last year’s Finals and had to retrace their steps, adding distance to their race. Huebner ended up runner-up to Gladstone’s Leigha Woelffer that day, and Rudden finished well behind the leaders.
“I’ve learned so much from the losses,” Rudden said. “I still wouldn’t change it. I know how to react when other people are upset. I was real nervous before the Finals as a sophomore because of what happened in my freshman year. I wasn’t quite as nervous about it last year, and I’m not worried about it this year. I’m just going to try to run it like any other race and do my best. Either way life goes on. I have a great support system. My coaches and teammates have been great.”
Rudden, as she did the past three years, will lead the Redettes into this cross country season when they open Aug. 28 by hosting the Marquette Relays.
“I feel better going into this season than I did going into any other season,” said Rudden, who has made a verbal commitment to continue her track and cross country careers at Michigan State University. “I’m in better shape this year and starting to enjoy cross country. This is kind of special. I’m just going with the flow and trying to enjoy my last year of high school. I feel I’m ready for the next step.”
Rudden indeed has experienced plenty of success in cross country, earning a pair of Great Northern Conference titles in three seasons.
Her efforts certainly haven’t gone unnoticed, as some of the Marquette boys runners will verify.
“Lindsey has great dedication to her sport,” said senior Lance Rambo, last season’s U.P. Division 1 cross country runner-up and winner of the 3,200 and 1,600 at the spring Finals. “She just works so hard. … (And) she’s very humble. She’ll always congratulate other runners after the races and tries to encourage them. She always has a smile after a race.”
Redmen senior Troy Sergey, who finished 13th at last fall’s U.P. Division 1 Final and has known Rudden since fourth grade, also is impressed by Rudden’s accomplishments.
“She’s able to go into a gear nobody else has,” he said. “After two miles, she can pick up the pace. She never misses a workout. Lindsey understands what she needs to do. She talks to me and Lance before every race, and we discuss her game plan.”
Rudden trains an average of 30 miles a week.
“That gives me a pretty good base,” she said. “I’ve also been doing some weight training, and I’m more confident this year. I don’t feel as much pressure now that I’m committed to Michigan State. I’ve already met some of my (future) teammates. I’m just so excited.”
Rudden set Division 1 Finals records in the 800 at two minutes, 13.94 seconds this spring, the 1,600 (4:55.28) a year ago and 3,200 (11:26.38) in 2013. Her 800 and 1,600 times are records for all U.P. Finals.
“I’ve always loved track,” she said. “I think that’s why I’ve had a lot of success with it.”
In late May, Rudden combined forces with current senior Holly Blowers and Amber Huebner and recent graduate Shayla Huebner in U.P. Finals record-setting efforts in the 1,600 (4:00.15) and 3,200 relays (9:30.25).
“I’ve been playing sports with Lindsey since I was in fourth grade,” Amber Huebner said. “She always works her hardest and pushes other people to work harder. Lindsey is a great friend, leader and teammate. I can’t imagine what next season is going to be like without her.”
Rudden will become part of a program which captured the NCAA Division I cross country title last fall and was crowned Big 10 track and field champion this spring.
What has she meant to Marquette’s track and field and cross country programs?
“Lindsey is one of the all-time better mid and long distance runners at Marquette High School,” Redettes coach Dale Phillips said. “Not many girls can meet that kind of success. She has already surpassed the times by the Anderson twins (Emily and Katie in the late 1990s) in the 800 and 1,600 and even the 400.
"I think Lindsey has really matured. She has developed into a good leader, and that’s going to help her. I think that will make her a better runner.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Lindsey Rudden (77) leads the pack during last season's MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 1 Cross Country Final. (Middle) Rudden cruises down the stretch during one of her races at this spring's U.P. Track and Field Finals.
Preview: Challengers Chase History
November 1, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Make way for historic finishes at Saturday’s MHSAA Lower Peninsula Girls Cross Country Finals at Michigan International Speedway.
Two of four team favorites have never won before. A third hasn’t won in more than two decades. There will be at least two new individual champions. And two others will attempt to continue impressive reigns.
A total of 985 runners will take to the course at MIS on Saturday for the four girls races, which begin with Division 4 at 9:30 a.m. Below are some of the teams to watch and a glance at each of the individual fields. Click for all Finals qualifiers, a map of the course and links to buy tickets and watch the live broadcast on MHSAA.tv, and come back to Second Half later Saturday for coverage of all four meets.
Division 1
Reigning champion: Clarkston
2018 runner-up: Ann Arbor Pioneer
2019 top-ranked: 1. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2. Traverse City Central, 3. Northville
Pioneer has finished Division 1 runner-up two of the last three seasons, and if rankings hold true will win its first championship since 1997. The Pioneers placed four among the top 52 last season, and all four return led by senior Zofia Dudek. She’s undefeated this fall after finishing third at the Final a year ago, and her personal record (PR) of 16:46.9 is 15 seconds faster than anyone else has run statewide in any division this season. Traverse City Central junior Julia Flynn has the fifth-fastest time in the state (17:26) after placing 10th at last year’s Final, and she’s one of six runners back from the Trojans team that came in fourth in 2018. Northville was eighth last year and brings four runners from that lineup back to MIS, with junior Emily Gordon the top returning placer after coming in 30th.
Individuals: Two-time champion Ericka VanderLende clinched her second title by 50 seconds a year ago. But despite her graduation, this will again be a strong field with Dudek leading 10 returning runners from last year’s top 20. Also back from the top 10 are Lake Orion junior Sophie Novak (fifth), Bay City Western senior Ashlyn Nagel (sixth) and Flynn, and Birmingham Seaholm junior Audrey DaDamio placed 11th and has the state’s third-fastest time this fall of 17:12. Holland West Ottawa freshman Arianne Olson and Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills junior Madison Ebright also should be in the mix; they posted the sixth and 10th fastest times, respectively, in the state this fall at their Regionals.
Division 2
Reigning champion: East Grand Rapids
2018 runner-up: DeWitt
2019 top-ranked: 1. Petoskey, 2. East Grand Rapids, 3. Ada Forest Hills Eastern
Petoskey approached a perfect score at its Regional last week and is running for its first MHSAA Finals championship in this sport after coming in third a year ago. The team’s five scoring runners from that race all are back, and only one is a senior. Junior Emma Squires was seventh in 2018, and junior Cambrie Smith was the league and Regional champ last month after placing 84th at the Final a year ago while competing for Gaylord. East Grand Rapids hardly can be overlooked after winning last year’s title with only one senior. Five of the top six from the title team will run again Saturday, including four who finished among the top 20 individually – senior Margaret Coney (sixth), sophomore Ainsley Workman (11th), senior Katie Hessler (15th) and senior Anna Petr (20th). Forest Hills Eastern is running for its first championship since 2012 with three runners back from the team that placed 11th in 2018. Senior Landyn Howell (46th) is the top returning placer from that lineup.
Individuals: No other race this weekend will have as many familiar faces. Only three seniors graduated from last year’s top 20, and the top 11 all are back in the field. Lansing Catholic senior Jaden Theis won last season’s championship by 15 seconds and has posted the fourth-fastest time in the state this season (17:20.2). Plainwell senior Mackenna Veen came in second in 2018 and has three top-five Finals finishes to her credit, while St. Johns senior Taryn Chapko was third last year and has finished at least 11th all three years of high school. Cadillac sophomore Kendall Schopieray (fourth), Grand Rapids Christian sophomore Madelyn Frens (sixth), Holland Christian seniors Gillian Fiene (eighth) and Michelle Kuipers (ninth) and Allendale senior Sophie DiPiazza (10th) also are back from last year’s top 10.
Division 3
Reigning champion: Hart
2018 runner-up: Grandville Calvin Christian
2019 top-ranked: 1. Hart, 2. Benzie Central, 3. Grandville Calvin Christian
Hart won last year’s championship by 100 points and is seeking its third straight title after graduating only one from that lineup – although that one was three-time individual Finals winner Adelyn Ackley. But the team’s next five runners from 2018 all are back: junior Savannah Ackley (seventh place), sophomore Audrienna Enns (10th), juniors Lynae Ackley (13th) and MacKenzie Stitt (14th) and senior Brenna Aerts (24th). Benzie is looking to make a jump from eighth last year after graduating only one runner and with five returning, led by junior Cierra Guay (37th individually). Calvin Christian graduated its two highest finishers from last year’s runner-up team but returns the other five with senior Olivia Quillan (21st) the top returning placer.
Individuals: A strong senior class last year took the top five places, leaving four of the top 10 – but 12 of the top 20 – to return this weekend. They’ll be joined by a few additions who should make for an interesting finish. Ithaca sophomore Lani Bloom (sixth) is the top returning placer, and with St. Louis sophomore Libby Munderloh (eighth) joins Savannah Ackley and Enns as those back from the top 10. Now the newcomers: Roscommon sophomore Allison Chmielewski was undefeated until her Regional and has the fastest time in Division 3 this fall by 41 seconds (17:31.1). Richmond senior Maddy Bean has won all but one race this season and has the third-fastest Division 3 time (18:24.4) after placing 78th in Division 2 a year ago. And Boyne City freshman Ava Maginity has the fifth-fastest time in Division 3 (18:33.3), which she ran in earning her Regional title.
Division 4
Reigning champion: Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart
2018 runner-up: Saugatuck
2019 top-ranked: 1. Bridgman, 2. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, 3. Hillsdale Academy.
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart has won four straight Division 4 championships, with four different schools finishing runner-up during that time. But the rankings call for Bridgman to unseat the Irish. The Bees return four from last year’s 15th-place team, led by junior Karyn Stewart (24th individually). They finished ahead of Sacred Heart at the prestigious Portage Invitational and scored just 35 points to win their Regional. Sacred Heart, however, does return three of last year’s top seven, including high placer Desiree McConnell (sixth), now a senior. Freshman Olivia Ervin actually has the team’s fastest time this fall (19:37.7), which ranks ninth in Division 4. And don’t forget about Hillsdale Academy, which finished fourth last year without a senior. Five of the team’s top seven runners return including last year’s three highest placers, led by freshman Megan Roberts, who crossed the line 27th as an eighth grader.
Individuals: Muskegon Western Michigan Christian sophomore Abby VanderKooi made her Finals debut last season running a 17:47.3, the second-fastest 5K time in Division 4 history and 1:15 faster than the field. Her 17:02.7 at Portage is the second-fastest time in the state this fall, regardless of division. Lansing Christian junior Madison Volz and Royal Oak Shrine senior Ellie Kendall finished second and third last season, respectively, and have the third and second-fastest times in Division 4 this year. Marlette senior Riley Ford was fifth last year and has this year’s fourth-fastest time. Four more from last year’s top 20 also are back in the field, and three of the top nine times in Division 4 this fall have been run by freshmen.
PHOTO: Roscommon’s Allison Chmielewski leads the field on the way to winning the Warrior Invitational at Remus Chippewa Hills in August. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)