Emmry Ross had some assistance Saturday when she won four individual events at the Lower Peninsula Division 3 Finals.

Her late grandfather, Phil Six, was with her every step of the way.

“Every time I run I think of his presence,” said the Onsted junior. “He helps me get through the harder times of my races.”

Ross won the 400, 800, 1,600, and 3,200, scoring 40 points by herself, good enough to put Onsted in second place as a team. 

She was just the third Lower Peninsula girls track & field athlete and seventh in state history to win four events at an MHSAA Finals.

The stunning performance wasn’t all that stunning to Ross. 

“It feels amazing, it was such a perfect day, and it turned out exactly as I was hoping, and better,” she said. “It was a very great feeling after I processed what happened, and it was so exciting to share that with all my family and coaches behind me supporting me.”

Ross has been an outstanding runner for the Wildcats since middle school. Her training, she said, set her up for the historic performance. 

The daughter of Daryl and Alicia Ross said once she glided past the finish line to win the 1,600, she gained even more confidence. She maintained that level of confidence throughout the day. 

“After I ran so good in my 1,600, and felt so good in that race, I definitely thought I could do it,” Emmry Ross said. “I think that was part of the reason I did it. I was ready to do it in my head, and had a positive attitude the whole day.”

Ross always has drawn inspiration from her family, which has a significant sports background. 

Her grandfather was an Onsted record holder in the 400 for decades. Her parents were high school athletes. Her older sister Rayne and younger sisters Hadley and Stylar participated in multiple sports, including track. Hadley and Stylar also are on the track team at Onsted.

They are close and push each other. Rayne and Emmry earned all-state honors two years ago together on a relay.

“I set such high goals for myself because I believe the sky is the limit, and there is no limit if you set your mind to it,” Emmry said. 

Ross hesitated to pick which race was most difficult Saturday because they all went relatively smoothly. 

“They all came with some things that I wasn’t expecting,” she said. “I might have to say the 800, mainly for the fact that the first 200 meters I was nervous because I got boxed in for a split second, but I got out of it, and finished really strong.”

Ross has earned seven individual first-place finishes and ran on a winning relay over her three MHSAA Finals. She isn’t worried about an encore yet. 

“I have thought a little bit into next year, and I think it would be awesome to do it again,” she said. “But with MITCA (Champion of Champions Festival) and nationals coming up, I’ve been pretty focused on that and doing the best I can there before I look into next year.”

Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.

PHOTO Emmry Ross (far left) leads a pack during one of her championship races Saturday at Kent City. (Click for more from Mary Wilson/RunMichigan.com.)