Performance of the Week: Ludington's Eliza Schwass
April 30, 2026
Eliza Schwass ♦ Ludington
Freshman ♦ Track
Schwass won the diamond elite 1,600 race at the prestigious Barnyard Invitational in Romeo in a time of 4:40.24, setting the statewide distance conversation ablaze for several reasons as she posted the fastest time in Michigan this season in just her second running the race in high school outdoor competition.
That 4:40 time bested Schwass’ indoor personal record run this winter by nearly two seconds and her best outdoor time as an eighth grader last spring by more than nine, while breaking Ludington’s school record – set in 1982 – by more than 15 seconds. Her time also bested the Lower Peninsula Division 2 Finals record by nine seconds and was just under two seconds off of the all-Finals record in the race. And likely most notably, the win came against a field that included several of the state’s fastest competitors from multiple divisions including Ann Arbor Pioneer sophomore Natasza Dudek, the reigning Gatorade national Cross Country Player of the Year. Schwass also runs cross country and finished third at the LPD2 Final in the fall.
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Previous 2025-26 honorees
April 23: Emily Postema, Ravenna softball - Report
April 16: Katie Berkshire, Gaylord track - Report
March 26: Kayla Hairston, Goodrich basketball - Report
March 19: Liam Smith, Otsego swimming - Report
March 12: Jack Sayen, Houghton hockey - Report
March 5: Devin Patrick, St. Clair Shores Lake Shore - Report
Feb. 26: Madison Nieuwenhuis, Plainwell wrestling - Report
Feb. 20: Sophie Ramey, Allen Park competitive cheer - Report
Feb. 13: Cam Ryans, Grand Rapids Northview basketball - Report
Feb. 6: Melanie Kolnitys, Midland Dow basketball - Report
Jan. 29: Stella Musialowski, Huron Valley United gymnastics - Report
Jan. 22: Baylor Perkins, Grand Blanc swimming - Report
Jan. 15: Delaney Vanier, Flint Kearsley bowling - Report
Jan. 8: Stevie Hall, Detroit Cass Tech basketball - Report
Dec. 18: Ethan Martha, Ishpeming Westwood basketball - Report
Dec. 11: Louis Smith, Three Rivers wrestling - Report
Dec. 4: Traverse Moore, DeWitt football - Report
Nov. 28: Elizabeth Eichbrecht, West Bloomfield swimming - Report
Nov. 20: Brady Kieff, Blanchard Montabella football - Report
Nov. 13: Ella Laupp, Battle Creek Harper Creek swimming - Report
Nov. 7: Hunter Eaton, Charlevoix cross country - Report
Oct. 31: Stephen Gollapalli, Lansing Christian tennis - Report
Oct. 23: Talya Schreiber, Pickford cross country - Report
Oct. 16: Avery Manning, Dexter golf - Report
Oct. 9: Brady Van Laecke, Hudsonville football - Report
Oct. 2: Sarah Giroux, Flat Rock volleyball - Report
Sept. 25: Sam Schumacher, Portage Central tennis - Report
Sept. 18: Kaylee Mitzel, Saline field hockey - Report
Sept. 11: Natasza Dudek, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country - Report
Sept. 4: Kate Posey, Big Rapids golf - Report
PHOTO Ludington's Eliza Schwass crosses the finish line in winning the diamond elite 1,600 race at Romeo's Barnyard Invitational. (Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)
Saints Make It 4 Straight Championships
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 2, 2013
KINGSFORD — The St. Ignace girls didn't let anything stand in their way in winning the Upper Peninsula Division 3 track championship Saturday with 121 points.
Two-time defending champion Brimley settled for runner-up honors this time with 57, and third-place Crystal Falls Forest Park scored 47.
St. Ignace senior Sarah Cullip was a triple winner, taking the 800-meter run in 2 minutes, 29.38 seconds, the 1,600 (5:36.43) and 3,200 (12:30.12).
Sophomore teammate Lilly Calcaterra was runner-up in the 800 (2:33.79), third in the 1,600 (5:42.57) and 3,200 (12:55.55) and helped the winning 1,600 relay.
"This wasn't my best time (in the 1,600), but I'm glad to win it as a senior," said Cullip, who plans to run at Grand Valley State University next season. "But I thought Lilly ran well today. She works hard in the summer. I think she's going to be pretty special."
St. Ignace, which captured the D-2 title the past three seasons, scored just two points in the first three events this time. The Saints, however, got on track with a victory in the 400 relay.
Junior Rachel Hetherington, who had a false start in the 100, bounced back to help the winning 800 relay, place third in the 400 (1:04.24) and second in the 200 (27.47).
"We had a few things go wrong early in the meet," said St. Ignace coach Trudy Olsen. "But when Rachel came across (in the 800 relay), I knew we'd be okay. Sarah and Lilly took care of things in the distances. Between the two of them, they scored 50 points which is huge. The girls were supporting each other, and that's what it takes. They were there to pick each other up."
The Saints' 800 relay was clocked at a U.P meet-record 1:51.48, topping the previous best (1:52.31) by Forest Park three years ago.
St. Ignace senior Hailee Brown added a first in the 300 hurdles (49.41) and helped the winning 800 and 1,600 relays.
Brimley freshman Kerri Chartrand was runner-up in the 300 hurdles (49.53). Engadine freshman Aspen Hood, the pre-meet favorite in the hurdles races, didn't run in those due to a knee injury.
"I usually have Aspen there to push me, and the Brimley girl and I are usually neck-and-neck," said Brown, who will attend Lansing Community College this fall. "She beat me in the Regional. I didn't have a good 100 hurdles today. I got ahead of everybody and felt I needed to stay there. I got a little too anxious."
Bark River-Harris senior Sydni Petrie set the U.P. Final discus record (116-1), topping the previous standard (115-7 ¾) by Bark River-Harris’ Kerrie Meyers set in 2009.
Chassell senior Jamie Dompiere won the 400 in a school-record 1:00.62. She also took the 100 (12.83) and 200 (26.38).
"Three-for-three, that's awesome," Dompiere said. "As crazy as this season was, I had a great season. When we finally had our first outdoor meet (at Lake Linden-Hubbell on May 10), it felt like a season opener all over again because we hadn't had a meet since the one at the Superior Dome (in Marquette on April 18). We just had to fight through all the bad weather.
“I ran a good 100 time today. Only, I didn't do as well as in the Copper Country Conference meet (12.38). We had the false start in our heat, and everybody became more cautious. We didn't want to risk it."
PHOTOS: (Top) St. Ignace's Sarah Cullip, here in the 1,600, won that race and both the 800 and 3,200 on Saturday. (Photo by Paul Gerard. Click to see more photo coverage from RunMichigan.com.) (Middle) The St. Ignace girls track and field team poses with its fourth-straight MHSAA championship trophy. (Photo courtesy of St. Ignace High School.)