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.)
Sturgis Girls Celebrate 1st Team Title, Multiple Multi-Event Winners Reign
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
May 31, 2025
HAMILTON – As they gave congratulatory hugs to each other on the infield following the 200-meter dash, Dearborn Divine Child sophomore Aubrey Wilson smiled at Saginaw Swan Valley senior Sydney Kuhn and good-naturedly said, “You can’t get all three” as the two shared a laugh.
Wilson had just edged Kuhn for the title in the 200, making their tallies of victories two apiece at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Finals.
From the team perspective, Sturgis ruled the day, winning its first Finals title with 54.2 points. Goodrich was runner-up with 39 points, one ahead of Saginaw Swan Valley.
Wilson repeated in the 100 meters with a time of 11.55 and then avenged last year’s second place to Kuhn in the 200, switching positions with Kuhn in a winning time of 23.85.
Wilson said the difference in that race this year was her increased endurance as a result of running 400-meter sessions during training throughout the season.
“I started running the 400 to make me stronger for the last 15 meters of the 200,” she said. “That’s where I lost it at last year. I just kept working hard because I really wanted this.”
While she didn’t quite reach three victories, it still was an outstanding meet for Kuhn, who will run collegiately for Michigan.
In addition to finishing second in the 200, Kuhn repeated in the 400 with a time of 54.70. Kuhn also won the 300 hurdles in a time of 44.29, returning to running that event this year after not doing so last year as a junior.
“I did it my freshman and sophomore year and then I stopped,” Kuhn said. “I’m doing it again this year because it might be something I do in college. I’ve gotten pretty good at it. It’s kind of riding a bike once you learn the hurdles form.”
Kuhn finished the meet by running a scintillating 53.8-second anchor leg for Swan Valley’s winning 1,600 relay, taking the baton with the Vikings in fourth place and racing into the lead to help Swan Valley win with a time of 4:00.66.
A third individual multi-event winner Saturday was Otsego junior Emma Hoffman. The junior swept the distance events, taking the 1,600 meters in 4:52.86 and the 3,200 meters in 10:27.44.
“Last year, missing out on all-state by one place was really hard,” Hoffman said. “This year, I wanted to get a good place. The experience helps you a bunch.”
Sturgis girls track & field coach Lesley Starkey said experience helped her team, given many of her athletes were freshmen and sophomores on the Finals runner-up team two years ago.
Relays were a big part of the win for Sturgis.
The team of Tenley Banaszak, Angela Cary, Hannah Garbine and Keyanna O’Tey won the 400 relay in 48.48 seconds, while Addison Eicher, Garbine, Sydney Bir and O’Tey won the 800 relay in 1:42.80.
Sturgis senior Eleena Kelley added a title in the discus with a distance of 135-9.
“We had a nice balance,” Starkey said. “We had field events represented well. I thought it was more of a team effort versus just a few events two years ago.”
PHOTOS (Top) Sturgis' Keyanna O'Tey carries the baton across the finish line for one of Sturgis' relay championships at Hamilton High School. (Middle) Dearborn Divine Child's Aubrey Wilson ducks past the finish line ahead of Swan Valley's Sydney Kuhn, right, in the 200. (Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)