Did you see that?
May 29, 2012
The last full week of May usually represents the calm before the storm, at least relatively speaking, that is the MHSAA Spring Finals.
Although the weekend is generally one of the calmest of the season, the week was again filled with local championships, plus the start of lacrosse Regional play.
Here’s our look at some of the highlights from May 21-26:
Track and Field
All Tech in the PSL: Detroit Cass Tech’s girls and boys teams swept the Detroit Public School League championships Thursday, finishing ahead of Renaissance atop the standings in both meets. The girls are the reigning MHSAA Division 1 runner-up and led by senior Kyra Jefferson, who will run at the University of Florida next season. The boys team has hints of the team that won the MHSAA Division 1 football championship in the fall – this team also is coached by Thomas Wilcher, and quarterback Jayru Campbell was among those who shined. (Detroit News)
Still Hornets, with a side of Cougars: In a matchup of two of the best in Michigan from Divisions 2 and 3, the Williamston boys and girls again won Capital Area Activities Conference White championship meet titles -- with Lansing Catholic's boys then splitting the overall league title with Williamston. The Hornets boys are ranked No. 3 in Division 2 and the Cougars are No. 1 in Division 3. Williamston and Lansing Catholic's girls are both ranked No. 5 in their respective divisions. (Lansing State Journal)
Soccer
Okemos claims Gold: The Lansing area boasts top-four ranked teams in all four divisions, and two met for the CAAC Gold Cup championship Thursday – with Division 1 No. 2 Okemos downing Division 2 No. 4 DeWitt 3-1. The CAAC Cup pulls teams from each of its four divisions into a series of tournaments, based on league standings, with the top teams from each division playing for the Golf Cup. To advance to the championship game, DeWitt downed Division 3 No. 3 Williamston in a semifinal, while Okemos beat Division 2 honorable mention Mason. (Lansing State Journal)
Lacrosse
Final countdown: Girls and boys teams statewide began Regionals, with those finishing up this weekend. Of the few early games, the most significant might’ve been in Division 2 girls, where No. 9 Farmington Hills Mercy defeated Ann Arbor Skyline 18-6. (Observor & Eccentric)
Golf
Best by the Bay: For the first time in 18 seasons, Essexville-Garber won the Bay County Invitational, which matches teams from the Bay City area including larger Bay City Central and Western. (Bay City Times)
Fennville
Wes remembered: When Fennville’s Class of 2012 walked Thursday, Wes Leonard was with them. This year’s commencement included a remembrance of the standout, who died on March 3, 2011, as a junior, of cardiac arrest moments after hitting the game-winning shot for his basketball team. Classmate and close friend Selena Beltran-Pena walked with an additional cap, for Leonard, with accompanied by Leonard’s younger brother Mitchell. (Holland Sentinel)
Editor's note: Did we miss something? Comment below and tell us about it. Is there an event coming up that we should make sure to note? Comment or e-mail [email protected].
Butkiewicz Closes Hackett XC Career No. 1 Again, Holland Calvary Clinches 1st Title
November 1, 2025
BROOKLYN, Mich. — There’s a history of soccer players turning into great cross country runners in the state of Michigan, most notably Grand Blanc’s Grant Fisher.
Fisher played soccer his first two years at Grand Blanc, even missing the MHSAA Cross Country Finals his sophomore year because the Bobcats reached the Division 1 championship game in soccer. He went on to become a two-time MHSAA Finals champion and win two bronze medals in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep senior Marek Butkiewicz is the latest in a line of former soccer players who have become champion runners.
He didn’t even run cross country until his freshman year of high school, but has developed into a two-time MHSAA Division 4 Finals champion.
Butkiewicz won his second title Saturday at Michigan International Speedway with a time of 15:27.0. He won by 10.6 seconds ahead of Harbor Beach senior Brody Karg.
“I knew I wanted to be great,” Butkiewicz said. “I knew I wanted to go out and do something special. Actually putting it into action, you can’t think about what it feels like before you actually do it. It’s just so amazing to be able to say, ‘Wow, I actually did that.’”
Butkiewicz gave up soccer in ninth grade and threw himself into his new sport. He was 52nd at the Division 4 Final as a freshman in 17:42.2 before moving all the way up to sixth as a sophomore in 16:12.2.
On the track, he was the Division 4 Finals champion in the 3,200-meter run and second in the 1,600 as a sophomore. He swept those events as a junior.
As a junior in cross country, he set the Division 4 Final record by winning in 15:09.7.
“My middle school didn’t have cross country or track, so I was just running on my own,” said Butkiewicz, who will run at Michigan State University. “Going into high school and having actual structure was super beneficial. I’m super thankful to everyone at Hackett who has gotten me to where I am. It’s not just a one-way street. There’s a lot of things that go into it behind the scenes.”
Butkiewicz was aiming for a sub-15 time Saturday, but chilly conditions resulted in slower times for most of the contenders in the morning races.
“It was kind of cold,” he said. “Last year was like the perfect temp. This year I couldn’t feel my nose. I’d try to breathe out of my nose and there would be like slot bubbling. It was a good day overall. I’m not displeased with it by any means.”
In the team race, second-ranked Holland Calvary scored 110 points to outpace top-ranked Maple City Glen Lake by 21. The Crusaders were Division 4 runners-up the last two years.
Christian Getz was eighth in 16:13.9, Noah Schipper 18th in 16:29.5, Gibson White 27th in 16:46.4, Brody VanTuinen 43rd in 17:05.2 and Regan Downing 70th in 17:29.5 for Holland Calvary.
Hillsdale Academy was also in the mix, placing third with 158 points.
PHOTOS (Top) Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep’s Marek Butkiewicz races toward the finish line and a repeat championship Saturday at MIS. (Middle) Holland Calvary’s Christian Getz (1372) pulls nearly even with Hackett’s Sean Siems (1382). (Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)