The MHSAA Cross Country Lower Peninsula State Finals at Michigan International Speedway on November 4 showcased some of the greatest running talent in the state, with athletes from the Blue Water Area making up a significant portion of top achievements.
Division 1
Individual Winners:
Seth Norder, Grand Haven - 14:54
Rachel Forsyth, Ann Arbor Pioneer - 16:28 (course record)
The Anchor Bay Tars hadn’t graced the state finals as a team since 1977 and they returned to a highly competitive race where only 8.5% of D1 boys in the state even qualified. After last year’s fourth-place finish (while losing a shoe), Thomas Westphal was one of the predicted race favorites for 2023. He made good on that forecast, completing the course in his personal best of 14:57 and running smart and consistent splits for each mile (4:46, 4:53, 4:50). Making a bold move around the 3K mark, Westphal moved from third into second and began challenging for the win. “I’m very happy with how I raced my last race for Anchor Bay Cross Country," Westphal confirmed. Although I wanted the win, I was thrilled to place second as well as break 15 minutes where it really mattered.”
Placing 22nd as a team, the Tars’ pack again did what they had all season: their second through fifth runners within 15 seconds of each other and all were sub-17 finishers. Zachary Rubicz was 157th in 16:44, Gabe Rusch 163rd in 16:47, Aidan Leslie 185th in 16:56, and Greg Vogt was 191st in 16:59. Aaron Osterman (251st; 17:54) and Brandon Ziehmer (258th; 18:14) rounded out the team’s sixth and seventh.
Lauren Thomas was the lone qualifier competing in the girls’ race for Anchor Bay: she finished 206th in 20:49. While the Romeo team isn’t technically in the Blue Water Area, we must mention the dominant fashion in which they won the Division 1 girls’ team title: they placed four girls (with All-State honors) in the top 22 spots.
The Port Huron Northern “Luke and Luke Legacy Tour” wrapped up its final showing at MIS, with seniors Luke VanderHeuvel and Luke Maher placing 88th and 205th, respectively. VanderHuevel finished his career for the Huskies by running his personal best of more than 13 seconds in 16:24 and Maher crossed the line at 17:07.
D1/Westphal’s finish line video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc6r2wzzu3A
Full D1 Results: https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/223171/info
Division 2
Individual Winners:
T.J. Hansen, Freeland - 14:52 (division record)
Emily Tomes, Grand Rapids Catholic Central - 17:31
The largest contingent of runners from the Blue Water Area compete in Division 2. Here are some interesting statistics (compiled by Rob Blume, Armada XC Coach):
The chances of qualifying to run at the state finals for D2 (out of all runners in this division across the state) are 13.4% for boys and 14.6% for girls.
Out of 42 runners from six teams in Region 17, 12 had a personal or season-best time at MIS (28.64%).
The times needed to be top-30 in 2023 (All-State): 15:54 for boys and 18:46 for girls. Last year it was 16:20 and 19:14. You would have to run close to half a minute faster to get the same finishing place as in the 2022 finals.
The top five girls running in the 17-minute range in the D2 race matched D1’s second through sixth places. Last year’s winning time for girls would place ninth in 2023 (18:18) and the boys’ (15:12) would be fourth. In other words, the competition at the state finals continues to improve year after year.
Here are the state finals finishers from the BWA region/Division 2:
Girls’ D2
Cros-Lex 18th
St. Clair 27th
42 - Morgan Newton, Cros-Lex. 19:12 *season record, highest finisher from the BWA.
46 - Eva Thompson, Cros-Lex. 19:17
85 - Ava Baltierra, Armada. 19:47
130 - Brooklyn Khon, Armada. 20:23
146 - Lillian Rutallie, Marysville. 20:36
160 - Brynn Hurley, Cros-Lex. 20:49
173 - Gabriella Komarowski, St. Clair. 21:04
187 - Eliza Nelson, Cros-Lex. 21:18
188 - Ella Thornton, St. Clair. 21:20
191 - Molly McNabb, St. Clair. 21:22 *personal record
206 - Brianna Albers, Richmond. 21:40
207 - Allie Komarowski, St. Clair. 21:40
210 - Aubrey Sargent, St. Clair. 21:42
215 - Pauline Chapman, Richmond. 21:58
227 - Abagayle Barkley, Cros-Lex. 22:27
233 - Clair Bacon, St. Clair. 22:48
238 - Jaylynn Maduri, Cros-Lex. 23:06 *personal record
239 - Eden Brewer, St. Clair. 23:09 *personal record
245 - Carly Old, Cros-Lex. 23:50
Boys’ D2
Yale 15th
St. Clair 22nd
45 - Giovanni Pardo-Keegan, Yale. 16:14 *personal record, highest finisher for the BWA.
48 - Acer Campbell, Yale. 16:15 *personal record
87 - Blake Ferguson, Yale. 16:37
99 - Dylan Distelrath, St. Clair. 16:42
153 - Ethan Kreger, St. Clair. 17:21
156 - Wyatt Murtos, Yale. 17:24 *personal record
160 - Dylan Schumann, St. Clair. 17:20
169 - Jerry Westrick, St. Clair. 17:33
173 - Brayden Prieskorn, St. Clair. 17:38 *personal record
179 - Teddy Rutkofske, Yale. 17:41
181 - Luke Nawrocki, Armada. 17:42 *personal record
186 - Alex Robertson, Marine City. 17:46 *season record
196 - Korbyn Thornton, 17:54 *season record
211 - Nolan Korolden, Yale. 18:09
232 - Kale Kovach, Yale. 18:31
233 - Jayden Robertson, Marine City. 18:41
243 - Tyler Buckland, Armada. 19:05
249 - Colin Boullard, St. Clair. 19:25
Full Results: https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/223172/info
Division 3
Individual Winners:
Collin Farmer, Pewamo-Westphalia - 15:39
Jessica Jazwinski, Hart - 17:08
Sophomore Julian Walker of Algonac placed 52nd in the boys’ D3 race, running his season best of 16:51, only three seconds behind his personal record. In last year’s finals, a 16:51 was precisely what was needed to be All-State at 30th place: this year, it took a 16:29. Walker moved up 123 spots from his freshmen year. Teammate Owen Beindit moved up from 227th last year to 154th this year, running his personal best by almost a minute to finish in 17:56. Both of these young men have two years left to race, so the future looks bright for success next season and beyond. The same is true for freshman Colton Grzyb of Almont: his team’s lone state qualifier, he ran a personal best of 18:45 to place 209th.
On the girls’ D3 side, Jasmine Walker placed 167th in 21:54 for the Algonac Muskrats. Almont’s Ayla DeLaurier ran her personal best by well over a minute, placing 159th in 21:48 while teammate Laila Evola was 213th in 22:44.
Full Results: https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/223173/info
Division 4
Individual Winners:
Tyler Lenn, Marine City Cardinal Mooney - 15:49
Aiden Harrand, Buckley - 17:38
Marine City Cardinal Mooney’s Tyler Lenn took the D4 state title in decisive fashion, winning by twelve seconds in 15:49 over Owen Patton of Vestaburg, and two minutes faster than his time at last year’s state meet. Through a season plagued by various injuries and yo-yo-ing finish times, Lenn put it all together at the right time and place.
“I took control just after the two-mile mark,” Lenn stated. “I found myself in control of the race on the downhill slope back into the racetrack and pushed hard that last ¾ of a mile. In the last mile, I dialed it up for the sprint and was able to put twelve seconds up for the lead."
When asked what his mindset was as he realized he was about to win a state championship, Lenn recounted, “Going through the finishing straight was surreal, and running around the corner of the racetrack I knew I had won. I wound up my kick and played it smart in the early stages. Knowing how frustrating my season has been for me made the moment better. It was a very memorable and emotional experience to greet my teammates at the finish line”.
Mooney finished 14th overall as a team. Isaac Zammit was 45th in 17:19, Max Procissi was 168th in 18:57, and Evan Jacobs was 169th in 18:57. Brennen DeMeulenaere was 200th in 19:36 and John Bailey 222nd in 20:12, both running their personal bests. Conor Guyor was 248th in 23:41.
Kimball New Life Christian’s Ben Gura also competed in the D4 race, running 18:07 to take 107th. Julia Rogers placed 74th in the girls’ race with a time of 20:59, her personal best.
Full Results: https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/223174/info
Tyler Lenn’s finish video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGCmKZiR2bI
Tyler Lenn’s postrace interview with M-Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr7omoIjhU8