It’s the final weekend meet results recap before regional competition, so here is a wrap-up of local cross country results for Blue Water Area teams.
10/18/24 @ Willow Metropark
Nico DiPonio of Austin Catholic was the Blue Water Area’s highest finisher in the CHSL Championship on Friday, placing sixth in 17:49. Freshman Liam Knuth was 15th to lead Marine City Cardinal Mooney in 18:46. Cardinal Mooney finished fourth while Austin Catholic was eighth.
In the girls’ race, Cassidy Bowers of Austin Catholic was runner-up in 20:20: her team took fourth overall. Stella Behnan ran her personal best to place fourth, running 21:11 for Cardinal Mooney.
10/19/24 @ Dryden
It was the sixth individual cross country race victory for Joshua Macri this season at Saturday’s Dryden Cardinal Classic Invitational: the sophomore won in 16:39. Teammate Xavier Roman was third in 17:08 and Samuel Kochensparger ninth in 18:07, helping the Mustangs win as a team overall with 56 points. Ian Potts of the Macomb Athletic Club for Homeschoolers took seventh in 17:56, while his brother Garrett was tenth in 18:10. Logan Romain was the top finisher for Dryden on their home course, taking 11th place in 18:13, while fellow Cardinal Levi Fitchett took 16th in 18:28. Colton Grzyb and Adam SaintOnge both clocked 18:28 to go 17-18 for Almont. Liam Bhatti was the top finisher for Imlay City in his personal best of 18:53, taking 25th. Jacob Campbell (32nd; 19:13) of Kimball New Life Christian, Donovan Glasgow of Capac (39th; 19:23), and Nathan Kirby of Kimball Landmark (77th; 26:14) wrapped up top finishes for area schools.
Freshman Alannah Wessel garnered another invitational win in the girls’ race, while the team title went to Macomb Lutheran North. Wessel (Macomb Athletic Club for Homeschoolers) won in 20 minutes flat, followed by runner-up Samantha Whitlam of MLN in 20:40. Faith Wessel (MACH) was fifth in 21:04. Cara Prusakiewicz of Dryden was sixth in 21:10, and then it was two straight for Lutheran North, with Evelyn Buckley and Chloe Boright taking seventh and eighth in 21:21 and 21:23, respectively. Julia Rogers of Kimball New Life Christian rounded out local finishers in the top ten, placing ninth in 21:26. Taylor Stanczak of Almont was the Raiders’ top finisher, running her personal best of 21:34, while Charlotte O’Brien of Imlay City took 18th in 21:59. Lucilia Cordle was 84th for Kimball Landmark (28:46) and Samantha Skurda 86th for Capac (33:04).
10/19/24 @ Caro Golf Club
With a team spread of 30 seconds, the Yale gentlemen snagged another Thumb Championship trophy: Wyatt Murtos led the Bulldogs in eighth place, running 17:29. Nolan Korolden (11th; 17:35 PR), Kale Kovach (15th; 17:50), Logan Rhodes (16th; 17:54), and Brady VanConant (18th; 17:59) rounded out the top five. Connor Pepin of Cros-Lex had a huge personal best, dropping close to half a minute to place tenth in 17:30. Wyatt Opperman was the top runner for North Branch, placing 31st in 19:02.
The Cros-Lex girls edged out Yale 59-74 for a Thumb Champs team title. Eva Thompson wrapped up another individual championship in 19:05, while Brynn Hurley was seventh in 20:33, Madelyn Barkley 12th in 21:25, Hailey Morrison 18th in 21:45 - a PR by 35 seconds - and Eliza Thompson 43rd in 24:14. Yale’s Saige Cole dropped another PR, finishing ninth in 20:35. Rowan Conley was North Branch’s top finisher in 17th (21:44).
10/19/24 @ St. Clair Metropark
Top area finishers: BOYS
Carson Prone and Oliver Howie led the Port Huron Northern boys' team with personal bests. Prone ran close to half a minute faster than his previous best, while Howie was twenty seconds better. Personal bests were had by many other local runners. PHN was fourth, Marysville 13th, and Marine City 15th.
11. Carson Prone 17:18 PR Port Huron Northern
Oliver Howie 17:30 PR Port Huron Northern
26. Earl Beattie 18:02 PR Marine City
34. Sawyer Kemp 18:26 PR Port Huron Northern
35. Max Durham 18:28 PR New Haven
40. Brendan Koza 18:38 Marysville
Top PHH finisher: 67. Johnathon Heim 19:41 PR Port Huron
Top area finishers: GIRLS
The Port Huron Northern Huskies took second as a team, led with a personal best by Samantha Langolf, who almost dipped below the 20-minute mark, running 30 seconds faster than her previous PR. Marysville was sixth and Marine City ninth.
5. Samantha Langolf 20:06 PR Port Huron Northern
8. Haley Sharp 20:41 PR Port Huron Northern
12. Lillian Rutallie 21:03 Marysville
18. Riley Owen 21:35 PR Port Huron Northern
20. Brooklyn Schott 21:38 PR Port Huron Northern
21. Addison Stevens 21:39.2 Marysville
22. Cassie Gibson 21:49 PR Port Huron Northern
31. Isabella Nestle 22:30 Port Huron Northern
32. Violet Massaglia 22:36 PR Marine City
34. Joselyn Chapman. 22:36 Marysville
35. Emma Reimer 22:41 PR New Haven
Top PHH finisher: 72. Abigail Alva 26:14.5 Port Huron
Regional competition begins this weekend, with the majority of local high school teams racing in the Region 17 D2 and Region 26 D3 races held at Columbus Park. Race times and info can be found at https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/238264/info.
NJCAA Region XII/MCCAA Conference Championships are this Friday, October 25th at Goodells County Park. The women run at noon (5K) while the men’s 8K is at 1:00 p.m. The SC4 men are currently ranked 13th, while the women are ranked 14th. The MCC men are ranked 20th and the women are ranked 21st. Race times and info can be found at https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/239912/info.
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