Capping off September, several Blue Water Area cross country teams had a rest weekend while others raced, such as at the local Hanson’s Invitational, Wagener Park in the Thumb, and the mid-state Shepherd Blue Jay Invite. Macomb Community College traveled to New York for the Harry F. Anderson Invitational.
Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024
Separating runners into ten varsity divisions from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the Shepherd Blue Jay Invite is one of the largest and most competitive in the state. Runners arrive looking for great competition and a personal best on a fast, pristine course. Anchor Bay’s Greg Vogt, Aaron Osterman, Brandon Ziehmer, and Trevor Zoli did just that in the Elite Boys’ division. Vogt was 49th in a best of 16:29, Osterman 54th in 16:34 (PR), Brandon Ziehmer 94th in 16:58 - his first time under 17 - and Zoli ran a best by 20 seconds of 18:26 to take 211th. The Tars’ top finisher in the girls’ race was Julianne Drobek, who was 200th in 23:08 (SR).
Photos courtesy of Melissa Thompson-Vogt/Anchor Bay High School Track & Field and Cross-Country FB.
Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024
The Hanson’s Invitational (sponsored by Hanson’s Running Shop) separates athletes into various divisions based on time. The red division was sub-19 for boys/sub-23 for girls, while the black division was 19-21 minutes for boys/23-26 for girls. The third section was the yellow division, which featured runners 21+ minutes for boys and 26+ for girls.
Joshua Macri of Macomb Lutheran North was the Blue Water Area’s top boys’ finisher, placing 14th in 16:28 in the red division. Fellow Mustang Xavier Roman was 23rd in 16:47. Ian Potts led MACH in 46th (17:32) and Nico DiPonio of Austin Catholic ran his personal best, taking 66th in 17:53. Jonathan Heim of Port Huron High was 130th in 20:24. In the black division, Earl Beattie was second (18:34 PR) and Ryan Jackins eighth (18:47 PR) for Marine City. Sebastian Hoult was 91st in 19:54 (PR) for Imlay City.
Alannah Wessel of MACH was a top-five finisher in the red division, taking fifth in 19:25. Her sister Faith was 17th in her personal best of 20:10. Cassidy Bowers (Austin Catholic) was 37th in 21:09, while Charlotte O’Brien (Imlay City) was 55th in 21:35, a season record. Macomb Lutheran North was tenth as a team without their top runner (Samantha Whitlam) but had several runners see personal bests: Lucy Gump was one of them, placing 38th in 21:14.
Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024
The Yale boys claimed another Wagener Park Invitational victory with 62 points. Wyatt Murtos was the fastest Bulldog of the day, taking sixth in 17:26. Ted Rutkofske was ninth (17:40), Nolan Korolden 13th (17:52), and Logan Rhodes 16th (17:57 PR). Rhodes set a personal best by almost half a minute, dipping into the 17s for the first time. Connor Pepin of Cros-Lex was 14th (17:55). Logan Romain (17th; 18:00) and Levi Fitchett (21st; 18:12) helped lead Dryden to a sixth-place finish overall. Cros-Lex was eighth. Jacob Campbell was 46th for Kimball New Life Christian (19:26 SR) and Donovan Glasgow was 52nd for Capac (19:45).
The Yale girls were second overall at Wagener, scoring 83 to Ubly’s 70, but beating BWAC rival Cros-Lex for the first time this season as a team: the Pioneers were third with 90 points. Freshman Saige Cole was fifth to lead the Bulldogs in 20:47. Cros-Lex’s Eva Thompson easily won the meet in 19:28, with teammate Brynn Hurley third in 20:38. Cara Prusakiewicz of Dryden was ninth (21:15) to round out local runners in the top ten. Lillian Bender was 12th (Yale; 21:35), Julie Rogers 14th (Kimball NLC; 21:54), Madelyn Barkley 17th (CL; 21:59), Ava Childers 20th (Yale; 22:11), and Zyana Wadsworth 24th (Yale; 22:21).
Photos courtesy of Yale XC FB/Cros-Lex Instagram.
Sat. 9/28/24
Almont raced in the division 3-4 competitions at the Dewitt Cross Country Invitational. The boys’ team finished fifth, led by Colton Grzyb in a PR of 18:30. Teammate Adam SaintOnge crossed the finish line a second later, also running a personal best (18:31). The PRs didn’t stop there for the Raiders, as Gavin Campbell (26th; 18:50) and Andrew SaintOnge (30th; 19:32) also ran their best times yet. For the Lady Raiders, Laila Evola had a PR, too: 14th in 21:39.
The following meet report is shared from https://macombmonarchs.com/
(written by MCC).
Photos courtesy of Macomb XC Instagram.
Full results: https://www.leonetiming.com/2024/XC/AndersonMen.htm
The solid 2024 season continued Saturday (Sept. 28) for Macomb Men's Cross Country as the MCCAA Eastern Conference Champions placed 16th out of 25 scoring teams in a field full of NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II programs. The Monarchs posted a team score of 426 to finish ahead of an NCAA Division II program and a handful of NCAA Division III teams. The score propelled the Monarchs to the top junior college spot in the 8K event. Saturday's race, the Harry F. Anderson Invitational, was hosted by Roberts Wesleyan University in Rochester, N.Y.
The Monarchs were led by Brandon Penberthy (New Haven, Mich./L'Anse Creuse North) who posted an 8K time of 27:23 to finish in spot 114 in a field of 334 runners. Dylan Penberthy (New Haven, Mich./L'Anse Creuse North) was next at 27:46 while Carson Gilbertson (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) followed right behind at 27:48. All three of the aforementioned Monarchs recorded a PR.
Gabe Rusch (New Baltimore, Mich./Anchor Bay) crossed the finish line at 27:57 and Jack DeWaele (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley) checked in at 28:42 to round out the scoring times for the Monarchs Saturday morning in New York. Lucas Shemansky (Fraser, Mich./Fraser) and Connor Steepe (Fraser, Mich./Fraser) finished as the team's sixth and seventh runners with times of 28:42 and 29:08, respectively. The day was closed out by Mathieu Fortier (Clinton Twp., Mich./Lakeview) at 30:07, Daryl Winters III (Detroit, Mich./Warren Mott) at 30:40 and Preston Corneillie (Richmond, Mich./Richmond) at 31:15. Corneillie, Fortier and Winters III joined Gilbertson and the Penberthy twins with PR efforts.
"We entered this historical and talented race to give our young team a big race feel," said third-year head coach Matt Fecht. "We had a solid day overall with plenty of ups and some downs, but ultimately this was a great learning experience for our team as we continue to prepare for the region and national championship races."
Women’s RESULTS:
Competing shorthanded down an All-American runner, the Macomb women's cross country team finished 19th in a field packed with NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II programs on Saturday (Sept. 28) in Rochester, N.Y. The 19th-place finish vaulted the Monarchs, the lone junior college scoring team in the field, ahead of three NCAA Division III programs.
Emma Dell (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview) led the way in a big way for the Monarchs, posting a PR by a full minute to check in 77th in the talented field with a 5K time of 20:13. Erin Rowan (Sterling Heights, Mich./Homeschool) was next at 21:14 while Lisaleen Ung (Macomb, Mich./Chippewa Valley) crossed the finish line at 23:35. Kelsey Ettel (Harrison Twp., Mich./Armada) finished closely behind Ung at 23:42 and Vanessa Sayers (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview) closed out the action as the fifth scoring runner with a time of 27:31. The trio Ettel, Rowan, and Ung joined Dell in setting PRs Saturday morning in New York.
"Proud of the effort of the team," remarked third-year head coach Matt Fecht following the race. "Pressure was applied to the team (running without our top runner) and we delivered today with four PRs and a solid performance overall. Plenty to work on but also a great amount to build off of following today's event."
The Monarchs return to the course on Oct. 12 in Wilmore, Ky., when they take part in the Justin Spoon Fiercely Faithful Meet at Asbury University.
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