Chassell Boys Back, Better Than Ever
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 18, 2014
HARVEY — Ronald Reagan was president when the Chassell boys were last crowned Upper Peninsula cross country champions.
The year was 1982 and the Panthers were competing in Class D at that time.
Chassell ended that drought Saturday by earning its first Division 3 title with 78 points. Stephenson edged Munising 84-85 for the runner-up trophy.
“This means a lot to us,” said Chassell coach Marco Guidotti. “Chassell cross country went away for a few years, but now it looks like it’s back stronger than ever.
“Everyone will be returning next year. We’re hoping to build this up and continue our success.”
Munising sophomore Grady Kerst won the 3.1-mile race at Gentz Homestead Golf Course in 17 minutes, 21 seconds. He was followed by Stephenson senior and defending champ Connor Cappaert (18:04), Munising junior Brett Hannah (18:14), Bessemer senior Zak Mazurek (18:25) and Wakefield-Marenisco junior Sam Dean (18:30).
“Grady ran an excellent race,” said Cappaert. “This is a great way to close out my career. I actually did better today than I thought I would. Our goal was to beat Munising, but then Chassell sneaked up on us. I’m actually pretty sad to see this end.
“Yet, it’s also a new beginning. It’s great to walk off with a trophy. We worked hard all year under great coaches, who are also great supporters.”
Eighth-grader Abraham Gockenbach was Chassell’s leader in sixth (18:39).
Division 1
Marquette retained its crown with 59 points for its 22nd title overall. The Redmen were followed by Escanaba with 69 points and Houghton with 95.
“Once we got our seven guys healthy, we knew we could contend,” said Marquette coach Dale Phillips. “The guys were determined to have success.
“Escanaba has a great team. They’re well coached and were good competition for us all year. Just look at their jayvee team and see how they bring up their numbers. They have kids pushing each other and that’s what’s important.”
Kingsford junior Nate Carey won his first U.P. title at 17:19, followed by Marquette junior Lance Rambo (17:25), Escanaba sophomore Joey Wolfe (17:28), Houghton senior David Jazsczak (17:44) and Escanaba senior Eric Cousineau (17:47).
“Doing the right amount of training and not racing since the GNC (Great Northern Conference) meet (on Oct. 9) were the keys,” said Carey. “My legs were fresh. There were five of us in a group at mile 2.”
The top three finishers were still together until the final 100 yards when Carey began to pull away on this blustery day.
“Until then it was anybody’s race,” said Carey. “The conditions were challenging, but it adds to the uniqueness of the sport. This is definitely a motivator. I think this will help my preparation for track (in the spring). This gives me more confidence.”
Menominee senior Gunther DeDamos, who placed seventh (17:56), had similar thoughts.
“This is true cross country,” he said. “Nothing defines it more than when you run in these conditions. I really enjoyed today’s race.”
Division 2
Ishpeming captured its first title in 13 years with 53 points, followed by Powers North Central with 67 and Ironwood with 68.
Ironwood senior Jared Joki completed a perfect season, retaining his crown in 16:45.
He was followed by North Central junior Bryce Holle (18:30), Ishpeming’s Kazmine Langness (19:12), Manistique freshman Phillip Hagenson (19:31) and Norway’s Justin Anderson (19:32).
“It was a cold one, but you get used to it,” said Joki, who wrapped up the Indianhead Conference title on Thursday. “I tried to establish a rhythm early and picked up the pace in the second half of the race.
“It was 60 degrees and sunny in Ironwood on Thursday. I wasn’t pushed that much and was able to win in 18:10. We were ready to go today. Overall, we all performed pretty well.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Chassell, in blue with yellow piping, won its first MHSAA title since 1980 in claiming the Division 3 title Saturday. (Middle) Marquette’s pack moved to the front again in Division 1, claiming the team’s 22nd championship. (Below) Ironwood’s Jared Joki capped his stellar career with a repeat championship in Division 2. (Photo courtesy of RunMichigan.com/Paul Gerard.)
Questions Answered for D1 Winner
November 2, 2013
By Bill Khan
Special to Second Half
BROOKLYN — It's been a year of "what-ifs" for Grand Blanc junior Grant Fisher.
What if the Bobcats' soccer team hadn't made the MHSAA Division 1 Final last season?
What if Fisher, a starting midfielder as a sophomore, hadn't chosen to play in the championship game instead of running in the MHSAA Cross Country Finals, which took place on the same day?
How would he have done against the best runners in the state?
"The soccer final didn't turn out the way we wanted," Fisher said. "We lost 1-0 to East Kentwood. There's always the thought that maybe I could've come here that day and not gone to the soccer game and maybe contended for state. I don't regret that decision, but it's definitely good to be back."
There will be no questions swirling in Fisher's head for the next year. He ran to the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 championship Saturday with a time of 15:13.7, beating Kensington Lakes Activities Association West rival and defending champion Brian Kettle of Milford by 18 seconds.
The soccer issue was settled when an unbeaten Grand Blanc team was upset 1-0 in the District Final by Clarkston on Oct. 19. Fisher had already determined that he would run in the cross country finals if the Bobcats reached the soccer final.
"We definitely had a good chance to make it in soccer," Fisher said. "We were ranked fourth going in. It was really too bad of a way to go out. It's allowed me to train for cross more and focus. It's definitely helped my cross country. I haven't won a state title in cross. That's something I really wanted to do."
Fisher already had an MHSAA championship on his resume, winning the 3,200-meter run in track and field last spring after taking second in the 1,600 by the narrowest of margins. In his only cross country final before Saturday, Fisher was 44th as a freshman in 16:14.3.
He had raced Kettle one other time this season, winning by 14.6 seconds in the KLAA Lakes Conference meet on Oct. 17. As was the case in that meet, Fisher and Kettle ran together through two miles before Fisher pulled away.
"I didn't want to leave it for too late, so I made my move at two miles," Fisher said. "Brian was with me for a good amount of time. He was right on my shoulder."
Fisher became the third Bobcat to win an MHSAA championship. Mark Mesler was the Class A team champion in 1977 and Chris Catton was the 2002 Division 1 winner.
Kettle didn't come away empty-handed, as he led Milford to a third straight team championship by placing in the top two for the third year in a row.
Milford edged KLAA Lakes rival Waterford Mott, 165-170, for the title. Mott had beaten Milford in both of the teams' meetings this year, winning 88-114 at the Oakland County Championships on Oct. 5 and 63-72 in the KLAA Lakes Conference meet on Oct. 17.
Milford put it together at the right time to win a fifth championship in the last 11 years.
The difference for the Mavericks was at the No. 4 spot, where senior Kevin Black had a 24-point advantage on Mott's No. 4 runner. Three positions were relatively even between the teams, while Mott had an 18-point advantage at No. 2.
Scoring for Milford were Kettle, senior Jeffery Field (28th in the team race, 16:24.0), junior Sean Noone (31st, 16:25.2), Black (34th, 16:26.6) and senior Clinton Caddell (70th, 16:48.5).
Mott had two runners in the top 10 in the team race, third-place Ryan Robinson (15:42.6) and 10th-place Sam Albaugh (15:55.5).
Traverse City Central also was in the title hunt, taking third with 180 points. The Trojans had three runners in the top 11 in the team race, but their No. 5 runner was 118th.
PHOTO: Grand Blanc's Grant Fisher (1023), Waterford Mott's Ryan Robinson (1175), Royal Oak's Ben Hill (1254) and Milford's Brian Kettle (1047) paced the field at Saturday's LP Division 1 Final. (Click to see more from RunMichigan.com.)