Negaunee Tops D1; D2-3 Champs Repeat
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 25, 2015
FLAT ROCK — Thirty-two years had passed since a Negaunee boys cross country team was last crowned Upper Peninsula champion.
The Miners, who were competing in Class C in 1983, changed that Saturday by earning their first Division 1 title in convincing fashion with 43 points.
Negaunee, which finished the season undefeated, was followed by Sault Ste. Marie at 85, Marquette at 93, Houghton at 110 and Escanaba with 115 points.
“Our guys really wanted it,” said Negaunee coach Lisa Bigalk. “They went out and attacked. This was such an incredible season. The guys didn’t have an off day all year. This is a real close team. They stayed together and helped each other through. Hopefully, this will help us attract more guys into our program. This should motivate them for next season.”
Marquette senior Lance Rambo won the individual title for the second time in three years, covering the 3.1-mile course in 16 minutes, 11 seconds at Beauchamp’s Grove in rural Delta County.
He was followed by Negaunee sophomore Colton Yesney in a personal-best 16:32.5 and Escanaba junior Joey Wolfe (16:49.4)
“I probably could have gone a little faster, but I just wanted to absorb everything in the last half-mile,” said Rambo. “Colton ran a great race. He was so happy to get second and Logan (Zueger) really stepped up for us. … Our team didn’t have its best race, but I love this course. I really appreciate Gladstone putting on this meet.”
Kingsford senior Nate Carey, who came in as defending champ, took fourth this time (16:52). He was followed by Calumet’s Mitch Delong (16:52.3), Zueger (17:06) and Negaunee’s Ethan Wallner (17:09).
“I’ve had a great four years and a great season overall,” said Carey. “Lance is the best runner in the U.P. right now. The top five runners were tough.
“I was running today for Mia Dalner (Iron Mountain seventh-grader) who had medical issues and passed away last week.”
Division 2
Ishpeming, placing five runners among the top eight, retained its title with 28 points. Gogebic edged Powers North Central 61-62 for the runner-up trophy. Fourth-place Ironwood had 81, followed by Hancock with 133.
Gogebic senior Sam Dean earned his first individual title in 17:14.8, followed by Ishpeming freshman Spencer Giroux (17:22.5), Ironwood freshman Nick Niemi (17:30.4), North Central senior Bryce Holle (17:58.3) and Ishpeming’s Derek Mahoski (18:11.9).
“I wanted to go out with the fast group to see what that was going to be like today,” said Dean. “You just have to go out hard and hang on. In the last mile, the wind picked up and the rain came down hard, which made it a challenge. I just needed to be strong and go for the win. It feels good to win this race and for our team to take runner-up. Most of the race was good, but the course was muddy in different spots and it got chewed up a little.”
Niemi had similar thoughts.
“Getting a fast start was a key,” he said. “You have to get out fast and settle into a pace. The temperature (in the mid 50s) was real nice, but it started to get windy and the rain was coming right at you. My goal was to get into the top five, and I ended up with a personal-best time.”
Ishpeming junior Daren Giuchin, who helped the Hematites beat Gwinn in football Friday night, became the first gridder to place in the Division 2 Final.
“It’s crazy and tiring,” said Guichin, who took sixth in 18:17.3. “I didn’t think I’d be able to do it because I’m a little banged up from last night, but I came through.”
Division 3
Chassell became a repeat winner with 51 points, followed by Dollar Bay with 69, Cedarville 96, Munising 134 and Stephenson 141.
Munising senior Brett Hannah retained his title (16:52.3) after also winning as a freshman in 2012 and senior Michael Brown recorded the highest finish ever for a Marquette North Star Academy runner by taking second in a personal-best 17:48.5.
Chassell’s Abraham Gockenbach was third (17:54.5), followed by Dollar Bay’s Brendan LeClaire (18:10) and Jacob Iacono (18:10.7).
“Our boys and girls winning for the second straight year is absolutely great for our program,” said Chassell coach Marco Guidotti. “The kids ran for each other. We’ve been back and forth with Dollar Bay all year, our girls especially. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but the kids worked together and made it happen for themselves.”
The MHSAA Cross Country Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.
PHOTOS: (Top) Munising's Brett Hannah breaks away from the Division 3 pack to claim his second individual title in four seasons. (Middle) From left, Escanaba's Joey Wolfe, Negaunee's Colton Yesney and Marquette's Lance Rambo were the top finishers in Division 1. (Below) Gogebic's Sam Dean rounds a bend on the way to winning the Division 2 title. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)
Sumner Sets Pace in Breckenridge Sweep
November 2, 2019
Second Half reports
BROOKLYN – Getting beat by Coleman Clark occasionally last year only made Mason Sumner a stronger runner.
Sumner, a sophomore at Breckenridge, competes regularly against Clark, a junior from Carson City-Crystal, because both schools are in the Mid-State Activities Conference.
They took their individual rivalry to the biggest stage in the state Saturday, dueling for the championship in the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 Final at Michigan International Speedway.
Sumner got the best of Clark this time, winning in 16:07.5. Clark was second in 16:16.8. A year ago, Clark took fifth in 16:22.7, just ahead of Sumner, who was sixth in 16:23.0.
“It’s nice to have that competition there,” Sumner said. “Last year, it was definitely back and forth a lot. He had the edge last year in wins. I built up my experience in racing and was able to win more this year. It’s nice to have that in earlier races and every race in the season, because then you’re used to it by state. You don’t get nervous and stuff.”
Clark, who was the conference champion as a freshman, welcomes the challenge from Sumner.
“It’s really nice having that competition at every meet,” Clark said. “When I was a freshman, he was in eighth grade, so my conference meets were really easy. I didn’t have competition. When he came up last year, I’ve had a lot of competition in conference meets. It pushes me to be better.”
Sumner and Clark sat back while Carlos Gascho of Johannesburg-Lewiston set the early pace. They pulled ahead at the two-mile mark, then Sumner made his move a half mile later.
“It went how I wanted it to go,” Sumner said. “I wanted to just sit there and kick. It was going to come down to who could kick at the end.”
Sumner led Breckenridge to its first MHSAA championship since the Huskies won Class C in 1976.
Breckenridge scored 72 points, while runner-up Unionville-Sebewaing had 131.
Colttion Vine was 10th among team runners in 16:56.9, Trent Carter 14th in 17:07.2, Ashton Gillis 19th in 17:15.4 and Colton Chovanec 28th in 17:33.8 for the Huskies.
PHOTOS: (Top) Breckenridge’s Mason Sumner (585) begins his move ahead of Carson City-Crystal’s Coleman Clark, Johannesburg-Lewiston’s Carlos Gascho and Webberville’s Nathan Lott. (Middle) Colttion Vine keeps pace as Breckenridge’s second runner to earn a top-10 finish. (Photos by Dave McCauley/RunMichigan.com.)