Pioneer Closes Finals with D1 Sweep
November 4, 2017
Second Half reports
BROOKLYN — On top of the normal pressure of racing in the MHSAA Cross Country Finals, runners in the boys Division 1 meet Saturday had to wait through two weather delays before taking the course at Michigan International Speedway.
Every team and every runner had different ways of coping with the extra dose of stress.
What did Ann Arbor Pioneer do?
Sing.
“We just act like it never happened,” Pioneer junior Nick Foster said. “Our team stayed loose and tried to act like it was a normal race, a normal start. We actually did start singing Bob Marley’s ‘Don’t Worry About a Thing’ to stay loose. It’s fun. We knew this was a good opportunity for our team. We wanted to execute.”
The Pioneers brushed aside the one-hour, 10-minute delay and swept the team and individual championships in Division 1.
Pioneer edged Plymouth by a slim 107-110 margin, while Foster unleashed a fierce kick to win a three-man battle for the individual title.
Rockford senior Cole Johnson was leading with the finish line in sight, but Foster stormed from behind to take the lead with about 20 yards remaining. Foster crossed the line in 15:16.1, Johnson was second in 15:18.2 and White Lake Lakeland junior Harrison Grzymkowski was third in 15:18.4.
“I realized it was coming down to the end,” Foster said. “I saw he was fading, so I tried to catch him. There was also someone right behind me. I just gave it everything I had at the end, just to see what happened. Cole’s such a good runner. I didn’t think it was possible.”
It was the sixth team championship for Pioneer, which last won in 2008.
“That’s more important to me than winning individually,” Foster said. “I just know if I get first, that’s the best I can do for the team. We have such a strong team this season with a lot of seniors. I wanted to do it for them.”
After Foster, the Pioneers’ next four runners finished within 16.8 seconds of each other. Senior Aldo Pando-Girard was 20th among team runners in 15:59.1, junior John Florence was 25th in 16:11.5, senior Jack Wallace was 26th in 16:12.0 and senior Philip Valtadoros was 35th in 16:15.9.
By coming in second, Plymouth had the best finish in school history, eclipsing third-place finishes in Class B in 1944 and 1947. The Wildcats hadn’t finished in the top 10 since taking 10th in Class A in 1961.
Led by sophomore Carter Solomon’s fifth-place overall finish in 15:24.2 and with only one senior in the top six, Plymouth might improve upon that showing next year.
Defending champion Lakeland took third with 130 points.
PHOTOS: (Top) Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Nick Foster crosses the finish line at Saturday’s Division 1 Final. (Middle) Pioneer’s Aldo Pando-Girard (5) and New Baltimore Anchor Bay’s Michael Zedan (888) race through a stretch. (Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)
Marquette Boys Win 5th-Straight Finals, Jeffers & Dollar Bay Run Title Streaks to 3
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 21, 2023
FLAT ROCK — The Marquette boys continued their hold on the Upper Peninsula Division 1 cross country title here Saturday, scoring a meet-record 22 points.
Marquette, which placed seven among the top nine runners, was crowned champion for the fifth-straight time. Sault Ste. Marie was next with 64 points and Houghton was third at 74.
“We’re happy with the state record, and the girls tying the state record,” said senior Cullen Papin, who placed 10th, noting Marquette’s girls championship as well. “We had some guys really step up. This is a great day for Marquette. It’s great to see the hard work pay off. There was definitely special motivation with this being my last high school cross country meet. We went 4-for-4 during my high school career, which is special for me.”
Sault sophomore Gabe Litzner retained his individual title by covering the 3.1-mile course in 15 minutes, 56.6 seconds, becoming only the second runner to break 16 minutes in U.P. Finals history. Colton Yesney of Negaunee remains the U.P. recordholder at 15:49.8 from seven years ago.
“I went out a little hard, and the second mile went okay,” he said. “In the third mile, I really felt good. I just wanted to get a gap right away. It seemed like when I got an adrenaline rush, I didn’t feel it.
“We’ve come a long way from the beginning of the season. Eli (Hills) came out late, and it really helped the team. I’m very proud of our team today.”
Litzner was followed by Marquette juniors Seppi Camilli (16:29.1) and Evan Balko (16:33.5) and freshman Lucas Ballard (16:37.5), and Sault sophomore Shea Armstrong (16:41.8) on this cloudy, cool and breezy day at the Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast in Flat Rock.
Division 2
Painesdale Jeffers claimed its third straight Finals championship with 48 points, followed by Rudyard with 66 and Munising with 105.
“Overall, it was a great day,” Jeffers coach Sam Kilpela said. “Our fifth runner was up in the air. We’ve had two freshmen battling for that. We knew it wasn’t a given. Rudyard ran well today. The boys are excited for next year already.”
Jets sophomore Landan Larson earned his first title in 17:10.3. He was followed by Ishpeming freshman Kemper Gearhart (17:20.8), Jeffers sophomore Cameron Anderson (17:28.1), Munising junior Dan Goss (18:03.5) and Gogebic freshman Noah Verbos (18:12.4).
“I just wanted to go out hard and open a gap,” Larson said. “The first mile was real fast. Running with Kalvin (Kytta, of Chassell) helped me a lot.
“It’s a pretty special feeling to win this as a team for the third year in a row. Kemper did real well for a ninth-grader. He’s going to be good next year.”
Division 3
It was also a three-peat for Dollar Bay, which captured the D3 crown with 54 points, followed by Eben Junction Superior Central with 78 and Stephenson with 104.
“The Copper Mountain Conference did real well,” Dollar Bay coach Matt Zimmer said. “It’s a tough conference to run in, and we just kept getting better all year long.
“We did the work and told the kids the hay is in the barn. We also told them to ‘do what you can do.’ The parents made sure the kids ate right. Dollar Bay is just one big community.”
Chassell junior Kalvin Kytta won at 16:49.9, followed by Pickford seniors Hayden Hagen (17:18.8) and Quinn Socia (18:29.1), Dollar Bay junior Joshua Gaunt (18:32.6) and Engadine sophomore Duane Krenek (18:36.9).
“I’m happy with that,” Kytta said. “I pretty much knew I’d be running by myself and tried to make each mile a time trial. It’s pretty easy to get sidetracked when you’re running by yourself. This is pretty special. I feel very blessed.”
PHOTOS (Top) Sault Ste. Marie's Gabe Litzner (119) leads the pack at the start of the Division 1 U.P. Final at Farmhouse B & B in Gladstone on Saturday. (Middle) Jeffers' Landon Larson rounds a corner on his way to a win in Division 2. (Below) Chassell's Kalvin Kytta, right, runs with Pickford's Hayden Hagen during the Division 3 U.P. Final. Kytta won, and Hagen took second. (Photos by Jason Junio. Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)