Plenty Propels Chassell Championship Chase
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
November 1, 2018
CHASSELL — Small school. Big tradition.
That’s pretty much the way it is at Chassell High School, which captured both the girls and boys Upper Peninsula Division 3 cross country championships Oct 20 at Munising.
Both teams won for the fourth time in five years, with the girls retaining their title and the boys edging 2017 champ Brimley by seven points (47-54)
“These folks brought it against some strong competition,” said sixth-year coach Marco Guidotti. “This team is grateful to race against such strong competition from all over the U.P. They’re grateful for family, friends and teammates that support them through it all. It’s nothing short of a privilege to have the opportunity to coach athletes of such character with steady support systems around each and every one.”
Guidotti and four seniors had a chance to reflect on this season and the program’s success Tuesday afternoon.
“It felt great for all of us, especially us seniors,” said Abraham Gockenbach. “We lost to Gogebic and Houghton this year, but we didn’t get crushed. We knew if we could compete with them, we’d be in the race (at Munising). Getting the championship trophy after a season of hard work was rewarding.”
Kurtis Kytta said competing with D-1 runner-up Houghton and D-2 runner-up Gogebic (Wakefield-Marenisco/Bessemer) helped prepare the Panthers for the Finals.
“The Finals kind of leveled the playing field because we were able to compete with schools our size,” he added. “Our (Copper Mountain) conference has been real hard the past couple years, and it pushed us to work harder. When we first started (in 2014), we never thought this would happen. We knew we had to keep working hard.”
Lela Rautiola remembers taking top individual honors as a sophomore two years ago. Cedarville, however, was crowned team D-3 champion.
“We were real close to Cedarville,” she said. “I walked away from that with mixed feelings. I was happy that I won, but disappointed the team didn’t win. I think that motivated the whole team.
“It feels pretty awesome to win it. This year we lost to Hancock in the first meet (Jeffers Invitational at Atlantic Mine on Aug. 28). It was a little disappointing at first, but it made us want to work a little harder. Then, we were runner-up to Marquette at Presque Isle (Park) in the next meet (in Marquette), which pumped us up a little.”
Jenna Pietila fondly recalled the Panthers winning the Houghton Invitational on Oct. 4.
“That was our last meet with Houghton and Hancock this year, and it kind of set the tone,” she said. “Knowing we could compete with them gave us a good feeling going into the conference meet and Finals.
“I remember when I was in eighth grade, we had no idea what to expect in the Finals (at Marquette) and we won it. It was total excitement. We weren’t expecting that to happen. We didn’t know what we were in for coming in.”
Competition had been tight among Chassell, Houghton and Hancock all of this season.
"We’re really grateful to be in position to compete that well against bigger schools,” said Guidotti. “We have an area with great coaches who show a lot of devotion to their programs. We started with a handful of guys and two girls. Now, it stretches down from the senior class through sixth grade. Being good teammates and leaders are things we put a pretty big premium on. It’s all for one and one for all.”
Guidotti also is grateful for the support the team has received.
“The support we’ve had is remarkable, and I think it’s undoubtedly linked to the team’s desire to keep proving that hard work pays off,” he said. “Every fall, my wife Sarah picks up the slack to keep our family running smooth at home, all while teaching and remaining such a positive influence on these athletes and the rest of the incredible Chassell family. It’s the only way I can devote the time I do to the team.
“Runners’ families open their homes and host team dinners to help them bond and eat well before races, and our local VFW opened its doors for a tremendous meal toward the end of the season.”
The Panthers also were treated to a meal the evening before the Finals.
“We went to Mr. Guidotti’s in-laws in Marquette and had spaghetti, bread and fruit,” said Pietila. “Then, we stayed overnight in Munising and did a lot of team bonding. It’s fun to be together as a team. The bus rides got pretty interesting, and we tried to have fun at practice. The whole season was fun.”
The Panthers then received a hero’s welcome upon their return from the Finals.
“Parents and fans organized the most wonderful welcome-home celebrations for the team with firefighters giving their time to lead us back to the school from the (Houghton-Baraga) county line,” said Guidotti. “Our community has expressed unwavering support to let us know they have our back. Chassell is a small town, but it sure feels big with the school and community support we’ve experienced.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Chassell's Lela Rautiola (263) leads the pack on its first pass by the crowd at the U.P. Division 3 Final at Pictured Rocks Golf Course in Munising last month. (Middle) The Chassell boys and girls teams hold up their newest championship trophies. (Below) Chassell's Ben Tuomi (486) edges Ishpeming's Jordan Longtine (931) at the Tracy Strom Memorial Invitational held in Ishpeming earlier this fall. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)
Preview: Hart, East Grand Rapids Set to Challenge Records for All-Time Success
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 3, 2022
Saturday’s MHSAA Lower Peninsula Girls Cross Country Finals at Michigan International Speedway will give hundreds of athletes a chance to build on what they’ve accomplished this fall – and allow some of the state’s top programs an opportunity to build on their impressive histories in the sport.
Start with Hart, which has won five straight LP Division 3 championships and can become the first Lower Peninsula team to reach six straight with another title this weekend.
Meanwhile East Grand Rapids, the top-ranked team in LP Division 2, can tie Jackson Lumen Christi’s record of nine Lower Peninsula Finals titles.
Contenders Ann Arbor Pioneer and Grand Rapids Christian are tied for third on that all-time Lower Peninsula championship list with six apiece, followed by Hart with its five. Pioneer has won three in a row, and with a fourth straight would tie for the sixth-longest championship streak in either peninsula.
See below for more on several team and individual contenders Saturday. The "season bests" list referred to frequently is a ranking list of every runner's best time this season, maintained by Athletic.net. The first race begins at 9:30 a.m.; click here for the full schedule and ticket information. Additionally, all eight races Saturday at MIS will be streamed live and viewable with subscription on MHSAA.tv.
Division 1
Reigning champion: Ann Arbor Pioneer
2021 runner-up: Holland West Ottawa
2022 top-ranked: 1. Saline, 2. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 3. Holland West Ottawa
Pioneer has won three-straight Division 1 championships, last year ahead of West Ottawa 68-100, with Saline running fifth. But as the Pioneers seek a fourth-consecutive win, the competition could be as tough as ever. The Hornets sit in the top spot, seeking their first Finals championship since 2009, after winning last week’s Regional at Milan ahead of Pioneer 33-42. Pioneer did win the Portage Invitational on Oct. 8 with West Ottawa a close second and Saline third, and West Ottawa was the top Michigan placer (second) at the Spartan Invitational Elite race back on Sept. 16. West Ottawa is paced by the two fastest runners in the state this fall – sophomore Helen Sachs (season best 17:01.6) and senior Arianne Olson (17:11.3), who finished fifth and third, respectively, at last year’s Final. Reigning champion and now-junior Rachel Forsyth (season best 18:11.6) returns for Pioneer and is teaming with senior Emily Cooper (17:49.8), who has won three straight races including their league and Regional championship runs. Senior Mia Rogan (18:12.3) paces Saline and was the Regional runner-up last weekend at Milan. All five runners rank among the top 22 on the statewide season best list.
Individuals: Including Forsyth, Olson and Sachs, five of last season’s top seven Finals finishers will return this weekend. Rochester sophomore Lucy Cook is back after running sixth, and Macomb Dakota junior Jayden Harberts returns after running seventh, and both have season-best times among the top 18 statewide. Sachs, Cooper, Cook and Harberts won Regional titles last week, joined by Midland Dow sophomore Victoria Garces, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central junior Clara James-Heer, Ann Arbor Skyline senior Natalie Kessler, Northville junior Ella Christensen and Farmington sophomore Molly Baracco.
Division 2
Reigning champion: East Grand Rapids
2021 runner-up: Grand Rapids Christian
2022 top-ranked: 1. East Grand Rapids, 2. Otsego, 3. Grand Rapids Christian
East Grand Rapids has been a regular at the front of this pack the last two decades and is the reigning champion after also recently earning titles in 2018 and 2019 and the runner-up spot in 2020. Five of last season’s Finals runners are back and six Pioneers finished among the top 16 at their Regional last week at Grand Rapids South Christian, paced by junior champion Drew Muller. She was fifth at last season’s Final, while sophomore Sadey Seyferth was 12th and junior Sophia Lado finished 15th. Muller ranks fifth on the statewide season best list with a 17:25.3. Otsego is only a few years removed from back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016 and finished fifth last season with four underclassmen among its top five runners. Three of those four are back this weekend led by junior Megan Germain. Grand Rapids Christian is another team always in the mix, with another runner-up finish coming in 2017 and its most recent championships in 2013 and 2014. Last season’s individual champion Madelyn Frens was a senior, but the next five Eagles runners from 2021 will return this weekend, with junior Natalie VanOtteren coming off a fourth-place Finals finish a year ago and ranking seventh on the season best statewide list this fall with a 17:37.4.
Individuals: Including the three East Grand Rapids returnees and Christian’s VanOtteren, nine of last season’s top 15 finishers will race again this weekend hoping to follow Frens as the individual champion. Mason junior Meghan Ford finished second at the Final as a freshman and third last year, and Frankenmuth junior Mary Richmond was fourth as a freshman and second last season. Richmond has the third-fastest season best time in Division 2 (and 23rd statewide) of 18:12.6. Also returning from last year’s top 15 are Grand Rapids West Michigan Aviation Academy junior Emma DeVries (10th), Zeeland East junior Allison Kuzma (11th) and Marshall junior Camille Decola (14th).
Division 3
Reigning champion: Hart
2021 runner-up: Kent City
2022 top-ranked: 1. Traverse City St. Francis, 2. Pewamo-Westphalia, 3. Hart
Hart’s championship record pursuit will be led by one of the state’s fastest runners in sophomore Jessica Jazwinski, whose 17:15.1 is the third-fastest season best time statewide this fall. Junior teammate Alyson Ens is not far behind with a 17:49.9 that is tied for 11th-fastest season best time. Ens was runner-up and Jazwinski third at last year’s Final, and three more of their top six runners from that meet also will be back this weekend. But the challenge will be mighty. St. Francis finished third last year without a senior, and six of those seven runners – including the top five – are back led by sophomore Betsy Skendzel, who placed eighth in 2021 and has the 16th-fastest season best time statewide of 18:07.5. P-W finished 10th last season and returns its top six runners from that team. Lansing Catholic was fourth last season with only one senior and brings four runners back including its top three, with senior Hannah Pricco seventh last season, junior Tessa Roe 17th and senior CC Jones 18th. Jones and Pricco’s season-best times this fall rank among the top 27 statewide.
Individuals: Division 3 graduated an impressive class after last season, including three Finals champions. But eight of last season’s top 15 will return this weekend. Joining Enns and Jazwinski, Pricco and Skendzel will be Benzie Central junior Mylie Kelly (sixth in 2021), Ypsilanti Arbor Prep sophomore Eliza Bush (ninth), Jackson Lumen Christi junior Madison Osterberg (12th) and Kent City sophomore Lila Volkers (14th). A newcomer will challenge them as well; Onsted freshman Emmry Ross is undefeated this season, and her top time of 17:47.6 ranks second in Division 3 only to Jazwinski’s season best and ninth on the statewide list. Skendzel, Jazwinski, Volkers, Ross, Pricco and Bush won Regional titles last weekend, as did Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett sophomore Kerith Short, Reese senior Ellymae McCoy and Lawton junior Kendra Koster. Muskegon Western Michigan Christian sophomore Grace VanderKooi and Kalamazoo Christian sophomore Alaina Klooster were placers in Division 4 last season, crossing the line eighth and 15th, respectively, in that race.
Division 4
Reigning champion: Muskegon Western Michigan Christian
2021 runner-up: Kalamazoo Christian
2022 top-ranked: 1. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 2. Whitmore Lake, 3. Harbor Springs
Western Michigan Christian became the third-straight first-time Finals champion in Division 4 last fall, and Johannesburg-Lewiston would run that streak to four if it matches its ranking. The Cardinals finished sixth a year ago with only one senior and bring back their top five runners from that meet, including senior Adelaida Gascho, who finished fourth individually last fall. Johannesburg-Lewiston finished second at last weekend’s East Jordan Regional to Harbor Springs, but sophomore Allie Novak and freshman Yolanda Gascho were the top two individual placers. Whitmore Lake is seeking its first team title since 1996 and bringing back four of its top six runners from last year’s ninth-place team – including 13th-place now-junior Natalie Meadows – plus standout freshman Carina Burchi, whose 17:42.5 is the second-fastest time on the Division 4 season best list. Harbor Springs was 12th in Division 3 a year ago and brings three of its runners back this weekend, and placed four among the top seven individuals in that Regional win over Johannesburg-Lewiston. Harbor Springs is seeking its first Finals team title since 2009.
Individuals: Four-time Finals champion Abby VanderKooi graduated this spring, but Buckley junior Aiden Harrand is another big star from a small school. She was fifth as a freshman and runner-up last season, and her season-best time of 18:11 ranks 20th on the statewide list. She’s one of 10 runners back from last season’s Division 4 top 15 (not including the two who are running in Division 3 this weekend). Joining Harrand, Gascho and Meadows are Huron Valley Lutheran senior Erika Van Loton (fifth in 2021), Mendon sophomore Presley Allen (sixth), Auburn Hills Oakland Christian sophomore Eliza Keith (ninth), Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest senior Mackenzie Lemke (10th), Allen Park Cabrini junior Ava Teed (11th), Pittsford sophomore Ava Mallar (12th) and Wyoming Potter’s House Christian junior Ivy Andreas (14th). Joining Nowak among Regional champs were Harrand, Allen, Burchi and Teed, as well as Genesee junior Isabella Yeoman, Adrian Lenawee Christian sophomore Izzy Brooks, Hudsonville Libertas Christian freshman Sadie Schout and Beal City senior Kaylee Locke.
PHOTO Hart's Alyson Enns (255) and Jessica Jazwinski kick toward the finish of last season's Lower Peninsula Division 3 Final at Michigan International Speedway. (Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)