Preview: Champs Collide In D3 Final
October 18, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A shuffling among the Upper Peninsula’s smallest-school powers has set up an intriguing matchup at Saturday’s MHSAA Cross Country Finals at Gentz Homestead Golf Course in Munising.
The move of reigning Division 2 champion Stephenson into Division 3 not only pits the Eagles against still-loaded reigning D3 champion Munising, but means the reigning individual champions from those two divisions also will chase each other.
Here's a look at those matchups plus more stories behind all of the favorites. Click for Saturday's race schedule and links to all qualifiers.
DIVISION 1
Reigning champion: Sault Ste. Marie
2012 runner-up: Escanaba
2013 top three: 1. Marquette, 2. Houghton, 3. Escanaba.
Marquette has been locked out of the top two spots the last two seasons after winning Division 1 from 2008-10. But the top-ranked team is anchored by one of the top returning placers from 2012 in sophomore Lance Rambo, who will look to build on his fourth-place finish. He was 19 seconds behind third-place finisher and Houghton junior Jacob Colling, who was only nine off the lead and might be the favorite this time. Escanaba returns three from last season’s top 21 and should make a push.
Individuals: Four more top-10 placers also are back, led by Menominee senior Davey Luplow, who finished fifth. Calumet senior Devin Berg finished seventh, Kingsford sophomore Nate Carey was eighth in his first season, and Negaunee senior Keenan Gantz will look to finish his career by building on last season’s ninth-place finish.
DIVISION 2
Reigning champion: Stephenson
2012 runner-up: Norway
2013 top three: 1. Hancock, 2. Ishpeming, 3. Ironwood.
Stephenson has won the last three Division 2 Finals, but is running in Division 3. The door appears most open for third-ranked Ironwood, which returns junior Jared Joki, the reigning individual runner-up, and last season’s 10th-place finisher Coli Clausen, also a junior. The only other top-10 placer returning to this race is Hancock senior Jacob Jarvis, ninth in 2012, and he’s joined by 11th-place Hayden Heikkinen, also a senior. Ishpeming finished only seventh last season, but could make a jump led by sophomore Derek Mahoski, who finished 36th as a freshman.
Individuals: Two others from last season’s top 15 should make a big move up the chart. Manistique junior Ryan Ramey is coming off an 11th-place finish and was a mere 11 seconds from ninth. Norway junior Justin Anderson was just behind Ramey in 12th.
DIVISION 3
Reigning champion: Munising
2012 runner-up: Cedarville
2013 top three: 1. Powers North Central, 2. Eben Junction Superior Central, 3. Stephenson.
Munising curiously is ranked only fifth despite winning the last two Division 3 titles and returning last season’s individual champion in sophomore Brett Hannah (17:55.0), third-place finisher in junior Izaak Mahoski and 10th-place finisher senior Sam MacArthur. Stephenson certainly is intriguing as well with reigning Division 2 individual champion Connor Cappaert (17:25.7), just a junior, looking to add another few titles. Dollar Bay does bring back a top-20 finisher in senior Cameron Ringler plus 21st-place senior Tom Autio. Superior Central sophomore Jesse Elsenbroek finished 24th last season as an individual qualifier and leads the second-ranked team.
Individuals: Five more of last season’s top 10 also will run this weekend. Fourth-ranked Pickford features seniors Jacob Anderzjak and Alec Firak, who finished seventh and ninth, respectively. Bessemer junior Zack Mazurek should push the favorites after finishing fourth as a sophomore, while Carney-Nadeau senior Dionte Blahnik (sixth) and Cedarville junior Teddy Bowlby (eighth) also are good bets to be in the hunt.
PHOTO: Houghton’s Jacob Colling (57) is the top returning placer from last season’s UP Division 1 Final, where he placed third in 16:59.3. (Photo courtesy of RunMichigan.com/Paul Gerard.)
Benzie's Jones Continues Legendary Chase, St. Louis Extends Reign
November 6, 2021
BROOKLYN — Hunter Jones isn’t running against his peers on the current MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 cross country scene, because he’s actually without peer at that level.
The Benzie Central junior is actually in pursuit of a legend from the past.
Jones is one victory away from becoming the first boy to win four outright MHSAA individual championships after another dominant performance Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.
Jones crossed the line in 15:08.39, the third-fastest time in Division 3 history.
Only Ovid-Elsie’s Maverick Darling (14:52.8, 2007) and Erie Mason’s Nick Raymond (15:05.1, 2012) have run faster in Division 3.
The only boys to win four races at an MHSAA final meet is the late Ryan Shay of Central Lake. Shay won his races every year from 1993-96, but his time in the 1993 individual race wasn’t the fastest in Class D that day back when there were separate races for individual and team qualifiers.
Jones has beaten all comers in Division 3 for three years in a row.
“Ryan Shay is a big inspiration for me,” Jones said. “I look up to him very much. He was the only guy who won four times in a row. That’s my goal, to be like Ryan Shay. He was an NCAA champion; I want to get to that level.
“We’re about an hour-and-a-half from (Central Lake). I met their family. It’s really cool.”
The only runners to beat Jones this year were Division 1 stars Riley Hough of Hartland and Peter Baracco of Farmington, as well as Connor Ackley of Hilliard Davidson in Ohio. All three finished ahead of Jones in the Spartan Elite race at the Spartan Invitational, while Hough also won a showdown with Jones in the Pete Moss Invitational on Benzie’s home course.
“I raced Riley a couple times,” Jones said. “I was pretty disappointed with how I did. It is what it is. I’ve just got to concentrate on my own race and try to get faster; that’s all I can do.”
As Jones crossed the line, runner-up Noah Morrow of Manton was just coming into view down the long home stretch at MIS. Morrow finished in 15:49.09.
Morrow was also second at Regionals to Jones, who ran 14:44.4 that day.
St. Louis repeated as the Division 3 team champion, scoring 104 points to outscore runner-up Hart by 42.
Senior Nate March was eighth in 16:17.70, sophomore Ben March was ninth in 16:19.23, senior Aaron Bowerman was 24th in 16:40.99, junior Dylan Marr was 43rd in 17:13.15 and freshman Landon Pestrue was 63rd in 17:21.89 for St. Louis.
PHOTOS (Top) Benzie Central’s Hunter Jones cruises through the final stretch of Saturday’s Lower Peninsula Division 3 Final. (Middle) St. Louis’ Aaron Bowerman (1113) leads a pack toward the finish. (Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)