Preview: New Contenders Emerge
October 21, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Saturday’s Upper Peninsula Boys Cross Country Finals are guaranteed to crown three first-time individual champions, and one of last season’s team title-winners is expected to be replaced as well at Beauchamp Cross Country Course.
Two-time reigning Division 3 champion Chassell comes into this weekend tied for only the No. 2 ranking in its division, with Brimley and behind favorite Stephenson, which is seeking its first championship since winning Division 2 in 2012.
Races begin Saturday with the Division 1 boys at 11 a.m. and finish with the Division 3 girls at 2 p.m. Check back Saturday evening for coverage of all six Upper Peninsula Finals, and see below for more teams and individuals to watch. The MHSAA Cross Country Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.
DIVISION 1
Reigning champion: Negaunee
2015 runner-up: Sault Ste. Marie
2016 top three: 1. Negaunee, 2. Houghton, 3. Marquette.
Negaunee remains the favorite this weekend returning five of last season’s seven runners including four who finished among the top 14 – reigning runner-up and junior Colton Yesney, and seniors Ethan Wallner (seventh), Thomas Ziegler (ninth) and Mitchell La Belle (14th). Houghton is expected to move up from fourth last season also returning five of their seven runners – junior Seth Helman led the way coming in eighth individually a year ago. Marquette won in 2013 and 2014 but slipped to third last fall; the Redmen return only two from last fall’s line-up but won their fourth straight Great Northern Conference title on the strength of individual champion Luke Rambo, a junior, and junior runner-up Garrett Rudden.
Individuals: Total, nine of last season’s top 15 are back this weekend and looking to follow graduated Marquette champion Lance Rambo. In addition to those mentioned above, Calumet senior Mitchell Delong was 10th in 2015, and Sault Ste. Marie seniors Aaron Kinsella (12th), Andrew Farlow (13th) and Ryan Sanderson (15th) helped their team to a runner-up finish.
DIVISION 2
Reigning champion: Ishpeming
2015 runner-up: Gogebic
2016 top three: 1. Ishpeming, 2. Munising, 3. Newberry.
The Hematites return three from a lineup that placed all seven runners last season among the top 15 in Division 2. Sophomore Spencer Giroux came in second, seven seconds back, and was followed by now-junior Kyle Pruett (seventh) and Kadin Fox (13th). Munising was fourth in Division 3 last season and graduated that race’s individual champion, Brett Hannah, but brings back its next three finishers led by junior T.J. Wing (10th in Division 3 in 2015). Newberry also ran in Division 3 a year ago, finishing sixth, but brings back four of its seven from that race including sixth-place now-senior Kindred Griffis.
Individuals: This could be the day’s best individual race, with Giroux working to fend off Ironwood sophomore Nick Niemi, who came in third last year, and four more non-teammates who are back from the top 15. Gogebic sophomores Cade Mazzon and Devon Byers were 12th and 15th last season, respectively, while Powers North Central junior Connor Robinson and senior Seth Polfus came in ninth and 13th.
DIVISION 3
Reigning champion: Chassell
2015 runner-up: Dollar Bay
2016 top three: 1. Stephenson, T-2. Brimley, T-2. Chassell.
Chassell has won the last two Division 3 titles but could be chasing Stephenson, which finished fifth in 2015 but has back five of last season’s six runners including junior Ethan Brown (eighth) and senior Mark Cappaert (11th). Chassell does bring back five of last season’s top seven, however, led by senior Hunter Rautiola (fifth) and sophomore Ben Tuomi (seventh). Brimley didn’t run at the Final as a team last season but returns one of four individuals who raced.
Individuals: The individual title could be wide open with the top three from last season not in this race. The highest returning placer is Dollar Bay sophomore Brendan LeClaire, who came in fourth – and only five total of the top 15 are back.
PHOTO: Runners take off during the start of the 2014 Upper Peninsula Division 3 Final.
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.)