Runners-up Become Champions in D4
November 7, 2015
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
BROOKLYN — Zachary Pettinga of Saugatuck lost the race, but didn't lose his sense of humor.
Explaining the decisive move made by Evart's Santana Scott, Pettinga said, "The top of his head blinded me. I lost my footing and everything."
Scott was rocking a look that made him look more like a senior citizen than a high school senior, with the top of his head shaved completely while keeping the hair on the sides and back.
The things high school kids will do in the name of team bonding.
"It's a team thing," Scott said. "We do it every year. I was a senior, so I got to decide, me and a couple other seniors. We thought this would look cool."
Despite the crazy look, Scott was all business when the gun went off.
He separated himself from Pettinga in the second mile to win in 16:05.7 in the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 championship race Saturday at Michigan International Speedway. Pettinga's second-place finish in 16:22.2 led Saugatuck to the team championship by a 51-92 margin over Bear Lake/Onekama. Harbor Springs was third with 179 points.
Scott became only the second MHSAA cross country champion for Evart, the first coming in 1952 when Gaylord Denslow was the Class C-D champion with a two-mile time of 11:02.1. Scott has talked with Denslow, who still lives in Evart.
"He's pretty cool," Scott said. "He gives me lots of running advice. He says just be one with your team and run for your team, not for yourself. That made a big impact this year."
Scott moved up the ranks each year at the MHSAA Finals, placing 36th (16:54.1) in 2012, 20th (17:02.2) in 2013 and second (15:54.7) last year. He was ecstatic with his second-place finish last season, realizing that nobody was going to catch three-time champion Jesse Hersha of Concord.
"Last year I just ran my heart out," Scott said. "Today it was to win. I didn't get the time I wanted, but races happen. I think it's actually windier than last year."
Saugatuck will probably be favored to repeat after winning Division 4 for the second time in three years. The Indians had five juniors, a sophomore and a freshman in a lineup that put five runners in the top 15. Pettinga and fellow juniors Nick Butch and Orlando Carrion were on Saugatuck's 2013 championship team and 2014 runner-up squad.
The addition of freshman Corey Gorgas helped put Saugatuck back on top. He was the Indians' No. 2 runner, placing 11th in 16:41.4. The rest of Saugatuck's pack included Butch (13th, 16:46.1), Carrion (14th, 16:49.7) and sophomore Keegan Seifert (15th, 16:51.8).
Bear Lake/Onekama had three runners across before Saugatuck, but didn't have the Indians' strength at the No. 4 and No. 5 spots. Bear Lake/Onekama has been creeping closer to the top, placing ninth in 2012, fourth in 2013, third in 2014 and second in 2015.
The MHSAA Cross Country Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.
PHOTOS: (Top) Saugatuck’s Orlando Carrion (919) pushes toward the finish with teammate Keegan Seifert following close behind; they finished 14th and 15th for the team champion. (Middle) Evart’s Santana Scott improved from runner-up in 2014 to claim the individual title. (Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)
Preview: Historic Finish Guaranteed
October 18, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Only 16 runners in MHSAA boys cross country history have won three Finals championships. Only one – Central Lake’s Ryan Shay from 1993-96 – finished first four times during his high school career.
Brimley’s Austin Plotkin is part of that three-timers group. By the end of this weekend, he could join Shay is much smaller company.
Upper Peninsula Cross Country Finals races begin Saturday at Gentz’s Golf Course in Marquette with the Division 1 girls at 11 a.m. and finish with the Division 3 boys at 1:30 p.m. Check back Saturday evening for coverage, and see below for more teams and individuals to watch. (Click for race information and competitors.)
Division 1
Reigning champion: Sault Ste. Marie
2018 runner-up: Houghton
Top-ranked: 1. Marquette, 2. Sault Ste. Marie, 3. Houghton.
The Division 1 race has seen plenty of variety lately with four schools winning at least one championship over the last five seasons. The rankings would indicate Marquette as the favorite to jump up from fourth last season and win its first Finals title since 2014. Four of the team’s seven runners from last year are back and all four finished among the top 30 overall, led by now-seniors Hogan Nemetz (13th) and Moses Waide (16th). But Sault Ste. Marie will be right there again with four of the top 14 finishers back – senior Kaaleb Ranta (fourth), junior Jaron Wyma (sixth), senior Zachary Wilcox (eighth) and sophomore Riley Eavou (14th). And reigning individual runner-up Joe Wood is back for his final high school race to lead the reigning team runner-up Houghton, which also has juniors Branden Peterson (11th) and Jake Sullivan (20th) back among others.
Individuals: Gladstone graduated champion Adam Bruce and third-place Jake Strasler. But sophomore Giovanni Mathews could lead the way after finishing fifth a year ago. Total, six of last year’s top 10 are back for this weekend, and Menominee junior Hunter Shepeck is another likely contender after coming in 12th in 2018.
Division 2
Reigning champion: Ishpeming
2018 runner-up: Wakefield-Marenisco/Bessemer
Top-ranked: 1. Ishpeming, 2. Ironwood, 3. Wakefield-Marenisco/Bessemer.
Ishpeming is running for its second straight championship and fifth in six seasons – and finished runner-up in 2017 when Wakefield-Marenisco/Bessemer won the title. W-M/B was runner-up for the other three of the last four championships. Last year’s matchup between the two was decided by 15 points, and Ishpeming returns four top-13 finishers: senior Jonah Broberg (fourth), junior Jordan Longtine (fifth), junior Joseph King (12th) and junior Silas Broberg (13th). Ironwood is expected to maneuver into the second spot this time and brings back junior Blaze Hollenbeck (ninth) and senior David Collins (16th).
Individuals: Senior Adam Mazurek leads the way for Wakefield-Marenisco/Bessemer coming off a seventh place last season. Manistique senior Alex Misniakiewicz also is back after coming in sixth. Total five of the top 10 from last year will return, a number made smaller with Newberry running in Division 3 this fall.
Division 3
Reigning champion: Chassell
2018 runner-up: Brimley
Top-ranked: 1. Chassell, Rock Mid Peninsula, 3. Brimley.
Similar to Ishpeming in Division 2, Chassell also is running for its second straight title and fifth in six seasons, and finished runner-up in 2017 when Brimley came in first. Chassell edged the Bays by 13 points last year and brings back sophomore Daba Holmes (eighth) and junior Kolson Kytta (12th) from a group of five top-13 finishers. Brimley should make a run at the title based on its star power at the top – Plotkin again is the reigning individual champion and junior Cameron Hoornstra finished third last season.
Individuals: Division 3 definitely features the strongest individual race, at least on paper. Cedarville senior Thomas Bohn finished second to Plotkin the last two seasons. Total seven of last year’s top 10 are back, including also Dollar Bay junior Davin Hill (fifth), Rudyard junior Hayden Mills (sixth) and Ewen-Trout Creek sophomore Nik Thomas (10th). Newberry junior Ephram Evans should join the pack after finishing eighth in Division 2 in 2018.
PHOTO: For the second straight Finals last fall, Brimley’s Austin Plotkin just outpaced Cedarville’s Thomas Bohn to win the Division 3 championship. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)