Dudek's Dominance Paces Pioneer Title Run

November 2, 2019

Second Half reports

BROOKLYN – Zofia Dudek wasn’t on anyone’s radar as a potential MHSAA champion cross country runner during her freshman year.

She not only wasn’t running in Michigan, she wasn’t running in the United States.

Dudek was in her homeland of Poland when she was in ninth grade after two years in Florida and one year in Indiana because of her father’s job as a visiting professor of economics.

When Maciej Dudek was hired at the University of Michigan, Dudek enrolled at Ann Arbor Pioneer for her sophomore year.

From a school that has produced some of the top distance runners in Michigan history, Dudek may be the best of them all.

She won the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 championship Saturday with a time of 17:00.4, the fourth-fastest time by a girl at Michigan International Speedway.

Dudek had the fastest time in the state this year, a 16:46.9 performance on Oct. 11 in Ypsilanti, but the muddy conditions at MIS made it a tough day for chasing personal records.

“It was mostly just going for place and trying to do my best out there,” Dudek said.

Dudek proved to be a solid addition to the Pioneer team two years ago when she placed 20th at MIS in 18:13.0. She improved to third last year in 17:59.8.

“My sophomore year when I got 20th place, I thought that was amazing,” Dudek said. “I thought I could never be one of the top five runners. Now it just feels amazing to be able to do this.”

The potential successors to Dudek’s throne made their presence known Saturday, as the next five places were taken by a freshman, two sophomores and two juniors.

It was the freshman, Arianne Olson of Holland West Ottawa, who took runner-up to Dudek with a time of 17:53.0. Olson had no intention of trying to chase Dudek when runners took off from the start line.

“Not really, because I saw her times were a lot faster than mine, so I was just going to run my own race,” Olson said.

Dudek’s victory led Pioneer to its first championship since 1997 and fourth overall. The Pioneers scored 80 points to finish 33 ahead of Traverse City Central.

Pioneer had been second twice and fourth once in the last three years before ending its championship drought.

“It definitely helped a lot having people to push me in workouts and racing,” Dudek said. “It’s just amazing and helps me a lot.”

Sophomore Sarah Forsyth was ninth in 18:14.4, sophomore Cookie Baugh was 32nd in 18:50.2, senior Anna Vogel was 36th in 19:01.2 and sophomore Charlotte Batra was 39th in 19:07.9 to round out Pioneer’s scoring.

Click for full results.

PHOTOS: (Top) Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Zofia Dudek charges down the stretch at MIS on Saturday, well ahead of the rest of the Division 1 field. (Middle) Pioneer’s Sarah Forsyth (1106) leads another pack, just ahead of Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills’ Adit Dau (1973). (Photos by Matt Yacoub/RunMichigan.com.)

Title IX at 50: Lola Korpi's Story

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 13, 2022

Lola Korpi broke onto the state’s cross country scene with an Upper Peninsula Division 2 runner-up finish as a freshman in 2020, and she’s only continued to build on her fast start. Korpi moved up to claim the UPD2 championship last fall, and she’s also won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter races at both of her first two UPD2 Track & Field Finals.

Korpi is undefeated in three cross country races this season, with a low time of 20:40 at the Queen City Invitational at Presque Isle Park in Marquette. In addition to starring again on the course, she’s also helping her father Shay Korpi coach the Ishpeming Middle School girls and boys cross country teams.

 

 

 

 

 

 


"When I was little, like when I was in middle school, I used to run with the boys all the time and I used to be able to keep up with them and train with the boys. I used to run JV opens, and I would race with the boys, and it was just such an amazing opportunity to do that.

"I help my dad coach the middle school cross country program at our school. He let me pretty much take it over … and that’s a thing I really like to do. I really enjoy passing off everything I know about running in hopes to rebuild the cross country program at my school."

 

Second Half's weekly Title IX Celebration posts are sponsored by Michigan Army National Guard.

Previous Title IX at 50 Spotlights

Oct. 4: Ruby Whitehorn's Story - Read
Sept. 27:
Eliana Bommarito's Story - Read
Sept. 20: Anna Tracey's Story - Read
Sept. 13:
Lola Korpi's Story - Read
Sept. 6:
Meah Bajt's Story - Read
Aug. 30: 
Morgan Brunner's Story - Read
Aug. 23:
Ava Brizard's Story - Read
Aug. 16:
Paige Miller's Story - Read
Aug. 9:
Gracie Olsen's Story - Read
Aug. 2:
Maddy Stern's Story - Read
July 26:
Reese Miller's Story - Read
July 19:
Macy Irelan's Story - Read
July 12:
Bridget Boczar's Story - Read
July 5:
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June 28:
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May 17: Over 8 Days in 1988, Pair of Champs Set No. 1 Singles Standard - Read
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April 26: 
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April 19: 
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April 12: 
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April 5: 
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March 29: 
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March 22: 
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March 15: 
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March 8: 
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March 1: 
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Feb. 22: Marquette Ties Record for Swim & Dive Finals Success - Read
Feb. 15: Jaeger's 2004 Winter Run Created Lasting Connection - Read
Feb. 8: Marian's Cicerone to Finish Among All-Time Elite - Read
Feb. 1: WISL Award Honors Builders of State's Girls Sports Tradition - Read
Jan. 25: Decades Later, Edwards' Legend Continues to Grow - Read
Jan. 18: Iron Mountain Completes Championship Climb - Read
Jan. 11: Harrold's Achievement Heralds Growth of Girls Wrestling - Read
Dec. 20: Competitive Cheer Gives Michigan Plenty to Cheer About - Read
Dec. 14: 
Evelyn's Game Had Plenty of Magic - Read
Dec. 7: 
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Nov. 30: 
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Nov. 23: 
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Nov. 16: Wroubel Has Championed Girls School Sports from Their Start - Read
Nov. 9: Pioneer's Joyce Legendary in Michigan, National Swim History - Read
Nov. 2: Royal Oak's Finch Leading Way on Football Field - Read
Oct. 26: Coach Clegg Sets Championship Standard at Grand Blanc - Read
Oct. 19: Rockford Girls Set Pace, Hundreds After Have Continued to Chase - Read
Oct. 12: 
Bedford Volleyball Pioneer Continues Blazing Record-Setting Trail - Read
Oct. 5: 
Warner Paved Way to Legend Status with Record Rounds - Read
Sept. 28: Taylor Kennedy Gymnasts Earn Fame as 1st Champions - Read
Sept. 21: 
Portage Northern Star Byington Becomes Play-by-Play Pioneer - Read
Sept. 14: 
Guerra/Groat Legacy Continues to Serve St. Philip Well - Read
Sept. 7: 
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Aug. 31: We Will Celebrate Many Who Paved the Way - Read