#TBT: MHSAA Cross Country Goes 5K
September 3, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Oxford Hills Country Club hosted the 1980 Lower Peninsula Class B Cross Country Finals on what had to be a chilly day, considering the heavy coats and winter gloves worn by spectators in the photos above and below taken during the races that day.
A little cool in the air isn’t unusual for this annual championship event. But there was a little change in the air as well on this day, as it was the first MHSAA Finals ran at the current race length of five kilometers (3.1 miles).
Brighton’s Pat Hamparian ran the fastest girls time of the 1980 Finals, 17:54.2 – which remained the fourth-fastest 5K time in LP Class A Finals history when those records were retired with the move from classes to divisions in 2000. Mount Clemens’ Bill Brady ran the fastest boys time of 15:07, also in Class A. His time remained the third-fastest 5K time in LP Class A Finals history when the records were retired.
There were plenty of differences too from the meets that will take place this season Oct. 24 in the Upper Peninsula and Nov. 7 in the Lower Peninsula.
From 1961-96 for the boys and 1979-96 for the girls (girls cross country at the MHSAA tournament level began with just one open class Final in 1978), MHSAA individual championships were awarded separately to the first-place finishers among both team and individual qualifiers. Also, while all three 1980 Upper Peninsula Finals were run at Gladstone, the four Lower Peninsula Finals were run at multiple sites, one class at each.
Flint Kearsley, Caro, Concord, Kingsley, Marquette, Ishpeming Westwood and Norway won MHSAA boys team championships in 1980. Brighton, Livonia Ladywood, Williamston, Ann Arbor Greenhills, Marquette and Ishpeming won girls titles (there was one fewer girls race, with Class C-D U.P. teams in one class rather than two for that sport).
PHOTOS: (Top) Livonia Ladywood’s Kelly Champagne crosses the finish line to finish first among team racers at the LP Class B Final in 1980; her time was 18:37.1. (Middle) Cadillac’s Mark Smith finished first among team racers in the boys race with a time of 15:25.5.
Ewen-Trout Creek Earns 1st Title, Marquette & Hancock Add to Win Streaks
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 19, 2024
MUNISING — Prior to Saturday, the Ewen-Trout Creek girls cross country program never had a complete team compete at the Upper Peninsula Finals.
The Panthers made up for lost time on a sunny and mild afternoon at the Pictured Rocks Golf Course, earning their first Division 3 title with 54 points. Engadine edged 2023 champion Chassell 100-102 for the runner-up trophy.
“What’s even better is our top five runners are coming back,” E-TC coach Brad Besonen said. “This is going to be a great builder for us. I think this will help the girls’ side and the boys’ side as well.
“Our season is so difficult. We ran against Hancock in two-thirds of our meets and Baraga in all but one race and often against Houghton. We have to work for everything we get.”
Pickford junior Talya Schreiber won the 3.1-mile race in 18:48.8. She was followed by Newberry sophomore Abby Taylor (19:49.1) and her junior sister Samantha Taylor (19:55.9), and Engadine eighth-grader Molly McNamara (20:14.4).
“I think running with these girls helped me a lot,” McNamara said. “I thought this was a strong possibility coming into this race. I think we’ve developed a camaraderie. Finishing runner-up as a team is a great feeling. I think we’re going to have a good team next year. I think this will also help us for track.”
Freshman Bree Besonen led E-TC finishing sixth at 21:28.9.
“We’re like a little family,” she said. “We’re always pushing each other in practice. We’re a young team, which makes it better. Having a full team is very helpful. It’s a big motivator.”
Division 1
Marquette edged Houghton 30-32 for its third-straight Division 1 crown.
Houghton junior Tessa Rautiola gained her second individual title in 19:31.3, followed by Marquette junior Ella Fure (19:44.2) and Houghton freshman Sela Niska (19:51.8).
“It was very close,” Rautiola said. “Their girl taking second was key for them. It was a nice season for our team. We just put in a lot of work. The future looks bright for our team.
“I knew I had to go out and attack all the straight stretches. I just wanted to have a good race. I won as a freshman, and I’m so happy to regain the individual title.”
Fure said she was seeded 10th coming into the Finals.
“I’ve been having some issues with my hip,” she added. “I just had to believe in myself and do it for our team.
“Houghton’s a great team. We knew we were the underdog coming into this meet. I think I prefer the bigger meets. I just need the motivation. I’m really proud of how our team did. I made a hypothetical game plan, and we knew what we had to do. We executed our plan real well.”
Division 2
Hancock proved its tradition is alive and well, earning its fourth consecutive title with 35 points. The Bulldogs, often overshadowed by neighboring Houghton, were followed by Baraga with 67 and Munising at 97.
“We’re a lot smaller than Houghton,” Bulldogs coach Jennifer Smith said. “We also have a good program. The girls know what they have to do. Our tradition is huge. You have to be tough to run cross country. There’s not a lot of glory, but like no other sport we’re all very supportive of each other.”
Ironwood senior Aubrey Smith gained the top individual honor for the first time in 19:57. She was followed by Hancock senior Ella Keranen (20:22.9) and Gogebic (Wakefield-Marenisco) senior Alyssa Shirkey (21:13.2).
“It’s a relief to finally win one,” Smith said. “I was just playing it by ear and ran my own race. Whatever happens, I’ll just do my best out there. This is a great way to end my high school cross country career.”
Shirkey has drawn recruiting interest from Bay College.
“My strategy is always to stay with Aubrey,” Shirkey said. “I attribute my success to summer training and did some 8-mile practices. I think being a senior provided me with special motivation to keep going.”
PHOTOS (Top) Runners – including eventual champion Talya Schreiber of Pickford (307) – begin the Division 3 race at the Upper Peninsula Finals on Saturday. (Middle) Marquette's Maija Maki-Warne (223), Kingsford's Maria Murvich (205) and Marquette's Ella Fure (231) run together during the beginning of the Division 1 race. (Below) Hancock's Ella Keranen (142), Baraga's Princess Pierre (9) and Hancock's Alena Pietila (144) follow race leader Aubrey Smith of Ironwood. (Click for more from Cara Kamps/RunMichigan.com.)