Madison Overcomes to Win Again, EGR Emerges to Add to Title Tradition

By Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com

June 4, 2022

ADA – After four years, Chaniya Madison knew she was out of tomorrows.

The Bridgeport sprinter accepted that the odds of capturing a rare third Lower Peninsula Division 2 Finals title in the 100-meter dash depended largely on health. And if that was the case, Madison admitted a mysterious knee that has baffled doctors for four years would have much to say about the final result.

There were dark times because of the injury when Madison thought about giving in to the pain, calling it a career and moving on to something else.

But after Saturday's Finals at Forest Hills Eastern, Madison is glad she didn't.

She won her third championship in the 100 with a time of 12.07. The title comes after winning the event in both her freshman and junior seasons and caps four seasons of ignoring knee pain that nearly ended her career several times. It took nearly four years for doctors to determine Madison suffered from fluid of the knee, first in her left and then in her right knee. Madison said doctors tried since her freshman year to diagnose the problem, which they guessed could have been anything from arthritis to a torn muscle.

Even after the knee was finally drained, Madison said she considered herself only 85-percent healthy.

"I lost my will to participate, my mental health and my will to stick to it," Madison said. "But I took a few days off and decided I didn't care how much pain there was. This is a big relief. After being so tired, I just wanted to cry. This is so emotional for me."

Madison also helped the Bridgeport 800 relay finish first (1:44.14).

While Madison headed the individual winners, East Grand Rapids captured the team title with 66 points to 37.6 for runner-up Grand Rapids Christian. Zeeland East was third with 29 points, Hudsonville Unity Christian fourth with 23.6 and Allendale and New Boston Huron tied for fifth with 21.

The team title was the 146th state championship for the East Grand Rapids athletic program, but first for the girls track & field team. That's a fact coach Mike Dykstra said he carefully passed along to his athletes this season.

East Grand Rapids track"Maybe it's a bit overwhelming," Dykstra said of joining the Pioneers' lengthy history of state championships. "We thought this was a chance to make history, and they bought into it. It was definitely a goal of ours. We have that as a goal at the start of every year. This was a pretty special year."

The Pioneers collected individual titles by Camryn Bodine in the 800 (2:12.46) and Drew Muller in the 1,600 (4:51.41) while also winning the 3,200 relay, which included Muller and Bodine (9:25.89).

Ludington senior RyAnn Rohrer had a big day winning the shot put (41-11) and discus (135-07). Like Madison, Rohrer had to overcome injury to win her titles. She suffered a leg injury after just two meets this spring and had to focus on getting healthy for the next two months. Rohrer not only had to overcome injury, she added the discus this season after a string of prior successes in the shot.

“I had to do a lot of work to improve, a lot of reps," said Rohrer, whose parents were both involved in throwing events in college. "I got very frustrated, so this is a relief. I knew I could do it, but sometimes it takes time and a mental ability. I had goals as a senior in the discus and I thought, ‘Why not take on a new challenge?’ I'm open to new things.”

Warren Regina junior Ella Jenkins won the 300 hurdles (44.99) and nearly won the 100 hurdles, finishing second (14.97) to Chelsea sophomore Leila Wells (14.96).

Jenkins was a Finals qualifier in the 100 hurdles a year ago and was seeded first in both events this season.

"I thought I had a shot," Jenkins said of winning the 100. "I always want to get out strong and finish with what I have left. I compete to win; I have a passion to win."

Grand Rapids Christian senior Madelyn Frens won the 3,200 (10:44.24). She said comparing Saturday's title with winning last fall's Division 2 cross country championship is not a stretch. Both, she said, involved mental strength. She also competed in the 1,600, where she was second, and the 3,200 relay, which finished runner-up to EGR.

"I like cross country because it's a little harder mentally, and it's longer," she said. "But this is more competitive, and it feels like there is more pressure with expectations. You have to push yourself mentally through both."

Elizabeth Anderson of New Boston Huron was a double winner in the 200 (25.07) and 400 (56.28).

Other champions included Linden in the 400 relay (49.41) and Dearborn Divine Child in the 1,600 relay (4:00.83).

In the field events, Natalie Christnagel of Grosse Ile won the high jump (5-4), Jordyn Wright of Tecumseh took the pole vault (12-0) and Lindsay Girard of Marine City took first in the long jump (17-7).

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Bridgeport's Chaniya Madison, middle, crosses the finish line first in the 100 meters Saturday at Forest Hills Eastern. (Middle) East Grand Rapids celebrates its first girls track & field Finals championship. (Click for more from Dave McCauley/Run Michigan.)

Ewen-Trout Creek Racers Fueled to Go Distance Again

By John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com

May 25, 2021

BARAGA — Elise Besonen wasn’t always a huge fan of distance running.

Then came 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, and the current Ewen-Trout Creek senior had a change of heart.

The University of Wisconsin-Superior basketball recruit now says she enjoys running.

Maybe there’s some truth to the saying “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

“I was pretty bummed when we didn’t get to run last year,” she said shortly after placing second in the 3,200-meter run at 13 minutes, 33.68 seconds in the Upper Peninsula Division 3 Regional meet last Wednesday at Baraga. “Then, I started running on some side roads with my dad, and it completely changed my mindset. It has been fun running for my dad. In my freshman year during driver’s ed, it was just us two. I guess it was sort of a blessing in disguise.”

Besonen was also runner-up in the 800 (2:40.21) and 1,600 (5:43.59) at the Regional, qualifying her for all three races at the Upper Peninsula Finals on June 5 at Kingsford.

“It was a pretty short meet,” said Besonen, who was also runner-up in the 800 at the previous Monday’s Copper Country Invitational in Houghton in a school-record 2:32.81. “The 800 and 3,200 were pretty close together, which made it pretty difficult because they were right on top of each other. At least my legs were warmed up.”

Ewen-Trout Creek cross countryJunior Jonah Nordine hadn’t run in nearly a week following a mishap during homecoming activities at the school two weeks ago.

“I fell off a bike and scraped up my knee and arm,” he said. “We usually have homecoming for basketball, but that got postponed due to COVID and (we) held it during baseball and track this year.”

Nordine, the reigning U.P. Division 3 cross country champion, won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 in the Marcy Bracket Invitational at Bessemer on May 13, then was runner-up in the 800 (2:16.48) and 1,600 (4:40.27) and third in the 3,200 (11:28.33) at Baraga.

“I had a side ache in the 3,200,” he said. “I probably didn’t eat enough (that day). I was pretty happy with my times. I just wanted to qualify. We had perfect conditions at Bessemer. I didn’t run in Houghton, but it was quite warm. It was in the 80s. I’m just glad to be running this year after losing my freshman season to COVID.”

“Jonah’s success generates a lot of excitement for this team," added Ewen-Trout Creek track and cross country coach Brad Besonen, who also is Elise’s father. “Jonah’s personality changed after his success in cross country last fall. He has become more outgoing.”

Elise is best-known as a high-scoring guard who made the Division 4 all-state basketball team again this winter and was named Upper Peninsula Division 4 Player of the Year in the sport.

She figures to continue playing point guard for Wisconsin-Superior, another chase she’ll take on when her track season is done.

“There will be a lot of adjustments to make,” she said. “Everybody wants to be there, and I’m looking forward to that.”

John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

PHOTOS: (Top) Ewen-Trout Creek’s Elise Besonen completes her anchor leg of the 3,200 relay during the UP Division 3 Finals in 2019. (Middle) Jonah Nordine crosses the finish line first at last fall’s UPD3 Boys Cross Country Final. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)