Saints Shine Across Board in UPD2 Repeat
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 3, 2018
KINGSFORD — The St. Ignace girls placed in all 17 events Saturday, repeating as Upper Peninsula Division 2 track champions with 160 points.
Runner-up Iron Mountain scored 90 and Ishpeming placed third at 75.
St. Ignace junior Libby Becker won the 800-meter run in 2 minutes, 24.5 seconds, 1,600 (5:23.52) and 3,200 (11:56.41) and helped the winning 1,600 relay (4:24.82).
“I just wanted to do my best,” she said. “I wanted to PR. But if I didn’t, that’s okay too. I love these conditions. The breeze helped out a lot. It’s hard to run in dead heat.”
Junior Emily Coveyou, also a part of the 1,600 relay, added a first in the 400 (1:04.11) and was runner-up in the 100 (13.56) and 200 (27.73) on this sunny and mild day.
“That wasn’t my best time in the 400,” said Coveyou, who was battling a chest cold. “My starts were better today than usual, but it was harder for me to breathe.”
The Saints started the day by squeezing past Manistique for the 3,200 relay title. They were clocked at 11:04.29, edging the Emeralds by two hundredths of a second.
“Four different girls tried out for the 3,200 relay and it took a while to find the right combination,” said senior Caitlin Dean. “We just tried to keep pace with Manistique. It was exciting when Allison (Smith) went ahead for a while.”
A first trip to the Finals provided plenty of motivation for Saints’ freshman Hallie Marshall, who also helped the 3,200 relay.
“This is the last day of track,” said Marshall, who was also runner-up in the 3,200 (12:54.14) and third in the 1,600 (5:50.28). “I just practiced real hard for this. I’m really excited to be here.
“Our (3,200 relay) team really improved at the Regional (May 18 at Manistique). After finishing so close to Manistique in the Regional, we knew we had a chance.”
Freshman Emmalee Hart placed second in the 800 (2:30.74), shared second with teammate Jessie Frazier in pole vault (7-6) and helped the 1,600 relay.
“It felt great to end the day with a W,” said Hart. “It was a great effort by everybody. It’s nice to have a competitive team. Our seniors show us what we need to do to reach that point.”
St. Ignace senior Linnee Gustafson captured high jump for the fourth straight year at 4-11.
“That was definitely not my best jump, but I’ve been jumping around that height all year,” said Gustafson, who will play basketball at Northwood University next winter. “I just wanted to win it four years in a row. I wasn’t concerned about the height as much as the place.”
The Saints also got a first from Heather Lamb in long jump (14-8½).
Saints coach Trudy Olsen was understandably happy with the team’s effort.
“All the girls did good,” she said. “Linnee winning high jump four years in a row was real special. She works hard the year around. Emily did a great job considering she wasn’t feeling the best. Libby works real hard. That was an amazing performance by her.”
Iron Mountain’s Taylor Talerico won the 100 (13.45), with Olivia Berutti taking the 200 (27.72) and both helping the winning 400 relay (52.76).
Ishpeming’s Katie Loman won the 100 hurdles (16.55), and Berutti was runner-up (16.64). Loman (48.88) won the 300 hurdles just ahead of Talerico (49.34).
Iron River West Iron County had a double-winner in senior Rachael Tefft, who took shot put (36-6½) and discus (112-7).
PHOTOS: (Top) St. Ignace’s Libby Becker sets the pace in a relay Saturday. (Middle) Ishpeming’s Katie Loman, left, and Iron Mountain’s Taylor Talerico clear the final hurdles in the 300. (Photos by Cara Kamps. Click for more at RunMichigan.com.)
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.”
Junior 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.)