Where: Goodells County Park
I like this little course. You’ve got a tiny horseshoe-shaped hill that you’ll run up twice. A woodsy section. Plenty of different footing, along with many turns. Tends to run slightly fast come regional time.
2021 Boys: St. Clair (12th), Yale (15th), Armada (29th)
2021 Girls: Warren Regina (9th), Croswell-Lexington (25th), Marysville (20th)
Looking back to last year’s regional preview, I’m struck at how accurate it was. I’m kidding, I’m struck by how well the Cros-Lex girls moved up. Eva Thompson, at least to my knowledge, hadn’t run a lick of cross country before her breakout freshman year. Abagayle Barkley wasn’t even on my radar before the season, she only dropped a mere 2:00 from her freshman best. It’s those kind of awe-inspiring sophomore seasons we live for. Who will do it this year?
I know someone from St. Clair, Yale, or Warren Regina will undergo that transformation. The tradition breeds more tradition, and when you see a kid like Sam Vitale or Lukas Kriesch put in the work and see the pay off or even a Grace Zdankiewicz who continually plugs away, you can’t help but feel the need to wake up every morning and strive for success.
Top 25 Boys Teams: Yale (9th), St. Clair (17th)
Top 25 Girls Teams: Warren Regina (25th)
Here, I’m writing at least a little anecdote about kids that are in the top-15 but aren’t freshman, in the 50 Tickets, or on Top 10 teams. The only athletes being eliminated here are the Yale boys, which is great, MORE SUPERB ATHLETES TO WRITE ABOUT. Want to spread love but also not overwork myself. All in all, my estimation is through all these previews, I’ll be writing at least a sentence about 1000+ kids.
Camden Khon, Armada: The defending regional champ. Had a solid track season, highlighted by a massive personal best in the 1600m (4:51 to 4:32) and a state qualifier in the 3200m.
Carter Boullard, St. Clair: This spring was Carter’s first foray into track and boy did he rock anything under a mile. The 800m seemed to be his prime event, where he finished 2nd at Regionals in 2:00.
David Harris, St. Clair: Has gradually moved his way up the Saint ranks, growing into a role on their vaunted varsity outfit. What started as a career in the 19’s has turned into a kid that continually hits sub-17:00.
Dylan Distelrath, St. Clair: His track season was cut short early, but was on pace to be miles better than his freshman year. 5:11 at the Barnyard was a 30 second improvement from the spring of ’21.
Riley Andrews, Armada: Showed considerable progress in both the 1600m and 3200m. Knocked more than 20 seconds off each personal best.
Jamison Snay, Macomb Lutheran North: Big moves up the standings in his championship races. Jamison moved up 38(!) spots in Macomb County, from 61st to 23rd and moved from 35th into 14th at Regionals, good enough to continue his season one more week.
Brewer Snay, Macomb Lutheran North: Gotta run your 18:0x’s before you smash that wall. Brewer ran three races between 18:00 and 18:10. His 3200m from this spring is a great indicator that 18:00 will be an afterthought. His final six races were all sub-11.
Joe Edgemon, St. Clair: Turned over a new leaf come championship season. The new level started at the MAC Division Meet, where Joe ran 18:10. Three more sub-18:30s followed, setting up a senior year to remember.
Eva Thompson, Croswell-Lexington: Numerous high places at important races. 2nd at Thumb Area, 3rd in this Region. Paid off those high places with a personal best at State, a 19:52.
Kennedy Roskopp, Warren Regina: Just call her Miss Consistency. Final seven races were all of the sub-21 variety. But she’ll enter a new dimension this fall, evidenced by her 11:59 on the track.
Morgan Newton, Croswell-Lexington: In 2020, she broke 22:00 once. In 2021, she didn’t run a race OVER 22:00. That sort of jump is a major reason the Pioneers solidly made State last fall.
Ava Pergitone, St. Clair: Has been sub-20 EVERY single year for the Saints. Her 6th place here in 2021 was her best placing at a Regional yet.
Brooklyn Khon, Armada: Just as Joe Edgemon did, Brooklyn entered a new stratosphere come October. A 20:38 at Macomb County paved the way to three efforts around the 20:00 mark and a regional championship.
Elizabeth Ambroggio, Warren Regina: A major factor in Regina’s surprise 9th place State finish. Placed 25 spots ahead of expectation, enough for the Saddlelites to leapfrog at least three teams.
Olivia Ebel, Macomb Lutheran North: You never see this double too often. Olivia completed the rare 1600m/300h double at many points throughout the season. At the Macomb County meet, she placed top-8 in both. But the 5:34 in the 1600m is the best predictor of cross country success, which she’s had plenty.
Anne May, Macomb Lutheran North: Anne hit the jackpot at the State Meet. After running 20:35 as a freshman, her personal best hovered around that mark for nearly two years. But in one race, she lowered her best to 20:11 and set the stage to lower it once again this fall.
Brianna Albers, Richmond: I’ll have to go back and look at my full projections for D2 State. Brianna wasn’t projected top-50 and I seriously doubt she was top-100. But throw those out the window, Brianna sped to a 31st place, hitting the line in 19:22. If that’s any indication, she will outperform these rankings. nvm, found them. I had her 114th.
Casidhe Flesher, Marine City: Quite an impressive array of events and times for Casidhe on the oval. She finished 2nd in the MAC Blue 200m, 4th in the 1600m as well.
Grace Clemens, North Branch: Always love the sprinters that come out for cross country. Grace gives a ton to the sport and if she keeps piling on the strength work, sub-26 and sub-60 are in the cards. For now, enjoy a girl who can run under 21:00 that you don’t want around you during the final 100m.
Jenna Denver, Imlay City: Followin’ in her sister’s footsteps, closed her junior year on a tear with four straight races between 20:55 and 21:05.
Natalie Lentine, Warren Regina: We love the gradual drops throughout the year. Started the year on a long course at Lamplighter and a tough one at Michigan Catholic. Great prep for the muddy slog here where she placed 19th.
Lillian Rutallie, Marysville: Brought along slowly during her freshman year, eventually ending up the 3rd girl on a Viking squad that finished 20th at State.
I also want to give a shoutout to Karlie Schlaud. It was an honor to meet you the other day. The mere fact that you came into a running store miles away from home means you care. And that caring definitely led to a track season where you set personal bests in the 800m and 1600m, setting yourself up for a senior year where your goals are 100% within reach.
Michigan XC Speed Ratings 
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