The Regional Previews: Division 3, Region 26

Last Year

SUMMER PREVIEW
MID-SEASON
FINAL PROJECTIONS
THE RESULT

Girls

1. Stockbridge (25^th)
2. University Liggett (non full team)
3. Madison Heights Bishop Foley (26^th)

Boys

1. Stockbridge (23^rd)
2. Algonac (28^th)
3. Charyl Stockwell Academy (27^th)
4. Dansville (26^th)

I’ll criticize the MHSAA when needed, but also praise when possible. They took a weaker region and made it fair, both geographically and in terms of getting higher quality teams to state. By sending Leslie and Lansing Catholic here, this gives opportunities for qualifiers in other regions which may have been abnormally strong.

Top 27 Teams

Previous years had top-25 teams, but there’s 27 (and sometimes more) team qualifiers and what does it hurt to add another two?

Girls

Leslie (Top 7), Lansing Catholic (10^th)

Boys

Lansing Catholic (26^th)

(If your team isn’t listed in the images above or the scores below, you probably don’t have five returners, at least on ol’ athletic.net. I’m sure many of these teams will fill out their rosters by late October)

Projected Scores

Place	Girls Team	Score
1	Leslie	24
2	Lansing Catholic	42
3	Stockbridge	109
4	Wixom St. Catherine	121
5	Rochester Hills Lutheran NW	131
6	Madison Heights Bishop Foley	142
7	Algonac	187
8	Charyl Stockwell Academy	195
9	Clawson	229

Place	Boys Team	Score
1	Lansing Catholic	54
2	Leslie	67
3	Algonac	94
4	University Liggett	103
5	Dansville	125
6	Charyl Stockwell Academy	162
7	Clawson	178
8	Rochester Hills Lutheran NW	194
9	Madison Heights Bishop Foley	200
10	Detroit Northwestern	292

Top Runners

Thought I’d give a review of some of the top returners in each region. Returners means no incoming freshman (you’ll get your days in the sun). If you’re on a top team or in the 50 Tickets and you’re projected highly here, you hit the jackpot! Yes, I’m writing a bit less than previous years, but I think I’ve learned my lesson in that I need to conserve energy and brainpower for all divisions and regions. Typically by August, I’m rushing to get these done. This time around, hopefully all regions get the same amount of coverage.

Tessa Roe, Lansing Catholic

Had one of her better track seasons yet, recognizing a bit of strength during the spring season. By season’s end, she whittled her 1600m time down from 5:13 to 5:02, nabbed an 11:12, and placed All-State in both events.

Hailey Creisher, Leslie

Initial high school season had some great moments, such as her wins at Bath and Holly, then sub-20’s later on at Stockbridge and Portage.

Erin Lubahn, Leslie

Each year, she closes the season running her best stuff. This past fall, it was 4 of her final 7 races being of the 19 min. variety, to go along with a top-10 at Region 23 and a GLAC win.

Kerith Short, University Liggett

Your defending regional champ. Kerith has gone sub-20 each of the past two years and is inching closer towards an All-State. 45^th as a freshman, 37^th as a sophomore.

Jaidyn Smith, Leslie

The third of Leslie’s terrifying triumvirate, Jaidyn does as Erin and Haley both do, runs her best to close. Last year, it was a 19:56, then perhaps more impressively, very low 20’s at Greater Lansing and Region 23.

Theodore Davis, Dansville

One of the better underclassmen in the state the past two years. Theodore has racked up two All-States, a regional championship, and numerous other wins. He’ll be looking to defend here and improve on his 10^th place finish in Division 3.

Julian Walker, Algonac

First high school season showed a glimpse of great potential – a shocking 16:49 at Goodells.

Michael Darlington, University Liggett

Has been a state qualifier in three of his four seasons. Twice in cross country, placing top-10 here. Then this past spring in track, winning the Region 27 3200m. A week later, he had the best meet of his career, spinning a 4:49/10:29 double at the CHSL Cardinal Championship.

Anthony Urbaniak, Charyl Stockwell Academy

Great progress during his junior year, finishing 6^th in this region when he’d never even cracked the top 40.