The Regional Previews: Division 2, Region 16

Last Year

SUMMER PREVIEW
MID-SEASON
FINAL PROJECTIONS
THE RESULT

Girls

1. Goodrich (7^th)
2. Linden (27^th)
3. Detroit Country Day (24^th)

Boys

1. Pinckney (3^rd)
2. Linden (15^th)
3. Cranbrook-Kingswood (25^th)

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

Linden (19^th), Dearborn Divine Child (20^th)

Boys

Pinckney (6^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	Linden	54
2	Dearborn Divine Child	56
3	Pontiac Notre Dame Prep	110
4	Pinckney	129
5	Lake Fenton	135
6	Detroit Country Day	141
7	Bloomfield Hills Marian	160
8	Orchard Lake St. Mary’s	181
9	Cranbrook-Kingswood	203
10	Garden City	319
11	Redford Westfield Prep	349
12	Dearborn Henry Ford Academy	364

Place	Boys Team	Score
1	Pinckney	37
2	Cranbrook-Kingswood	73
3	Orchard Lake St. Mary’s	104
4	Detroit Country Day	113
5	Linden	122
6	Dearborn Divine Child	123
7	Lake Fenton	143
8	Pontiac Notre Dame Prep	208
9	Redford Union	255
10	Pontiac	329

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.

Mea D’Agostino, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

Track perhaps tells a better tale, where Mea qualified for D2 State in the 3200m, won the CHSL Bishop and hit an 11:45 at the Oakland County Championship.

Maria Nunning, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

One of the rare ones to run her personal best AT last year’s state finals, her 19:47 a full minute faster than her freshman version.

Nell Stover, Detroit Country Day

Has come a long way from the girl that opened her career in the 27’s. This past fall, consistently in the 21’s and even as low as 20:30 at Willow.

Kathryn Kurtinaitis, Dearborn Divine Child

She’s been sub-60 on the track each of the past two springs. And not just a quarter miler either, reaching into the 19’s during cross in 2022.

Solomon Kwartowitz, Cranbrook-Kingswood

3^rd here last year, made more impressive by the fact that he was hurt for much of the early fall. Other honors included another bronze at the Oakland County Championship and top-10 at State.

Evan Loughridge, Pinckney

Not gonna find many people that improved the way he did from his sophomore year of track to junior cross country season. Typically, those running 4:30/10:00 will be in the low-16’s, not the blazing mid-15’s.

Paul Moore, Pinckney

Watching him race the 1600m at Brighton Bulldog, I was impressed by his savviness and patience. Sat on the field until the later stages on the race, making the final and deciding move to attain victory. After his 4:19 there, a week later he ran 9:10.

Nolan Pinion, Lake Fenton

Looking deeper into track, consider that his 2022 season with a few sub-16’s had a track season containing a 3200m best of 9:49. This past spring, he lowered that to 9:35. Extrapolate that and does mid-15’s sound possible?

Ethan Sandula, Pinckney

In each successive year, has moved up here. 22^nd as a freshman, 11^th as a sophomore, then 6^th this past year.

Colin Murray, Dearborn Divine Child

Steppin’ into the lead role at Divine Child. One of many to break 16:00 at Milan last year, but proved it was no fluke with a 25^th place finish at State.