A summer tradition returns.
Hard to fathom that I’ve been penning these Summer Previews for now, 7 years. Just as in the past, I’ll have the 50 best returners, then as time rolls on, the Regional Previews and Top Ten Teams.
Differing from the past is the format. Individual posts for each region and ticket are a TON OF WORK. Instead, I’ll be knocking off the 50 Tickets with sets of 10 and Regional Previews by their division and gender. Hopefully with these methods, I’ll be finishing on time and actually spending effort detailing what could be some great regional battles.
Anyhow, starting with the girls (they run first this year), your 50 Tickets to Brooklyn. These celebrate our top-50 returners – based on the 2024 XC season, 2025 track season, projected improvement, and a tiny bit of my own opinions.
Enjoy!
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
(Also, first time ever that I’ve included Upper Peninsula folks in these! I know they’re not running at MIS, but they’re still representatives of Michigan)
Name: Jonah Workman
School: East Grand Rapids
Grade: 12th
Personal Records
5k (XC) – 15:17
Mile – 4:15
3200m – 9:06
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 11 | Jonah Workman | 15:17.1 | East Grand Rapids | 208.3 | Division 2 State | 2-Nov | 2024 |
| 11 | Jonah Workman | 15:38.2 | East Grand Rapids | 201.3 | Region 12 | 26-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Jonah Workman | 15:21.9 | East Grand Rapids | 206.1 | OK White Championship | 16-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Jonah Workman | 15:54.8 | East Grand Rapids | 199.7 | Portage | 5-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Jonah Workman | 15:51.2 | East Grand Rapids | 205.9 | OK White 2 | 2-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Jonah Workman | 15:30.4 | East Grand Rapids | 208.2 | Bluejay | 28-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Jonah Workman | 15:52.4 | East Grand Rapids | 202.2 | OK White 1 | 18-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Jonah Workman | 16:10.8 | East Grand Rapids | 205.1 | Spartan | 13-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Jonah Workman | 16:15.5 | East Grand Rapids | 200.5 | Bath | 7-Sep | 2024 |
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 10 | Jonah Workman | 15:56.3 | East Grand Rapids | 195.2 | Division 2 State | 4-Nov | 2023 |
| 10 | Jonah Workman | 16:35.6 | East Grand Rapids | 191.5 | Region 12 | 28-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Jonah Workman | 15:58.6 | East Grand Rapids | 195.5 | OK White Championship | 18-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Jonah Workman | 16:07.9 | East Grand Rapids | 194.4 | Portage | 7-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Jonah Workman | 15:33.7 | East Grand Rapids | 202.8 | Bluejay | 30-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Jonah Workman | 15:54.9 | East Grand Rapids | 198.7 | Ottawa Hills | 15-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Jonah Workman | 16:13.9 | East Grand Rapids | 198.7 | Under the Lights v2 | 25-Aug | 2023 |
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 9 | Jonah Workman | 16:38.1 | East Grand Rapids | 188.3 | D2 State | 5-Nov | 2022 |
| 9 | Jonah Workman | 16:31.9 | East Grand Rapids | 185.0 | Region 12 | 29-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Jonah Workman | 16:21.8 | East Grand Rapids | 185.4 | Northview | 19-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Jonah Workman | 16:04.0 | East Grand Rapids | 194.7 | Portage | 8-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Jonah Workman | 17:18.2 | East Grand Rapids | 189.9 | OK White 3 | 5-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Jonah Workman | 16:21.0 | East Grand Rapids | 189.0 | Otsego Bulldog | 1-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Jonah Workman | 16:31.9 | East Grand Rapids | 184.7 | Cougar Falcon | 24-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Jonah Workman | 17:54.3 | East Grand Rapids | 162.2 | OK White 2 | 21-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Jonah Workman | 16:58.6 | East Grand Rapids | 185.5 | Spartan | 16-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Jonah Workman | 16:49.9 | East Grand Rapids | 185.4 | Bath | 10-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Jonah Workman | 16:55.2 | East Grand Rapids | 187.0 | OK White 1 | 7-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Jonah Workman | 17:12.1 | East Grand Rapids | 181.6 | Portage Early Bird | 19-Aug | 2022 |
Accolades
XC
5th Place – 2024 Division 2 State
2nd Place – 2024 OK White Championship & Region 12
3x State Qualifier
2022 Division 2 Team State Champion
Track
3rd Place – 2025 Division 2 State 3200m
14th Place – 2025 Division 2 State 1600m
3x Division 2 State 3200m qualifier
2025 OK White 3200m Champion
His Breakout Race
His performances at MIS have been outstanding that I need to pick two. One set the stage for a fairly consistent theme throughout his career: the ability to bring it on the pressure-packed days. The other, the start of this new level where he’s been racing.
Heading way back to the ’22 season, Workman’s East Grand Rapids squad was locked in a tight battle for the D2 crown. The Pioneers, Pinckney, and Chelsea were the three main contenders in what was projected to be one of the closer team races since I’ve been doing this. Big stage for a little freshman, but how does he go out and race? One of his higher ratings of the season, in front of Pinckney’s 3rd, stuck to Chelsea’s 4th, enough guts to eke out a 5-point margin.
Fast forward to 2024. Jonah had broken through into the 15’s as a sophomore, returned there many times as a junior. The fastest he’d covered a course had been a 15:21, set weeks earlier at the always fast Riverside Park. With an opportunity to prove that fitness on a greater stage, Jonah executed a patient race, hitting the mile in 7th, moving up two spots from then on, placing 5th. A 4 second personal best, 15:17, a meaningful foray into future stardom.
The momentum kept on with a 3rd place finish in D2’s 3200m. As far as I can see, it ain’t letting up.
Michigan XC Speed Ratings 