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: Edison Lopeman
School: Parma Western
Grade: 12th
Personal Records
5k (XC) – 15:17
1600m – 4:18
3200m – 9:06
5000m – 14:57
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 11 | Edison Lopeman | 15:17.2 | Parma Western | 208.9 | MITCA | 9-Nov | 2024 |
| 11 | Edison Lopeman | 15:23.3 | Parma Western | 206.2 | Division 2 State | 2-Nov | 2024 |
| 11 | Edison Lopeman | 15:26.7 | Parma Western | 205.1 | Region 14 | 25-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Edison Lopeman | 16:12.3 | Parma Western | 198.2 | I-8 Championship | 17-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Edison Lopeman | 15:29.4 | Parma Western | 208.2 | Portage | 5-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Edison Lopeman | 15:33.8 | Parma Western | 205.1 | DeWitt | 28-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Edison Lopeman | 15:52.3 | Parma Western | 200.6 | Jackson | 21-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Edison Lopeman | 15:45.1 | Parma Western | 199.3 | Lakeview | 7-Sep | 2024 |
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 10 | Edison Lopeman | 16:06.8 | Parma Western | 190.7 | MITCA | 11-Nov | 2023 |
| 10 | Edison Lopeman | 16:18.3 | Parma Western | 187.9 | Division 2 State | 4-Nov | 2023 |
| 10 | Edison Lopeman | 16:21.5 | Parma Western | 198.5 | Region 14 | 27-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Edison Lopeman | 16:15.8 | Parma Western | 183.7 | I-8 Championship | 21-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Edison Lopeman | 16:30.3 | Parma Western | 186.9 | Portage | 7-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Edison Lopeman | 16:39.8 | Parma Western | 185.7 | DeWitt | 30-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Edison Lopeman | 16:49.5 | Parma Western | 180.5 | Jackson | 23-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Edison Lopeman | 16:49.7 | Parma Western | 189.1 | Holly | 16-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Edison Lopeman | 16:29.4 | Parma Western | 185.9 | Lakeview | 9-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Edison Lopeman | 16:40.1 | Parma Western | 176.6 | Barney Roy | 29-Aug | 2023 |
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 9 | Edison Lopeman | 17:08.9 | Parma Western | 169.7 | MITCA | 12-Nov | 2022 |
| 9 | Edison Lopeman | 17:00.6 | Parma Western | 172.8 | Region 14 | 29-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Edison Lopeman | 17:07.5 | Parma Western | 166.8 | I-8 Championship | 22-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Edison Lopeman | 17:24.4 | Parma Western | 165.5 | J. Chris Jensen | 15-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Edison Lopeman | 17:16.5 | Parma Western | 170.5 | Portage | 8-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Edison Lopeman | 17:19.1 | Parma Western | 169.6 | I-8 2 | 4-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Edison Lopeman | 17:31.7 | Parma Western | 164.8 | DeWitt | 1-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Edison Lopeman | 17:35.5 | Parma Western | 163.8 | Jackson | 24-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Edison Lopeman | 18:01.6 | Parma Western | 163.8 | Holly | 17-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Edison Lopeman | 18:10.8 | Parma Western | 155.1 | I-8 1 | 13-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Edison Lopeman | 18:02.9 | Parma Western | 166.7 | Springport | 7-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Edison Lopeman | 18:19.7 | Parma Western | 157.4 | Barney Roy | 30-Aug | 2022 |
Accolades
XC
8th Place – 2024 Division 2 State
2024 Region 14 Champion
3rd Place – 2024 I-8 Championship
Track
2nd Place – 2025 Division 2 State 3200m
4th Place – 2025 Division 2 State 4×8
2025 Division 2 Team State Champion
2025 MITS 3200m Champion
You Know I Dig His Improvement
And the above chart is a great point of reference. The time changes are vast and numerous.
Peering way back to 2022, Lopeman’s introduction to the high school level began with a bit of a learning period. An accomplished middle school runner, the mid-18 efforts were a good start, but you never know if freshmen will hit a wall and plateau, or bust through and find new heights. Past the tough Holly hills, Edison had enough of the 18’s and moved on a beeline toward 17-flat.
A year later, dude didn’t even miss a beat, skipping right past the 17’s into a season of consistent 16:xx efforts. Once a curious freshman that piqued curiosity, now a sophomore in I-8 and Regional contention. Closing near 16:00, he was a definite candidate to think about getting on the podium the following fall.
Check that, after his sophomore year of track, he was an absolute lock to get on the podium in the fall. In early May, Lopeman shocked the field at Golden Triangle, winning the 3200m against an elite field. A month later, he was 6th in Division 2. By season’s end, his 9:16 ranked 2nd amongst all sophomores in Michigan.
Did he rest on his laurels? Nope. In the 8 common races listed between his 10th/11th grade years, Edison dropped 49 sec. per race. Those improvements led to a season where he won Region 14 and placed in the top-10 of Division 2. Can you even imagine if there’s more progress to be had?
Michigan XC Speed Ratings 