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: Katie Berkshire
School: Gaylord
Grade: 12th
Personal Records
5k (XC) – 17:31
800m – 2:16
1600m – 4:55
3200m – 10:26
5000m – 17:00
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 11 | Katie Berkshire | 17:55.2 | Gaylord | 155.6 | MITCA | 9-Nov | 2024 |
| 11 | Katie Berkshire | 18:04.3 | Gaylord | 152.2 | Division 2 State | 2-Nov | 2024 |
| 11 | Katie Berkshire | 17:31.1 | Gaylord | 156.0 | Region 10 | 25-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Katie Berkshire | 17:39.6 | Gaylord | 158.8 | Northern Mich. Meet of Champions | 19-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Katie Berkshire | 17:34.3 | Gaylord | 160.6 | BNC Championship | 15-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Katie Berkshire | 18:12.4 | Gaylord | 154.5 | Portage | 5-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Katie Berkshire | 17:49.5 | Gaylord | 163.2 | Bluejay | 28-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Katie Berkshire | 17:58.7 | Gaylord | 155.8 | VSV | 21-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Katie Berkshire | 18:37.2 | Gaylord | 157.6 | Holly | 14-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Katie Berkshire | 18:04.5 | Gaylord | 158.8 | Northwood | 7-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Katie Berkshire | 18:39.8 | Gaylord | 157.1 | Clare | 28-Aug | 2024 |
| 11 | Katie Berkshire | 18:20.8 | Gaylord | 151.4 | Pete Moss | 24-Aug | 2024 |
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 10 | Katie Berkshire | 18:57.9 | Gaylord | 132.7 | MITCA | 11-Nov | 2023 |
| 10 | Katie Berkshire | 19:35.7 | Gaylord | 122.4 | Division 2 State | 4-Nov | 2023 |
| 10 | Katie Berkshire | 19:00.3 | Gaylord | 139.9 | Region 10 | 27-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Katie Berkshire | 18:45.7 | Gaylord | 142.8 | Northern Michigan Championship | 21-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Katie Berkshire | 18:17.1 | Gaylord | 146.3 | BNC Championship | 17-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Katie Berkshire | 18:23.3 | Gaylord | 150.2 | Portage | 7-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Katie Berkshire | 18:23.2 | Gaylord | 154.3 | Mancelona | 4-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Katie Berkshire | 18:12.8 | Gaylord | 151.1 | Bluejay | 30-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Katie Berkshire | 18:14.4 | Gaylord | 149.2 | Cadillac | 23-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Katie Berkshire | 19:09.5 | Gaylord | 140.8 | Spartan | 15-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Katie Berkshire | 19:29.5 | Gaylord | 146.2 | Dwayne Rau | 31-Aug | 2023 |
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 9 | Katie Berkshire | 19:14.1 | Gaylord | 126.6 | MITCA | 12-Nov | 2022 |
| 9 | Katie Berkshire | 19:43.4 | Gaylord | 123.9 | D2 State | 5-Nov | 2022 |
| 9 | Katie Berkshire | 19:15.9 | Gaylord | 133.0 | Region 10 | 28-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Katie Berkshire | 19:21.6 | Gaylord | 128.1 | Northern Michigan | 22-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Katie Berkshire | 19:35.4 | Gaylord | 135.2 | Big North Conference | 18-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Katie Berkshire | 19:22.3 | Gaylord | 128.9 | Portage | 8-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Katie Berkshire | 19:32.3 | Gaylord | 126.6 | Mancelona | 5-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Katie Berkshire | 19:27.4 | Gaylord | 126.5 | Bluejay | 1-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Katie Berkshire | 19:17.0 | Gaylord | 126.7 | Cadillac | 24-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Katie Berkshire | 20:41.7 | Gaylord | 110.1 | Holly | 17-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Katie Berkshire | 22:10.4 | Gaylord | 98.9 | Dwayne Rau | 1-Sep | 2022 |
Accolades
XC
3rd Place – 2024 Division 2 State
3x State Qualifier
2023 & 2024 Region 10 Champion
2023 & 2024 Big North Champion
Track
2nd Place – 2025 Division 2 State 1600m & 3200m
2nd Place – 2024 Division 2 State 3200m
3rd Place – 2023 Division 2 State 3200m
2025 Region 11 & Big North 1600m & 3200m Champion
You Know I Dig Her Improvement
To me, Katie’s comes in two waves.
One, over the course of her freshman year. Although she had run in 8th grade and performed decently, her freshman fall was her true introduction to the sport. In her fourth race, following a few rustbusters and learning experiences, Katie was able to shoot into the 19’s, a mark she’d stay in the rest of the year. Solid, a freshman to watch, but nothing that would predict her following spring. Her first season on the high school ovals produced a bevy of championships – Regional and in the BNC, PBs of 5:11/11:08, and a surprising 3rd place 3200m finish in D2.
Her sophomore year saw another set of personal bests, moving down to 5-flat and 10:41. Improvement from those high marks, that takes a little more effort. This past spring, Katie dropped another 5 sec. in the 1600m and another 15 in the 3200m, another momentous wave. Her marks ranked highly within the state, top-10 in both events. Facing her D2 competition, she earned two more elite finishes, a runner-up in both events.
This Up North star keeps keeping on, continually improving.
Michigan XC Speed Ratings 