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: Kyle O’Rourke
School: Milford
Grade: 12th
Personal Records
5k (XC) – 15:02
1600m – 4:19
3200m – 9:02
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 11 | Kyle O’Rourke | 15:11.1 | Highland-Milford | 211.0 | MITCA | 9-Nov | 2024 |
| 11 | Kyle O’Rourke | 15:02.0 | Highland-Milford | 213.3 | Division 1 State | 2-Nov | 2024 |
| 11 | Kyle O’Rourke | 15:45.7 | Highland-Milford | 203.1 | Region 7 | 26-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:16.7 | Highland-Milford | 198.1 | LVC Championship | 17-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Kyle O’Rourke | 15:47.8 | Highland-Milford | 213.4 | Oakland County | 5-Oct | 2024 |
| 11 | Kyle O’Rourke | 15:08.7 | Highland-Milford | 215.1 | Jackson | 21-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Kyle O’Rourke | 15:51.8 | Highland-Milford | 217.4 | Averill | 7-Sep | 2024 |
| 11 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:22.2 | Highland-Milford | 217.9 | Milford | 29-Aug | 2024 |
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 10 | Kyle O’Rourke | 15:17.3 | Highland-Milford | 207.2 | MITCA | 11-Nov | 2023 |
| 10 | Kyle O’Rourke | 15:22.4 | Highland-Milford | 206.9 | Division 1 State | 4-Nov | 2023 |
| 10 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:10.3 | Highland-Milford | 206.9 | Region 7 | 27-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Kyle O’Rourke | 15:57.5 | Highland-Milford | 203.2 | LVC Championship | 19-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:07.4 | Highland-Milford | 205.5 | Oakland County | 7-Oct | 2023 |
| 10 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:13.1 | Highland-Milford | 201.3 | Linden Classic | 23-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:00.4 | Highland-Milford | 211.5 | Averill | 9-Sep | 2023 |
| 10 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:29.8 | Highland-Milford | 205.7 | Milford | 31-Aug | 2023 |
| Grade | Name | Time | Team | Rating | Meet | Date | Year |
| 9 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:22.3 | Highland-Milford | 185.2 | MITCA | 12-Nov | 2022 |
| 9 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:55.2 | Highland-Milford | 181.3 | D1 State | 5-Nov | 2022 |
| 9 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:49.8 | Highland-Milford | 189.4 | Region 7 | 28-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:40.4 | Highland-Milford | 183.9 | LVC Championship | 20-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:57.9 | Highland-Milford | 187.0 | Oakland County | 8-Oct | 2022 |
| 9 | Kyle O’Rourke | 16:24.7 | Highland-Milford | 191.1 | Ottawa Hills | 16-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Kyle O’Rourke | 19:27.9 | Highland-Milford | 145.4 | Averill | 10-Sep | 2022 |
| 9 | Kyle O’Rourke | 17:33.6 | Highland-Milford | 187.1 | Milford | 1-Sep | 2022 |
Accolades
XC
3rd Place – 2024 Division 1 State
10th Place – 2023 Division 1 State
2023 & 2024 LVC & Region 7 Champion
2024 Oakland County Champion
Track
2nd Place – 2025 Division 1 State 3200m
6th Place – 2024 Division 1 State 3200m
2023 & 2024 LVC & Region 9 3200m Champion
2024 LVC 1600m Champion
His Specialty
His toughness.
Oakland County folks know it well, the rugged Possum Hollow track, with its famed double hill in the final stages of the race. Many dread the course, Kyle has made it his home. And it’s a perfect encapsulation of his abilities as a runner. Over the past two years, Milford has raced seven times (at least on athletic.net, the LVC doesn’t always put meets on there and I don’t blame them) on the hallowed grounds, and Kyle has usually thrown out an impressive performance.
Following a freshman spring where he established himself as one of the better runners in the ’26 class, Kyle spent his first two meets lowering his course PR (16:49). He shaved nearly 50 sec. off by his 2nd meet, a typically hot affair at Averill, earning wins in both races. At Oakland County, he was 2nd behind Solomon Kwartowitz, then redeemed himself with a win in Region 7.
As a junior, he was able to lower things even further, breaking 16:00 at Averill, then ripping a 15:47 for an Oakland County win. Only two notable losses on the course over two years, a record that goes hand in hand with what he’s accomplished on less gruesome layouts. Two All-State finishes, including a 3rd place finish in 2024. A personal best of 15:02. Back-to-back wins in both conference and regional meets.
2025 will feature a strong diet of possum and Kyle will be stronger for it.
Michigan XC Speed Ratings 