SUMMER PREVIEW
Last Year
Summer
Mid-Season
Final Projections
The Result
Boys
- Buchanan (18th in D3)
- Olivet (20th)
- Union City (26th)
Girls
- Buchanan (18th)
- Bridgman (24th)
- Schoolcraft (26th)
2023’s Summer Preview was spot on for boys, and I’ll just extend my apologies to Bridgman’s Bees. They’re probably running dunes and satisfied where they were in Region 34 so who knows if they’ll read this.
Top 27 Teams
Boys
Top Ten – Saugatuck
#18 – Buchanan
#20 – Union City
Girls
#17 – Buchanan
#21 – Saugatuck
#26 – Union City
Projected Scores
Boys
| Place | Team | Projected Score |
| 1 | Saugatuck | 42 |
| 2 | Buchanan | 78 |
| 3 | Union City | 82 |
| 4 | Constantine | 124 |
| 5 | Schoolcraft | 165 |
| 6 | Bangor | 192 |
| 7 | Centreville | 192 |
| 8 | Bloomingdale | 236 |
| 9 | Watervliet | 239 |
| 10 | Hartford | 255 |
| 11 | Galesburg-Augusta | 281 |
| 12 | Kalamazoo Christian | 299 |
| 13 | Lawton | 385 |
| 14 | Coloma | 424 |
| 15 | Comstock | 425 |
| 16 | Niles Brandywine | 464 |
Girls
| Place | Team | Projected Score |
| 1 | Buchanan | 66 |
| 2 | Saugatuck | 80 |
| 3 | Union City | 96 |
| 4 | Schoolcraft | 102 |
| 5 | Niles Brandywine | 146 |
| 6 | Kalamazoo Christian | 153 |
| 7 | Fennville | 187 |
| 8 | Watervliet | 191 |
| 9 | Bangor | 252 |
| 10 | Centreville | 256 |
| 11 | Hartford | 278 |
| 12 | Constantine | 287 |
Top Runners
Boys
| Place | Grade | Name | Team |
| 1 | 12 | Daniel Mandujano | Watervliet |
| 2 | 11 | Ben Gautsche | Union City |
| 3 | 10 | Sawyer Monroe | Saugatuck |
| 4 | 10 | Marcus Silva | Saugatuck |
| 5 | 12 | Dante Pillot | Schoolcraft |
| 6 | 11 | Sammy Gamboa | Saugatuck |
| 7 | 11 | Alessandro Avila | Constantine |
| 8 | 9 | Will Hulin | Centreville |
| 9 | 11 | Liam McBeth | Buchanan |
| 10 | 12 | Robbie King | Constantine |
| 11 | 12 | Jason Shoop | Union City |
| 12 | 11 | Jack Sherwood | Buchanan |
| 13 | 10 | Grant Rehkopf | Saugatuck |
| 14 | 11 | Jacob Kuntz | Buchanan |
| 15 | 12 | Carter Stevens | Galesburg-Augusta |
| 16 | 11 | Brennan Nor | Saugatuck |
| 17 | 12 | Coy Weinberg | Buchanan |
| 18 | 12 | Tyler Caruso | Bangor |
| 19 | 9 | Jackson Bowman | Saugatuck |
| 20 | 10 | Cullen Decker | Union City |
| 21 | 11 | Austen Walden | Constantine |
| 22 | 12 | Cohen Burdick | Union City |
| 23 | 12 | Carlos Ruiz | Hartford |
| 24 | 12 | Zack Mitchell | Kalamazoo Christian |
| 25 | 10 | John Keser | Buchanan |
Career has taken him many places. From a 20+ min. opener in 2022, to a State Finals appearance later that year, to an All-State finish last November.
Youngster has closed each of the past two seasons with some scorchers. 2023’s sophomore version had three straight 16:xx’s.
9th grade year got better and better and better before it ended up on an All-State finish in D4. The Trailblazers move up a division, but I’m sure that experience will be helpful.
Another young Saugatuck star, Marcus’s 10:12 from the 3200m ranked 40th amongst all of Michigan’s freshmen.
Has grown from a kid that never dipped under 19:00 as a freshman to one that’s been in the 17’s and top-10 here each of the past two years.
Hard to believe he’s now an elder statesman on this Trailblazer team. Moved from the 18’s as a freshman to 16:59 in his sophomore campaign.
Girls
| Place | Grade | Name | Team |
| 1 | 10 | Isabelle Sliter | Fennville |
| 2 | 12 | Alaina Klooster | Kalamazoo Christian |
| 3 | 10 | Lyvia Curtis | Saugatuck |
| 4 | 10 | Kamryn Sixberry | Saugatuck |
| 5 | 10 | Alli Gautsche | Union City |
| 6 | 12 | Ariana Pillot | Schoolcraft |
| 7 | 12 | Madeline Young | Buchanan |
| 8 | 12 | Emma Miller | Buchanan |
| 9 | 11 | Alina Martinson | Saugatuck |
| 10 | 9 | Olivia Bays | Schoolcraft |
| 11 | 12 | Skyler Fraley | Union City |
| 12 | 11 | Samantha Giles | Fennville |
| 13 | 11 | Alaina Nagel | Buchanan |
| 14 | 12 | Kimberly Romero | Watervliet |
| 15 | 9 | McKenzie Hawks | Union City |
| 16 | 12 | Leilani Schoonmaker | Saugatuck |
| 17 | 9 | Alyda Leep | Schoolcraft |
| 18 | 11 | Ellie Reed | Centreville |
| 19 | 9 | Avery Mollberg | Buchanan |
| 20 | 10 | Hadley Camp | Lawton |
| 21 | 12 | Alayah Nieuwsma | Saugatuck |
| 22 | 9 | Payton Yeske | Watervliet |
| 23 | 11 | Adyson Baker | Buchanan |
| 24 | 12 | Christina Mendoza | Fennville |
| 25 | 12 | Alissa Skirka | Union City |
Moves over from Region 21 and has a good chance of being a favorite here. Ran in the 19’s for 7 of her final 8 races, then blasted a 5:22 1600m to place 13th in D3. Finished the spring as the #6 1600m girl in D3.
Has gotten it done all three of her seasons at this regional, placing anywhere from 2nd to 6th. In all three years, her season best has been between 19:50 and 20:10 and I see no signs of that changing.
Not just the first-year boys who were experiencing good vibes and great times. Lyvia was a sub-21 figure for 8 of her final 9 races. Then proved to be even more of a championship racer during track, moving from 12:40 to 12:12 to place 17th at D4 State.
And it ain’t just one 9th grade girl! Kam was under 21:00 on a few occasions as well, getting as low as 20:23.
Remarkably consistent in her first high school year, moving slowly from the 21’s to a 20:04 finish.
Region 24’s 1600m champion. Big-time PR of 5:36, her first track individual qualifier ever.
Three times a top-10 finisher in regional races and is coming off her best 1600m season to date, running a 5:39.
Comeback story of 2023. After placing 9th here as a freshman and top-100 in D3, missed much of the 2022 season. Emma came back and crushed this Portage course, setting a PR in early October and winning here in Region 22.
Michigan XC Speed Ratings 