mixcspeedratings

The goal for this summer’s preview is to be a bit more thorough and coherent. Usually I’m rushed and racing to get out content before the season begins, but I swear this year will be different! I’m starting a little earlier, I already performed a ton of the dirty work over the winter, and am as motivated as ever.

Anyhow, the plan is this:

Write a bit about teams ranked 11-27, D4 through D1
Knock out the 50 Tickets
Have more detailed posts about the Top 10 Teams
Throw out the always controversial Regional Projections
Hopefully have one all-encompassing post for each division (including the UP, which typically starts a little later than us trolls, so they’ll get their own two-week period in late August)

Why rank to 27? Well, unless there’s a 4th place team that qualifies out of a regional, there are 27 teams that compete at the Lower Peninsula State Finals.

These projections are based on a combination of last season’s ratings, projected improvements, and this past track season. They contain kids that ran XC in 2025, either for their high school or a middle school that typically feeds to that high school. Projecting D4 is always a little rough because of the smaller enrollments. My estimation is that there’s more recruiting from within the school and multi-sport athletes compared to other divisions. As a result, these likely miss out on athletes that could have a huge impact.

As always, these are for fun and a way to keep the best sport in the world on your mind through these summer months.

27-11

27. Buchanan – John Keser had a huge end to his junior cross season, closing out October and November with many races in the low-16’s, including an All-State finish here in D3

26. Plymouth Christian Academy – a young team gets a year older. The Eagles graduate only two from their 12^th place squad in 2025 and will likely feature many underclassmen on this year’s squad.

25. Ann Arbor Greenhills – coming off a standout track season from their crew, especially Naveen Kulkarni, who was just on the cusp of breaking 10-flat.

24. Muskegon Western Mich. Christian – the Warriors will surely benefit from Owen Sytsema’s first track season, in which the junior was able to bust out a 4:43 in the 1600m at season’s end.

23. Hillsdale – the emergence of Bryce Youngman during track will give the Chargers a formidable 1-2, as the youngster threw down the 20^th fastest 3200m time for a Michigan freshman.

22. Midland Bullock Creek – in the span of one spring to the next, Marshall Brandt dropped from 2:12/4:53 to 2:03/4:23. Who’s to know what’s next, but that’s surely inspiring for the other Lancers out there.

21. Gladwin – the Flying G’s move from D2 to D3 this fall and they could find success through their depth. Four HS returners were at 18-flat or faster and four incoming freshmen were sub-12 in MS.

20. Pigeon-Laker – an experienced team that’s hoping to make a return to MIS from their 19^th place finish in 2024. Led by Evan Olson, who was runner-up in Region 25 last year.

19. Grand Rapids Covenant Christian – the Chargers consistently have some of the better numbers and more active MS programs in all of D3. This looks to pay off again in 2026, this time led by a strong top-3, all under 17:30 last fall.

18. Centreville – led by Will Hulin, but don’t lose sight of the young talent behind him. This past track season, the Bulldogs had two freshmen that were sub-11 in the 3200m.

17. Montague – will follow the footsteps of Nolan Kessler, who each year has shown a penchant for big-time racing at season’s end, dropping into the 16’s in his closing races in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.

16. Blissfield – led by one of the better top-two’s in the division with some fearsome depth behind. Michael Weidmayer was All-State both on the track and grass and Noah Sills dropped considerable time in the 3200m, 10:31 to 9:58 in one year.

15. The Potter’s House – could be one of the stronger squads through six runners of anyone in the division. The Pumas bring back five boys that were sub-18 or faster and their sixth fastest returner was a measly three seconds back at 18:03.

14. Rochester Hills Lutheran NW – Nole Lorenzen is the star of the show, but it’s kids such as Jack Songer that give the Crusaders this high of a ranking. Songer was sub-17 on three occasions last fall, including a 6^th place finish in the MIAC.

13. Erie Mason – an experienced outfit that should be solid through all five scoring spots, as the Eagles bring back five runners that were either sub-18 in cross or sub-11 in the 3200m during track.

12. Traverse City St. Francis – a year away from the spotlight to rebuild, the Glads have come roaring back. TCSF brings back all seven runners from last year’s state squad that finished 15^th. Filtering out seniors from that 2025 Final has the Gladiators finishing 7^th.

11. Holland Black River – Jonas Ballard has established himself as one of the better pure distance runners in D3, breaking 10 and placing top-15 in the division’s 3200m each of the past two springs.

scores are as if there was an XC meet between all D3 teams

Best Track Seasons

Muskegon Western Mich. Christian

800m: 4 returners sub-2:10
1600m: 4 returners sub-5:00
3200m: 3 returners sub-11:30

Centreville

800m: 3 returners sub-2:15
1600m: 3 returners sub-5:30
1600m: 3 returners sub-11:00

Blissfield

800m: 3 returners sub-2:20
1600m: 5 returners sub-5:05
3200m: 4 returners sub-11:00

2025 State Finals

7^th – Holland Black River
11^th – Ann Arbor Greenhills
12^th – Plymouth Christian Academy
14^th – Buchanan
15^th – Traverse City St. Francis
16^th – The Potter’s House
17^th – Midland Bullock Creek
19^th – Erie Mason
22^nd – Blissfield
27^th – Montague

DNQ – Rochester Hills Lutheran NW, Centreville, Grand Rapids Covenant Christian, Pigeon-Laker, Gladwin (D2), Hillsdale, Muskegon Western Mich. Christian

27-11

27. Harbor Beach – making the leap up from D4, where the Pirates narrowly missed a state qualifying spot in 2025. Senior Cailin Spearman had a breakthrough season and based on track, seems poised for more.

26. Pigeon-Laker – senior Pyper Braun leads the way, fresh off her third straight D3 Finals appearance in the 1600m.

25. Leslie – graduates Hailey Creisher, but the tradition of Blackhawks march on. Perhaps with a family member near the front?

24. Bronson – by last fall’s end, Alonna Goodsell had dropped a minute off her previous best. This past spring, she finished her first season running solely distance events, which will surely pay off come fall.

23. Buchanan – last season, Tala Carlin acquitted herself quite well to the high school level, placing 18^th at D3 State. Buchanan now brings in three freshmen girls capable of an impact, their middle school Bucks flaunting three girls that were sub-14 in MS cross.

22. Hanover-Horton – track season featured a tremendous drop for Maizey Totoff, 12 seconds in the 800m, good enough for a state qualifier and 13^th place finish. The two lapper isn’t necessarily the greatest comparison to XC, but you gotta imagine she’ll reach new levels soon.

21. Jonesville – it wasn’t just the Comet boys that experienced spring relay success. Jonesville’s girls 4×8 won Hillsdale County and placed 2^nd in the Cascades Conference, with that 4×8 comprised of three XC returners.

20. Sanford-Meridian – depth could extend further than most, with six Sanford-Meridian girls in the 22’s or faster in 2025.

19. Chesaning – the Chesaning MS girls are coming off a 3^rd place Zone 4 finish (against many bigger schools) and could provide a great lift for the HS program.

18. Harbor Springs – the Rams always have numbers and this year appears to be no different, with six returners that were sub-23 and three in the low-21’s or faster

17. Olivet – Tiya Feldpauch is the headliner and deservedly so, but don’t sleep on the two sophomores behind her. Lily Britton was an All-Stater in both the spring and fall, Madelynn Patterson

16. Saugatuck – three prominent returners headline the Trailblazer cause – Kamryn Sixberry (3^rd in Region 3), Lyvia Curtis (31^st at D3 State), and Ellyse Heyser (owner of a 11:51 in the 3200m).

15. Midland Bullock Creek – the Lancers have some freshmen who could fill in up front, but also many interchangeable depth pieces to ensure consistent finishes at the back. Four Bullock Creek returners were sub-22 at some point in 2025.

14. Grandville Calvin Christian – the Squires are gradually making a return to their past glory. 22^nd in D3 in 2024, 10^th this past fall, with a real chance of repeating 2025’s fortunes. Or even improving.

13. McBain – led at the front by Caelyn Torry, but also senior Madelyn Reinink, who busted through into the 19’s late in her junior season.

12. Kent City – the Eagles always find a way. This fall, it appears the path will be through a mix of depth (5 returners sub-21:45) and a low-stick (Elliana Max, the regional and CSAA White Champion).

11. Jackson Lumen Christi – the Titans will always rely on the savvy veteran Samantha Schroeder, the defending champion and contender again for the D3 crown. But the depth is intriguing, as LC seems like it could find 9 girls in the sub-22 range. If one or two break through, they’ll find themselves in the top-5 once again.

Best Track Seasons

Jonesville

800m: 6 returners sub-3:00
1600m: 4 returners sub-6:15
3200m: 3 returners sub-14:00

Sanford-Meridian

800m: 4 returners sub-3:00
1600m: 3 returners sub-6:05
3200m: 3 returners sub-13:45

Saugatuck

800m: 3 returners sub-2:40
1600m: 3 returners sub-5:40
3200m: 3 returners sub-12:05

2025 State Finals

3^rd – Saugatuck
4^th – Jackson Lumen Christi
7^th – McBain
9^th – Olivet
10^th – Grandville Calvin Christian
13^th – Kent City
20^th – Bronson
21^st – Harbor Springs
22^nd – Leslie

DNQ – Midland Bullock Creek, Chesaning, Sanford-Meridian, Jonesville, Hanover-Horton, Buchanan, Pigeon-Laker, Harbor Beach (D4)

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2026 Summer Preview: Division 4’s Top Teams (11-27)

June 25, 2026June 25, 2026 mixcspeedratings

Anyhow, the plan is this:

Write a bit about teams ranked 11-27, D4 through D1
Knock out the 50 Tickets
Have more detailed posts about the Top 10 Teams
Throw out the always controversial Regional Projections
Hopefully have one all-encompassing post for each division (including the UP, which typically starts a little later than us trolls, so they’ll get their own two-week period in late August)

Why rank to 27? Well, unless there’s a 4th place team that qualifies out of a regional, there are 27 teams that compete at the Lower Peninsula State Finals.

As always, these are for fun and a way to keep the best sport in the world on your mind through these summer months.

27 Thru 11

27. Manchester – returning Alec Dodak, fresh off a track season with PB’s in the 1600m and 3200m.

26. Central Lake / Ellsworth – Zander Chellis is their main guy, hitting in the 17’s in his final two races and placing 8^th in Region 28.

25. Novi Christian Academy – will look to gain points later in the race, as five of their returners were sub-20 in 2025.

24. Marine City Cardinal Mooney – the emergence of Xavier Zammit during track should give the Cardinals three formidable boys toward the front of races.

23. Martin – the Clippers have one of the more extensive rosters in D4, an advantage in terms of potential breakouts. But also that depth contains four returners who were well under 20:00 last fall.

22. East Jordan – a triumvirate of Red Devils should be at the forefront of many D4 races. Jayden Dunnebeck, Abraham Poel, and Ethan Sutton all finished in the top-8 of the Ski Valley, where East Jordan placed 2^nd.

21. Genesee Christian – these soldiers are young, with sophomores such as Gabe Schultz ascending through the sport, breaking into the 17’s for four of his final five races this past fall.

20. Beal City – their girls have the same story, an infusion of 9^th graders giving great potential. The Aggies could bring in two incoming freshmen that were sub-12 in 2025.

19. Bridgman – another outfit that might look to the youngsters, as the Bees’ MS squad won the Small School division at Zone 1 last year.

18. Fowler – deep and benefitting from an outstanding ’30 class. Last autumn, Fowler had five freshmen that were in the 19’s or below.

17. Royal Oak Shrine – Abenezer Cerone will be impossible to replace, though the Shrine Knights always seem to be a factor. Someone such as Will Bernacki can bridge the transition, as he ran his fastest race of the year (17:30) on Michigan’s biggest stage.

16. Buckley – the Harrand boys will lead the charge. Each gained valuable experience during their freshmen fall, qualifying for MIS with 12^th and 13^th place finishes in Region 29.

15. Michigan Lutheran Seminary – all five scorers from last fall’s state qualifying team return, including Amos Norder, coming off a track season displaying the talent to consistently run in the 16’s.

14. Ubly – last fall was a great introduction to HS running for outstanding freshmen Lucas Volmering and Weston Guza. This year they’ll attempt to lead their Bearcats to another MIS berth.

13. Gobles – in his final race of his fall, Cole Ringel got through into the 17’s. He carried that momentum into track, slipping under 5:00 late in the year. Ringel, along with Fletcher Amos, will be a solid top-two for the Tigers.

12. Sand Creek – the Aggies move here from D3 and the perennially tough Region 23. Opportunities abound, especially with returning three boys on the cusp of sub-18 or faster.

11. Mason County Eastern – likely have the fastest trio of the teams mentioned above. Led by Lance Niedzielski, who placed 23^rd in D4 last fall.

when I rank a division, I score it as if there was an XC meet containing every team

Best Track Seasons

Central Lake / Ellsworth

800m: 3 returners sub-2:20
1600m: 2 returners sub-5:15
3200m: 2 returners sub-11:30

Marine City Cardinal Mooney

1600m: 4 returners sub-5:30
3200m: 2 returners sub-10:50

Martin

800m: 2 returners sub-2:15
1600m: 3 returners sub-5:20

2025 State Finals

5^th – Royal Oak Shrine
14^th – Ubly
15^th – Gobles
16^th – Genesee Christian
23^rd – Michigan Lutheran Seminary

DNQ – Manchester, Central Lake / Ellsworth, Novi Christian Academy, Marine City Cardinal Mooney, Martin, East Jordan, Beal City, Bridgman, Fowler, Buckley, Sand Creek, Mason County Eastern

27 Thru 11

27. Central Lake / Ellsworth – return Lillian Coen, who placed 48^th in D4 in 2025.

26. Indian River Inland Lakes – led by Elizabeth and Josephine Furman, who both nabbed top-10 finishes in Region 28.

25. Michigan Lutheran Seminary – bring back five girls from last year’s squad that placed 20^th in D4.

24. Clarkston Everest Collegiate – 2x top-100 D4 finisher Allison Schmidt leads the way.

23. Bear Lake – Melodie Hulinek excelled in the long sprints this past spring and looks to bring that fire to cross, where she was on the cusp of the D4 podium.

22. Rogers City – three deep up front, with Reese Brege, Fennlynn Johnson, and Avery Langlois whom all placed in the top-11 in Region 28.

21. East Jordan – narrowly missed out on a State Finals berth last fall (to Rogers City). Potentially a squad with three girls up front.

20. Petoskey St. Michael – the reigning Region 28 champion, bringing back six of their top-seven girls. Veronica Paga is the prominent one, the defending regional champion.

19. Beal City – a youthful infusion could help, as the Aggies had two 8^th graders in the 13’s all of last year.

18. Ubly – depth is their strength, as the Bearcats had five girls in the 22’s or faster in 2025.

17. Bellaire – runner-up in 2025’s Region 28, the Eagles used track a stepping stone to greater things, placing 13^th in the D4 4×8.

16. Dansville – could benefit from some youngsters, as the middle school Aggies were 3^rd in Zone 5’s small school division.

15. Onekama – led by standout Callie Sinke, though the Portagers (great nickname!) have solid strength behind her, with Addy Zeller and Zakia Waggoner both placing in the top-50 at State last November.

14. Breckenridge – the Huskies have lost much talent over the past few years, but can always look to a girl such as Maizy Matthews for support, as she is the defending MSAC Champion.

13. Lansing Christian – upperclasswomen-laden squad, with five (now) juniors or seniors returning from their 12^th place outfit.

12. Bridgman – the Bees have an interesting combo of experienced depth + what could be an impactful freshman.

11. Martin – Veyda Conley is the standout name and low-stick. Beyond her, the Clippers have five girls that were sub-23 in 2025.

Best Track Seasons

Petoskey St. Michael

800m: 4 returners sub-3:00
1600m: 3 returners sub-6:00
3200m: 3 returners sub-14:30

Lansing Christian

800m: 3 returners sub-3:00
1600m: 4 returners sub-6:10
3200m: 4 returners sub-14:00

Bridgman

800m: 3 returners sub-3:00
1600m: 3 returners sub-6:15

2025 State Finals

9^th – Martin
10^th – Petoskey St. Michael
12^th – Lansing Christian
13^th – Ubly
14^th – Bellaire
18^th – Rogers City
21^st – Michigan Lutheran Seminary
22^nd – Breckenridge

24^th – Bridgman (D3)

DNQ – Central Lake / Ellsworth, Indian River Inland Lakes, Clarkston Everest Collegiate, Bear Lake, East Jordan, Beal City, Dansville, Onekama

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2026 Summer Preview: Darkhorses, Unknowns, and Fast Risers

June 24, 2026June 23, 2026 mixcspeedratings

Before I get started with the predictions, projections, 50 Tickets, and all that, I wanted to give some love and attention to those that I haven’t much focused on over the years. These are some of the kids who may never get mentioned during the season or summer. The athletes that started their career in the middle or back, then shown great progression. I don’t know their stories, all I know is they brought their running to a new level in the spring, and have a very good chance of smashing their PRs come fall. Here’s 40 boys and girls to watch in the coming season:

Gianna Burgos, Battle Creek Lakeview

20:26 to 2:22/5:13/12:05

Taylor Wills, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart

21:51 to 2:26/5:19/12:26

Emma Durling, Linden

21:13 to 2:29/5:20

Hazel Cherney, Spring Lake

20:55 to 2:21/5:21

Lydia DelPiero Clayton, Farmington

21:18 to 5:29/11:54

Khloe Lee, Plymouth

25:09 to 2:27/5:34/11:52