Author: mixcspeedratings

SUMMER PREVIEW

Accomplishments & Accolades

• 5^th Place – Division 3 State (XC)
• 2x All-State (XC)
• Region 21 Champion (XC)
• CSAA Conference Champion (XC)
• 7^th Place – Division 3 State 3200m
• CSAA 1600/3200m Champion



Ratings Throughout the Years

Grade	Name	Time	Team	Rating	Meet	Date
10	Lila Volkers	19:10.9	Kent City	138.4	Under the Lights v2	26-Aug
10	Lila Volkers	19:11.2	Kent City	142.3	Central Moncalm Hornet	10-Sep
10	Lila Volkers	18:28.7	Kent City	151.4	Sparta	17-Sep
10	Lila Volkers	18:38.0	Kent City	146.3	CSAA (Morley Stanwood)	22-Sep
10	Lila Volkers	18:30.0	Kent City	145.7	Bluejay	1-Oct
10	Lila Volkers	18:58.9	Kent City	148.4	CSAA Lakeview	4-Oct
10	Lila Volkers	18:12.5	Kent City	152.2	Portage	8-Oct
10	Lila Volkers	18:53.7	Kent City	146.1	CSAA Conference	18-Oct
10	Lila Volkers	18:03.1	Kent City	157.0	Region 21	29-Oct
10	Lila Volkers	18:30.8	Kent City	150.7	Division 3 State	5-Nov
10	Lila Volkers	18:16.6	Kent City	145.8	MITCA	12-Nov
Grade	Name	Time	Team	Rating	Meet	Date
9	Lila Volkers	19:35.1	Kent City	136.0	CM Hornet	11-Sep
9	Lila Volkers	19:29.9	Kent City	124.0	Sparta	18-Sep
9	Lila Volkers	18:57.0	Kent City	140.0	Bluejay	2-Oct
9	Lila Volkers	18:59.6	Kent City	144.1	Portage	9-Oct
9	Lila Volkers	19:10.9	Kent City	147.0	Kent Ottawa	16-Oct
9	Lila Volkers	18:47.7	Kent City	135.4	Region 21	30-Oct
9	Lila Volkers	18:54.6	Kent City	133.8	Division 3 State	6-Nov
9	Lila Volkers	19:07.1	Kent City	135.3	MITCA	13-Nov

The Rundown

Way back as a freshman, it took a bit of time for her to get adjusted. But ever since that point, it’s been game on. Lila’s late season run back in 2021 was a major factor behind Kent City’s surge towards 2^nd in the State. She blasted an 18:57 at Shepherd, placed 2^nd in a series of championship meets, before closing with a 14^th place finish. Her 2022 followed a similar trajectory, perhaps even more aggressively, with all but one of her final 10 races being of the sub-19 variety. She etched her name in Kent City lore with an 18:03 and a win over in Region 21, then repeated her same clutch performance with a 5^th place at MIS. There are some ringers in Division 3, but Lila has shown time and time again that she’s unafraid of any moment.

Last Year

SUMMER
MID-SEASON
FINAL PROJECTIONS
THE RESULT

Girls

1. Otsego (State Champions)
2. St. Joseph (4^th)
3. Vicksburg (23^rd)

Boys

1. Otsego (6^th)
2. St. Joseph (23^rd)
3. Plainwell (24^th)

Top 27 Teams

Previous years had top-25 teams, but there’s 27 (and sometimes more) team qualifiers and what does it hurt to add another two?

Girls

Otsego (Top 4), St. Joseph (Top 4), Stevensville Lakeshore (24^th)

Boys

Otsego (13^th)

(If your team isn’t listed in the images above or the scores below, you probably don’t have five returners, at least on ol’ athletic.net. I’m sure many of these teams will fill out their rosters by late October)

Projected Scores

Place	Girls Team	Score
1	Otsego	25
2	St. Joseph	47
3	Stevensville Lakeshore	109
4	Sturgis	144
5	Three Rivers	162
6	Plainwell	179
7	Vicksburg	180
8	Paw Paw	184
9	Coldwater	240
10	Niles	284
11	Edwardsburg	295
12	Berrien Springs	324

Place	Boys Team	Score
1	Otsego	45
2	Plainwell	102
3	St. Joseph	114
4	Vicksburg	118
5	Niles	144
6	Paw Paw	145
7	Edwardsburg	156
8	Three Rivers	191
9	Sturgis	220
10	Berrien Springs	286
11	Allegan	308
12	Stevensville Lakeshore	347
13	Coldwater	379
14	Dowagiac Union	384
15	South Haven	396

Top Runners

Thought I’d give a review of some of the top returners in each region. Returners means no incoming freshman (you’ll get your days in the sun). If you’re on a top team or in the 50 Tickets and you’re projected highly here, you hit the jackpot! Yes, I’m writing a bit less than previous years, but I think I’ve learned my lesson in that I need to conserve energy and brainpower for all divisions and regions. Typically by August, I’m rushing to get these done. This time around, hopefully all regions get the same amount of coverage.

Elena Figueroa, St. Joseph

16^th place at Region 3 as a freshman, then 16^th place at Division 2 STATE as a sophomore. Elena may have run in the 18’s both years, but closed her sophomore year in a much better place.

Megan Germain, Otsego

Has alternated between Regions 12 & 13, but the results are all the same – top-10’s in all three years.

Gail Vaikutis, St. Joseph

On top of her excellent performance at Cougar Falcon, Gail was just a reliable figure come late season. Sub-19’s at the SMAC, Region 13, and Division 2 State. She won the SMAC, placed 3^rd in the Region, and 12^th in the State.

Emma Hoffman, Otsego

There were a few precursors to that State Finals appearance. One was an 18:34 at Cougar Falcon, assertively finding her way into the 18’s. Another one at Portage, an 18:40. And the final, a regional championship.

Logan Brazee, Otsego

More like Logan Blazee. Blazed her way into six sub-19’s, the most important of which was likely her 18:43 and 7^th place finish at Division Two State.

Taylor Mitchell, Otsego

As with many of these Otsego girls, broke into the 18’s at the most opportune time. Cougar Falcon, here at Portage, then a tough 18:57 to finish 14^th in Division 2.

Berkley Holtz, Sturgis

Unafraid of the stage, she had great runs to close her 9^th grade track season. First, a sixth place finish up at FHE for Division 2 State, then a personal best two weeks later at Franklin Field.

Caleb Wesseldyk, Otsego

Fairly stunning the change between his 9^th and 10^th grade years. Let’s put it in this light – as a freshman, he was a respective 134^th at MIS, as a sophomore a very respectable 34^th.

Kenny Sheffer, Otsego

Closed his track season with some of the better work of his freshman year. His 10:01 at Distance Night ranked 8^th across all Division 2’s freshmen.

Aiden Kruger, Niles

Well equipped to roll at this Portage course, having run his personal best (16:40) here back in October. By the way, that 16:40 was a full 80 seconds faster than what he ran as a sophomore.

Owen Saylor, Dowagiac Union

I’m not sure what occurred over the winter, but it worked. Went from a mid-17 kid to one that ripped a 4:30 at Distance Night and qualified for State in the 800m.

THE SUMMER PREVIEW





2022 Results

Meet	Division	Place
Red Devil	Small	3rd of 7
Inland Lakes		1st of 6
Harbor Springs		2nd of 5
LMC Championship		3rd of 7
Northern Michigan	Small	3rd of 8
Region 28		3rd of 6
Division 4 State		9th of 27



Top Returners

Henry Kruzel

Began to shine late in his freshman year, picking up top-15’s and sub-18’s at both Northern Michigan and Region 28.

Logan Kihnke

Compare the one race between his sophomore and junior years. 21:36 to 18:47 at Charlevoix’s Mud Run. Maybe there was less mud on the course in 2022? Or maybe Logan was in much better shape. I’m going with the latter, evidenced by his 17:58 in early October.

Trevor Clarke

Harbor Springs changed divisions, moving from 3 to 4 in 2022. But against similar competition in the LMC, Trevor has moved up each year, from 38^th to 27^th to 19^th. Is a top-10 now in the cards? Coming off his first track season, perhaps…

Teddy Krieger

Based on his spring, a candidate for improvement. Slipped under 18:00 late in the fall, then ran a 10:47 during track, placing 5^th in the LMC.

Adam Ferguson

Dramatic drops were the theme in 2022, Adam going from a mid-19 opener at East Jordan to two months later, nearly sneaking into the 17’s.

Max Vroman

Super steady in the close of his 9^th grade year, almost always in the low-19’s, regardless of course.

Potential Newcomers

Aaron Baughman

Only two races dot his 8^th grade resume, but both were near the 13-flat mark.