Yes, all those accomplishments and times are contained within one year. After running for the 2020-21 season in Illinois, Gail moved to St. Joseph, quietly training and sitting out the year before unleashing her speed upon us Michiganders. Almost immediately she made an impact, her 18:28 at Cougar Falcon cementing that Gail would be a presence in Division Two and St. Joseph a team that could place highly in the division. By the end of the year, she racked up impressive honors at all of the championship meets, then lowered her personal best at Lavern Gibson. During the spring, Gail was more concentrated on the mid-distances, perhaps most impressively the 800m, where she won league and regional titles, then contributed to an 11th place 4x800m (in a time that would’ve won D2, mind you). Once again, St. Joseph is quietly loaded and Gail will be a needed contributor.
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
Hart (7th), Reed City (9th)
Boys
Hart (Top 5), Benzie Central (14th), Remus Chippewa Hills (23rd)
(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
Hart
40
2
Benzie Central
75
3
Remus Chippewa Hills
106
4
McBain
136
5
Manistee
165
6
Mason County Central
191
7
Lakeview
198
8
Reed City
208
9
Lake City
217
10
Kingsley
218
11
Manton
244
12
Morley-Stanwood
254
Place
Boys Team
Score
1
Reed City
51
2
Hart
52
3
Manistee
135
4
Benzie Central
149
5
McBain
158
6
Lake City
184
7
Leroy Pine River
198
8
Remus Chippewa Hills
200
9
Hesperia
222
10
Kingsley
229
11
Manton
264
12
Morley-Stanwood
283
13
Mason County Central
315
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.
Since there will be much writing about Jessica (and Alyson next) to come, I figured I’d recite some regional stats. In her young career thus far, she’s run two of them. Both wins, both in Region 20, once at Benzie and once here. Her 17:43 at Benzie was the first sub-18 of her career, a mark she hit 10+ times last year.
Just as Jessie, has been dominant at this regional scene. She was the 2020 winner and has been 2nd twice. Having one low stick is a blessing, two is bountiful. More to be written later…
I promise you that summer road racing plays no role in these previews, but if it did, Mylie’s 18:26 at the Running Bear Run would portend well to the upcoming season. 2nd overall female, right there with a girl who will be running varsity on a D1 squad this fall.
Extremely accomplished in her three seasons thus far. Three All-States, three times top-10 here at Region 20. In terms of time, had her best close to the season yet, an 18:48 at Shepherd besting her previous record by 4 seconds.
Many accomplishments during her junior year – smashing through 20:00 for the first time (and then many more times), top-5 at Regionals, top-50 at State. Then in track, went on a late-season that nearly ended in a podium finish.
I mentioned earlier that he took the sophomore leap. That’s even more evident during track, where his 1:56, 4:21, and 9:50 were egregious PR’s. They all led to titles or honors of some sort – the 800m won the CSAA, the 3200m won Team State, and the 1600m nabbed an All-State.
I think the combination of the promise he showed in the early season (two 16:4x’s) plus the mile speed during later May will lead to a more fruitful championship season.
Has finished in the top-15 at Region 20 during all three of his high school seasons. The 8th spot last year was his best yet, followed up by a 31st at MIS, also his best.
Turned over a new leaf during the last three races of his sophomore season. A fourth place at Christian Comet was 10 spots and nearly a minute better than his promising freshman year. His state performance was an even greater improvement, nearly 80 seconds faster.
Had similar drops to Levi, only one year later. As a sophomore, he didn’t even compete in the MHSAA portion of the season. Come his 11th grade year, he was the #2 man, nearly busting through 17:00 at Allendale.
Each of the past two years, Luke has found his way into the 17’s. As a freshman, it was at Portage and as a sophomore, he set a personal best at Portage. Dude wasn’t satisfied with merely a 17:44, instead he knocked nearly 20 seconds off that time to place 16th at Region 21 and help his Chargers win the regional championship.
Amber ain’t the only Koole runnin’ in these parts. Grant slipped under 18:00 late in the year, then hit 10:38 in the 3200m, showing lower times are ready to be unleashed.
Portage is probably the biggest middle school meet of the season, placing highly there is a great indicator of high school impact. Graeson was 6th. Also, if you compare his 8:36 to runners from the previous year, you’ll find that those 8th graders in 2021 were mid-17 freshmen in 2022.
That Shepherd course may be flat, it may be fast, but we know it’s a legit two miles. So when Austin runs 11:33 there, thoughts start forming as to what he can do in high school.
