Author: mixcspeedratings

Top Tens

50 Tickets

Regional Previews

The Past Three Years

2021

Team Champions – MIAC, Region 36
3rd Place – D4 State

2020

Team Champions – MIAC
2^nd Place – Pre-Region 52
2^nd Place – Region 26
24^th Place – D3 State

2019

4^th Place – MIAC
6^th Place – Region 36

Anything in Track?

4×800

9:59

1^st Place – Region 38
6^th Place – Oakland County (against all them D1 schools, mind you)
1^st Place – D4 State

Mackenzie Lemke

5:17/11:17

1^st Place – Region 38 3200m
2^nd Place – Region 38 1600m
2^nd Place – MIAC 1600m
6^th Place – D4 State 3200m

Madeleine Barge

2:32/5:37

2^nd Place – Region 38 800m
4^th Place – Region 38 1600m
3^rd Place – MIAC 1600m
13^th Place – D4 State 1600m

Abby Rice

63.2/2:20

3^rd Place – Region 38 400m
4^th Place – Region 38 800m
1^st Place – MIAC 800m
12^th Place – D4 State 800m

Julia Troxell

2:33/6:09/14:15

3^rd Place – Region 38 800m
3^rd Place – MIAC 800m
24^th Place – D4 State 800m

Kendall Zaliwski

66.1

4^th Place – Region 38 400m
6^th Place – MIAC  400m

Emma Burrell

57.4 (300h)/4’10 (HJ)

1^st Place – Region 38 HJ
2^nd Place – MIAC HJ
8^th Place – MIAC 300h
25^th Place – D4 State HJ

The Past Three Years

2021

Team Champions – CMAC
12^th Place – Greater Lansing
3^rd Place – Region 24
10^th Place – D3 State

2020

Team Champions – CMAC, Pre-Region 47
2^nd Place – Greater Lansing (Division 3)
3^rd Place – Region 24
6^th Place – D3 State

2019

Team Champions – CMAC, Region 24
3^rd Place – Greater Lansing
5^th Place – D3 State

Anything in Track?

4×800

9:44

1^st Place – Region 29
1^st Place – CMAC
3^rd Place – D3 State

Whitney Werner

2:19/5:15/11:29

1^st Place – Region 29 800m
2^nd Place – CMAC 1600m
6^th Place – D3 800m

Ella Kowatch

62.9/2:26

6^th Place – CMAC 400m

Abby Arens

2:28/5:45

4^th Place – Region 29 800m
3^rd Place – CMAC 800m

Hayden Hengesbach

2:50/5:53

6^th Place – Region 29 1600m
5^th Place – CMAC 1600m

Emma Wittenbach

5:57/12:42

4^th Place – Region 29 3200m
2^nd Place – CMAC 3200m

Melanie Werner

2:59/6:04/12:56

5^th Place – Region 29 3200m
3^rd Place – CMAC 3200m

Isabell Helman

2:37

6^th Place – Region 29 800m
4^th Place – CMAC 800m

The Past Three Years

2021

Team Champions – Wolverine Conference, Region 12
5^th Place – D2 State

2020

Team Champions – Wolverine Conference, Pre-Region 25
2^nd Place – Region 13
5^th Place – D2 State

2019

Team Champions – Wolverine Conference, Region 12
3^rd Place – D2 State

Anything in Track?

4×800

9:59

1^st Place – Wolverine
1^st Place – Region 14
12^th Place – D2 State

Megan Germain

5:09/11:15

1^st Place – Wolverine 3200m
2^nd Place – Wolverine 1600m
1^st Place – Region 14 1600/3200m
9^th Place – D2 State 3200m
10^th Place – D2 State 1600m

Logan Brazee

5:27

4^th Place – Wolverine 1600m
3^rd Place – Region 14 1600m

Taylor Mitchell

2:32/5:30

3^rd Place – Wolverine 1600m
4^th Place – Wolverine 800m
4^th Place – Region 14 1600m
6^th Place – Region 14 800m

Taylor Klimp

2:48/6:07

Brooklyn Badders

13:52

The Past Three Years

2021

Team Champions – OAA Red, Oakland County, Region 9
8^th Place – D1 State

2020

5^th Place – OAA Red
9^th Place – Oakland County
4^th Place – Pre-Region 14
8^th Place – Region 7

2019

4^th Place – OAA Red
10^th Place – Oakland County
4^th Place – Region 9

Anything in Track?

4×800

10:06

3^rd Place – OAA Red/White
3^rd Place – Region 9

Mallory Bigelow

2:33/5:18/11:13

2^nd Place – OAA Red/White 1600/3200m
3^rd Place – Region 9 1600m

Braydee Elling

2:30/5:23

4^th Place – OAA Red/White 800/1600m
4^th Place – Region 9 1600m
5^th Place – Region 9 800m

Taylor Brodeur

17.4 (100h)/48.8 (300h)/7’6 (PV)

6^th Place – OAA Red/White 300h
4^th Place – Region 9 300h
2^nd Place – 9^th Grade Oakland County 300h
5^th Place – 9^th Grade Oakland County 100h
4^th Place – 9^th Grade Oakland County PV

Natalie Bales

66.1/2:45

Addison Lester

27.4/63.0/2:39

4^th Place – OAA Red/White 200m

50 Tickets

Regional Previews

Top Tens

• She does it – softball, academics, volleyball, running
• How she balances it all is astounding, but I guess not surprising when you look at her results throughout the years
• You can check athletic.net, you can check these ratings, Mary just doesn’t have an “off” race
  • Even her slower times are wins (18:55 – Saginaw County Champ, 18:40 – Region 15 Champ)
  • Her faster times tend to come in championship races, her 17:56 in cross matched her season best, her 4:57 in track was her first foray into the 4’s
• Even with the steadiness, she’s seen improvement within
  • On the track, she broke 11:00 and 5:00 for the first times this spring
  • In the 2021 fall, she was sub-18 for the first time and improved her place at State from 4^th to 2^nd
• A State title is looming, but the absence of that shouldn’t ignore the various other captured titles, she’s wrested numerous County, Area, League, and Regional crowns from the hands of others
• Mary has mastered all the necessary attributes needed in this sport – consistency, speed, how to handle pressure, but most importantly, a love for her fellow runners

Grade	Name	Time	Rating	Meet	Course	Date
10	Mary Richmond	19:09.3	152.9	Birch Run Early	Taymouth Township Park	26-Aug
10	Mary Richmond	18:33.9	152.4	Pete Moss	Benzie Central HS	28-Aug
10	Mary Richmond	18:27.2	151.9	Marauder	Uncle John’s	8-Sep
10	Mary Richmond	18:09.6	152.5	Northwood	Fisher Trails	11-Sep
10	Mary Richmond	18:58.4	149.9	TVC 8	Freeland	15-Sep
10	Mary Richmond	18:36.5	157.8	Spartan	Forest Akers	17-Sep
10	Mary Richmond	18:26.9	151.4	TVC 8 2	Delta College	28-Sep
10	Mary Richmond	17:56.0	160.3	Bluejay	Shepherd HS	2-Oct
10	Mary Richmond	18:40.9	148.4	Birch Run Fall	Taymouth Township Park	5-Oct
10	Mary Richmond	18:09.9	159.4	Greater Flint	Cummings Center	9-Oct
10	Mary Richmond	18:32.0	145	TVC 8 3	Roberts Park	12-Oct
10	Mary Richmond	18:23.3	152.6	TVC Overall	Taymouth Township Park	19-Oct
10	Mary Richmond	18:55.6	143.1	Saginaw County	Freeland	23-Oct
10	Mary Richmond	18:40.2	145.3	15 Shepherd	Shepherd HS	29-Oct
10	Mary Richmond	17:56.0	158	D2 State	MIS	6-Nov
10	Mary Richmond	18:09.0	154.7	MMOC	Shepherd HS	13-Nov

Grade	Name	Rating	Meet	Course	Date
9	Mary Richmond	140.3	Pete Moss	Benzie Central HS	28-Aug
9	Mary Richmond	150.4	FPC Quad	Freeland HS	12-Sep
9	Mary Richmond	152.8	TVC John Glenn	Bay City John Glenn	15-Sep
9	Mary Richmond	156.8	Frankenmuth Eagles	Rittmueller MS	24-Sep
9	Mary Richmond	157.7	TVC Jamboree 2	Rittmueller MS	29-Sep
9	Mary Richmond	153.2	Shepherd Bluejay	Shepherd HS	3-Oct
9	Mary Richmond	146.5	Greater Flint	Cummings Center	10-Oct
9	Mary Richmond	147.5	TVC 3	Taymouth Twp. Park	13-Oct
9	Mary Richmond	143.9	PR 30	Freeland XC Course	24-Oct
9	Mary Richmond	148.1	D2 Reg 15	Shepherd HS	30-Oct
9	Mary Richmond	152.3	D2 State	MIS	6-Nov

• Just as Mary above, since entering high school, Connell has exuded excellence
• He jumped right on that 16:00 mark, crashing through with a 15:53 at Otsego’s Bulldog Elite
  • He matched that time once more as a freshman, but truly began to make his home there as a sophomore
• This past fall, four of his ten races were of the 15 min. variety and three more just barely above 16:00
• Enough about time though, he’s won his fair share too – Coaching Legends in the fall, Region 16 and SEC White’s 3200m in the spring
• And as the top returner on one of the top teams in Division 2, that combination of times and victories will be well-needed as the Bulldogs attempt to fend off many great teams

Grade	Name	Time	Rating	Meet	Course	Date
10	Connell Alford	16:23.8	205.4	A2 Fall Preview	Huron Meadows	26-Aug
10	Connell Alford	15:59.8	206.4	SEC 1	Hudson Mills (South)	14-Sep
10	Connell Alford	16:05.4	206.2	Spartan	Forest Akers	17-Sep
10	Connell Alford	16:37.1	206.0	SEC White 2	Bennett Park	28-Sep
10	Connell Alford	15:54.1	204.0	Coaching Legends	Huron Meadows	2-Oct
10	Connell Alford	16:00.7	202.4	Portage	Portage West MS	9-Oct
10	Connell Alford	15:38.1	200.3	Gabriel Richard	Hudson Mills (South)	16-Oct
10	Connell Alford	16:00.6	199.5	SEC Championship	Hudson Mills (North)	21-Oct
10	Connell Alford	16:56.9	199.7	18 Lake Erie	Lake Erie	30-Oct
10	Connell Alford	15:42.6	203.1	D2 State	MIS	6-Nov

Grade	Name	Rating	Meet	Course	Date
9	Connell Alford	182.7	Adrian/Chelsea/Tecumseh Tri	Heritage Park (Adrian)	26-Aug
9	Connell Alford	188.6	Chelsea/Homer/Stockbridge	Stockbridge HS	28-Aug
9	Connell Alford	196.6	Chelsea/Pioneer	Pioneer HS	2-Sep
9	Connell Alford	196.9	Jackson	Sharp Park	19-Sep
9	Connell Alford	190.3	Chelsea/Dexter	Hudson Mills (North)	29-Sep
9	Connell Alford	201.5	Bulldog Elite	Otsego HS	3-Oct
9	Connell Alford	187.6	PR 35	Heritage Park (Adrian)	24-Oct
9	Connell Alford	192.6	D2 Reg 18	Lake Erie	31-Oct
9	Connell Alford	198.9	D2 State	MIS	6-Nov

Where: Allendale HS

Primarily flat with a few bumps in the back section. Wide open, solid footing, easy for spectators. A waterlogged mess for everyone else, last year’s regionals ran fast in comparison. Expect some personal bests as Grand Rapids area athletes are known to do as the season ends. Thank you to the Allendale folks for hosting many regionals. Easier for state officials, easier for me, just copy/pasting what I previously wrote.

2021 Boys: Grand Rapids Christian (4^th), Spring Lake (24^th), Allendale (20^th)

2021 Girls: Grand Rapids Christian (2^nd), Spring Lake (6^th), Allendale (15^th)

There have been a few changes to this Allendale regional, a bit more subtle compared to other areas of the state. Holland moves down from Division 1 and they bring Holland Christian along with them, both teams containing solid outfits in both genders. Out are the two Muskegon schools, moving north, and West Catholic, entering the Division 3 realm. Also moving in are Zeeland East and Hamilton, an additional two solid squads.

With all this solidity, the quality is deep and teams that might normally make it to face another week will be under pressure to perform. At the highest levels of the sport in our country, you need to perform on that day, whether it’s the Marathon Trials on the roads or the Olympic Trials on the track. No seven game series, no consolation bracket, just one day.

Whereas the girls side appears set, the boys have two spots available from what looks to be four teams. Grand Rapids Christian loses two from their 4^th place outfit, Tinsae and Ben were reliably low sticks. However, behind them are a host of young thinclads ready to burst to the forefront.

The Maroons from Holland Christian are a favorite to advance, appearing to have the best 3^rd-7^th runners of the rest of the pack. That characteristic will be heightened if they’re available to make it to the Speedway.

With the talented runners from GR Christian and Holland Christian filling up the middle of the pack, the next team will need to place runners ahead of that massive grouping. Take your pick, for Holland, is it guys such as Noah Lambers and Dylan Chmura ahead of the field? Hamilton’s Josh Langeland channeling his regional form from 12 months prior? Or does Kilian Whalen afford enough of a gap towards the front?

Top 25 Boys Teams: Grand Rapids Christian (5^th), Holland Christian (13^th), Allendale (15^th), Hamilton (21^st), Holland (24^th)

Top 25 Girls Teams: Grand Rapids Christian (Top 4), Spring Lake (7^th), Zeeland East (14^th), Holland (23^rd)

Here, I’m writing at least a little anecdote about kids that are in the top-15 but aren’t freshman (Lilah, Alina), in the 50 Tickets (Alison, Kilian, Natalie, Reuben), or on Top 10 teams (Grand Rapids Christian with one post done and another coming, don’t forget Spring Lake). Want to spread love but also not overwork myself. All in all, my estimation is through all these previews, I’ll be writing at least a sentence about 1000+ kids. If there’s an error in here, let me know.

Adrian Castillo, Holland: Time-wise, Adrian has been fairly consistent throughout his career. Each of the past three seasons, he’s been below 17:00 at his best. The striking difference between his junior year and the other two? A State Finals appearance, cherished after two years of missing out.

Gavin Wiersma, Zeeland East: Perhaps the greatest evidence of Gavin’s progress was the meets in which he competed. In 2020, his championship season ended at Pre-Regionals. This past fall, through Regionals and onto State.

Max VanHuis, Hamilton: Blazed through last year’s Otsego regional, hitting the line in 7^th, five places ahead of his projection. That 16:23 was a 30+ seconds quicker than his sophomore best.

Jeb Hillary, Grand Rapids Catholic Central: Popped a sub-17 in the middle of last season, but kicked it up a notch during track. His 4:36 in the 1600m ranked 12^th amongst all Lower Peninsula freshmen.

Abatu Dykstra, Hamilton: As with Jeb, the young freshman Abatu slipped under 17:00. For the spring, he concentrated more on the 2-lapper, reaching 7^th place in the OK Blue.

Nick Riemersma, Zeeland East: Many tools in the toolshed for Nick. As XC endurance athlete, he’s been sub-17:00. Surprisingly, this hasn’t zapped his power, as he hit new lows in the 400m (51.4) and heights in the high jump (6’0”).

Ian Richthammer, Grand Rapids Catholic Central: Toward the close of his freshman fall, Ian had found his way into the mid-18’s. A year later, he began there, then progressed to the mid-17’s. What’s next, the mid-16’s? Whatever he’s doing, it’s working.

Aidan Brinks, Holland Christian: Holland Christian is a sleeper to gravitate towards that top-10 and higher. It’s always a big help when you have youngsters such as Aidan come in and find success, especially in championship meets. Aidan brought his game to the OK Blue Conference Meet, placing 8^th with a massive personal best.

Emily Tomes, Grand Rapids Catholic Central: In two short years, Emily has managed to finish top-10 twice at Regionals, top-5 twice in the OK Green, and had the most shocking performance of the 2020 State Meet, where she placed 9^th in the entirety of Division 2.

Emma Margaron, Holland: Rookie season contained an October full of races that were sub-21 and a top-5 placing in the OK Green.

Alyssa Butterfield, Allendale: Has a penchant for racing her best in the closing stages of the season. Resulting from that quickened state has been an OK Blue title and a 2^nd place finish.

Trina Farris, Hamilton: Her XC season was cut short, so she went and saved her big-time performances for track. Third place in the OK Blue 3200m was her best conference final at that distance.