Where: Bangor HS
No course map, hardly much history. Looking back over the past few years, there have been a couple meets a year held here. Many of them are of the SW10 variety, small jamborees that I haven’t rated. The others are the Bangor Invite, held in late September. The rating at the 2021 Bangor Invite was +11. With another month left going towards Regionals, I’ll assume this course runs fast. A look at the terrain on Google Maps shows nothing in the way of hills. I did start checking out Bangor’s downtown, which is bigger than what I had imagined. On the outskirts of downtown sits this colorful caboose:
Maybe if you win, you can take a pic with the trophy in front of the caboose.
2021 Boys: Coloma (19th), Saugatuck (8th), Constantine (26th)
2021 Girls: Bridgman (18th), Buchanan (22nd), Schoolcraft (27th)
This SW Michigan is a cradle of former champions. Saugatuck has captured four in the past decade, spanning both the Division 3 and 4 ranks. Bridgman’s girls captured my heart on their path to a 2019 victory, and I swore Kalamazoo Christian had won one – apparently my long-term memory is lacking, they’ve finished 2nd the past two years. Either way, all three teams are here in Division 3, hoping to make that same magic.
Top 25 Boys Teams: Kalamazoo Christian (12th), Bridgman (21st)
Top 25 Girls Teams: Kalamazoo Christian (12th), Schoolcraft (22nd)
Just a little rundown of those in the top-15 that haven’t been mentioned in the 50 Tickets (Mr. Winter), the Top Tens, and aren’t freshmen (you’ll get your day, Alina). Many of these are just scouring athleticnet (note – if you have a kid you want to brag about, reach out, tell me their story), but it’s more attention paid than many publications, it helps me learn names, and most of all – GETS ATTENTION TOWARDS KIDS THAT DESERVE IT.
Boden Genovese, Coloma: Dropped a sub-18 in his third HS race, hasn’t looked back since. Placed 63rd at MIS as a freshman, halved that as a sophomore, can he half that one more time en route to an All-State finish?
Jaden Barnes, Bloomingdale: Made his presence known in early October with a 16:25 at Otsego, a month later, he grabbed his first All-State. One of what I assume to be many.
Ethan Glick, Constantine: Was a 3200m workhorse this past spring, qualifying for State and hitting a 10:13 at one point.
Isaac Bogard, Kalamazoo Christian: Snuck under 17:00 in his All-State run last year. Can he repeat the feat in a higher division?
Joe Stocchiero, Bloomingdale: It’s been a career full of great gains. 19:57 as a freshman to 17:09 as a junior. 2021 contained his first individual qualifier, he took advantage of that the following week with a 40th place finish.
John Sanderson, Bridgman: Has placed top-10 here each of the past two years and appears well-positioned to make it a third.
Charlie Stormer, Saugatuck: During the 2021 track season, he only had one 3200m race that was sub-12. A year later, four of his final six races were sub-11.
Logan Weis, Centreville: Tendency to bring it late in the season. Sub-18 at Regionals in cross, sub-5 and sub-11 late in track.
Nick Mitchell, Kalamazoo Christian: Top-5 in each of his past two races at this stage. Division 3 now compared to Division 4, but still in the running to attain that feat based on his high-17’s from 2021.
Andrew Mabry, Bridgman: Established a firm footing in the long sprints/mid-D during track. 54.4 opener in the 400m, 2:16 closer in the 800m.
Eddy Granados, Coloma: Freshman year contained it all: State appearance, quick times, and establishing himself as one of the better up and coming runners in Berrien County.
Kendra Koster, Lawton: Sickness derailed her chance at glory last fall, the correct amount of cautiousness regarding injury did the same this spring. The lack of State-level medals shouldn’t take away from the tremendous progress she made in her sophomore season. Ran in the low-19’s for much of the year, then 5:19/11:27 in track. As good a candidate as any for ANOTHER breakout.
Autumn Major, Centreville: After a year hiatus, Autumn was back at it again in 2021, still running in the 20’s, but this time qualifying for State.
Madeline Young, Buchanan: Freshman piled up BCS Conference trophies this past year. One in cross, two on the track.
Alaina Klooster, Kalamazoo Christian: By November, Alaina was the quickest girl on a Kalamazoo Christian crew that finished 2nd at D4 State.
Camryn Brown, Coloma: No more Ava Genovese? No problem, as Camryn has showed she’s more than ready to step into Coloma’s top role. Hit a 12 second personal best in the 3200m this spring.
Lydia Kruis, Comstock: Junior year contained a massive PB and her third consecutive top-10 here in Region 22.
Angel Miller, Parchment: Track season showed signs of potential, where she reached 5:44 in the 1600m.
Caley Kerwin, Schoolcraft: First time State qualifier as a junior! Caley took advantage of that opportunity, wasn’t just happy to make it, and proved she belonged with a sub-21 in Brooklyn.
Aubrey Herder, Kalamazoo Christian: Two consecutive top-5 finishes in the SAC and at Regionals. Can she keep the streak alive?
Annika Sytsma, Kalamazoo Christian: Has made little bits of progress in each year. As a junior, ran her fastest at State, and as a result, had her best placing.
Ariana Pillot, Schoolcraft: Freshman year had some ups and downs, but Ariana ended it on a high note, with 3rd place finishes in the 800m & 1600m at the SAC Championship.
Clara Fast, Bridgman: Steady forward progress as always from this one. Got down under 21:00 towards the end of the fall, broke 6:00 and 13:00 this spring. Signs of more improvements to come.
