Time to get cracking on these regional previews. As with the 50 Tickets, these are a bit condensed compared to past years. I found the writing was getting excessive, repetitive, and more work than the actual season. But still, regional projections are in order. I thought I’d highlight a few of the battles, tough regions, and outstanding individuals.
Division 4’s summer work will always be a bit off. For a solid segment of the schools, especially the private ones, there isn’t a feeder school. With that, some schools are underrated as I can’t discern who is going where. A few deserving schools might not be listed as they operated with a few runners last year, lost some to graduation, but don’t have five returners. D4 coaches are perhaps the best at creatively replenishing their roster, but I can’t predict those additions from my perspective.
Anyhow, here are your D4 Girls predictions. Similar to the 50 Tickets, these are based on last year’s XC season and track seasons, projected improvements, and a few bits of subjective shuffling.
Toughest Regions
Region 28 – five teams in the top-33. And perhaps underestimating outfits such as Petoskey St. Michael, who always seems to find a way to add impactful athletes over the course of the season.
Region 29 – six teams in the top-24. Annually the deepest region thanks in part to a running rich tradition in the Traverse City area. Would likely be even stronger if Bear Lake and Onekama still combined forces.
Region 34 – two top-6 teams. A 6th ranked team would typically be a regional favorite. Unfortunately Concord will need to deal with regional rival Hillsdale Academy in order to capture a regional crown. The Colts return five of their top-seven girls from last year’s 3rd place squad, then add a freshman who dipped under 6:00 for the 1600m during track.
Region 35 – six teams in the top-36. Probably not so much in terms of qualifying, as the top-three appear to have a significant point gap. But squads such as Harbor Beach, Brown City, and North Huron have the juice where they’d be contenders in other spots.
Region 36 – five teams in the top-30. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian and Royal Oak Shrine should be clear, but beyond those two, it could be three teams vying for one spot. Lutheran Westland looks to be the favorite, returning their top-five regional finishers. These projections don’t even include a Plymouth Christian Academy, the Eagles coming back with four girls from last year’s qualifying squad. One more and they’re in the mix.
Intriguing Battles
Region 28 – four teams vying for the final two spots. Rogers City is projected as a significant favorite early. I’m intrigued by Bellaire, who appears to have the most depth of the bunch. Not only helpful from the bodies that can have a good regional day, but also the possibility of placing four in the top-20. Ellsworth, East Jordan, and Petoskey St. Michael all project to be in contention as well.
Region 34 – final spot up for grabs.Previously mentioned Concord and Hillsdale Academy should solidly take up the top-two spots. Two teams close in rank – Petersburg-Summerfield and Hudson. Last year, it was P-S advancing out of the third slot and the Bulldogs bring back a great majority of that squad. However, Hudson moves into D4 with a senior-laden team.
Region 35 – the win. Kingston and Ubly are separated by three spots in the rankings, but one projected point here. This typically points to an advantage at the state level that isn’t as magnified at the regional level. In Kingston’s case, this is their two very low Kiley sticks. Lilah has been a fixture, the winds point toward Norah being one as well. Ubly’s sophomore class was a fixture in 2024’s regional race, four freshman Bearcats occupying spots in the top-15.
Region 36 – the win. The past fall, no one progressed as heavy and fast as Auburn Hills Oakland Christian. They’ll look to reap the benefits of that increased fitness and could potentially add tons of freshmen. With additions, Royal Oak Shrine could have some of the best depth in the division, as the Knights could bring in three freshmen girls who hovered around the 14-min. mark in middle school cross.
Region 28
Top 27 Teams
#17 Rogers City
#27 Ellsworth
| Proj. Place | Team | Score |
| 1 | Rogers City | 35 |
| 2 | Ellsworth | 79 |
| 3 | Bellaire | 81 |
| 4 | East Jordan | 87 |
| 5 | Petoskey St. Michael | 94 |
| 6 | Indian River Inland Lakes | 107 |
Top Athletes
Harlie Fox – coming off a track season where she placed 18th in the D4 1600m.
Danielle Agren – 17th in late May’s D4 3200m.
Ruby Pletcher – finished 4th here last year in her first ever sub-20.
Avery Langlois – a 2023 All-Stater that’s twice been top-10 here.
| Place | Grade | Name | Team |
| 1 | 11 | Harlie Fox | Johannesburg-Lewiston |
| 2 | 11 | Danielle Agren | Johannesburg-Lewiston |
| 3 | 11 | Ruby Pletcher | Ellsworth |
| 4 | 11 | Avery Langlois | Rogers City |
| 5 | 11 | Elizabeth Furman | Indian River Inland Lakes |
| 6 | 9 | Madalyn Dewey | Bellaire |
| 7 | 10 | Fenlynn Johnson | Rogers City |
| 8 | 11 | Veronica Paga | Petoskey St. Michael |
| 9 | 9 | Nora Inman | East Jordan |
| 10 | 12 | Taylor Hefele | Rogers City |
| 11 | 9 | Reese Brege | Rogers City |
| 12 | 11 | Avary Bearden | East Jordan |
| 13 | 12 | Sophia Harding | Gaylord St. Mary |
| 14 | 10 | Keri Coolman | Rogers City |
| 15 | 11 | Natalie Fitzgerald | Ellsworth |
| 16 | 11 | Morgan Reh | Bellaire |
| 17 | 11 | Isabella Hocking | Bellaire |
| 18 | 12 | Ella Nolan | Petoskey St. Michael |
| 19 | 9 | Grace Campbell | Bellaire |
| 20 | 10 | Mea Wesley | Petoskey St. Michael |
Region 29
Top 27 Teams
Top-10 Maple City Glen Lake
Top-10 Grand Traverse Academy
#13 Buckley
#17 Bear Lake
#19 Frankfort
#24 Mason County Eastern
| Proj. Place | Team | Score |
| 1 | Maple City Glen Lake | 43 |
| 2 | Grand Traverse Academy | 59 |
| 3 | Buckley | 72 |
| 4 | Bear Lake | 87 |
| 5 | Frankfort | 95 |
| 6 | Mason County Eastern | 142 |
Top Athletes
Callie Sinke – proved herself as one of Michigan’s top freshmen on the grass and track. Four All-States between the two seasons, including a 9th place cross finish.
Amelia McKinney – 15th in D4, 2nd here in her first season of high school cross.
Carmella Julian – another first year of success, achieving a regional 3200m title and a 20th place finish at MIS.
Addy Zeller – double qualifier this spring, competed in both the 1600m and 3200m at the State Finals
| Place | Grade | Name | Team |
| 1 | 10 | Callie Sinke | Onekama |
| 2 | 11 | Amelia McKinney | Grand Traverse Academy |
| 3 | 10 | Carmella Julian | Maple City Glen Lake |
| 4 | 11 | Addy Zeller | Onekama |
| 5 | 9 | Tessa Rutherford | Bear Lake |
| 6 | 9 | Autumn Bailey | Maple City Glen Lake |
| 7 | 10 | Sophie Grinage | Leland |
| 8 | 12 | Addison Jarosz | Frankfort |
| 9 | 10 | Melodie Hulinek | Bear Lake |
| 10 | 9 | Alyse Cox | Maple City Glen Lake |
| 11 | 9 | Ava Higley | Frankfort |
| 12 | 11 | Natalie Burpee | Leland |
| 13 | 12 | Leire Mahiques | Buckley |
| 14 | 9 | Ellie Wright | Maple City Glen Lake |
| 15 | 11 | Addison Patrzik | Grand Traverse Academy |
| 16 | 12 | Kinsey Peer | Buckley |
| 17 | 9 | Brooklyn Griffin | Buckley |
| 18 | 11 | Madison Smith | Grand Traverse Academy |
| 19 | 10 | Claire Couturier | Lake Leelanau St. Mary |
| 20 | 11 | Mikayla Kulawiak | Buckley |
Region 30
Top 27 Teams
#18 Breckenridge
#22 Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary
| Proj. Place | Team | Score |
| 1 | Breckenridge | 29 |
| 2 | Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary | 48 |
| 3 | Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart | 76 |
| 4 | Vestaburg | 101 |
| 5 | Montabella | 108 |
Top Athletes
Ally Schmitz – has a penchant for running her best at the end of the year. Two sub-20’s and two All-State finishes from 2023 and 2024.
Claire Long – absolute stud on the track, winning the 400m in this spring’s D4 finals
| Place | Grade | Name | Team |
| 1 | 12 | Ally Schmitz | Breckenridge |
| 2 | 11 | Claire Long | Saginaw Nouvel |
| 3 | 10 | Maizy Matthews | Breckenridge |
| 4 | 10 | Skylar Maclennan | Fulton |
| 5 | 11 | Nolee Leppert | Beal City |
| 6 | 10 | Piper Schultz | Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary |
| 7 | 12 | Olive Wakefield | Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary |
| 8 | 10 | Dilyn Colpean | Merrill |
| 9 | 10 | Taylor Wills | Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart |
| 10 | 9 | Maezee Humm | Breckenridge |
| 11 | 10 | Peyton Rohn | Ashley |
| 12 | 12 | Emma McCarty | Carson City-Crystal |
| 13 | 11 | Jessica Stouten | Vestaburg |
| 14 | 11 | Greta Schroeder | Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary |
| 15 | 10 | Anna McCarty | Carson City-Crystal |
| 16 | 11 | Kaylie McCracken | Carson City-Crystal |
| 17 | 12 | Kylo Riedel | Breckenridge |
| 18 | 11 | Ryann Ball | Montabella |
| 19 | 9 | Macie Bush | Breckenridge |
| 20 | 12 | Laura Bigard | Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart |
Region 31
Top 27 Teams
Top-10 Gobles
#15 Martin
| Proj. Place | Team | Score |
| 1 | Gobles | 27 |
| 2 | Martin | 36 |
| 3 | Holton | 72 |
Top Athletes
Libby Smith – a D4 household name at this point, earning 7th and 3rd place finishes the past two years at MIS. Those places were identical to those found on the track this spring, with her 3rd place in the 3200m and 7th in the 1600m.
Veyda Conley – twice an All-Stater, twice top-3 in her two high school years.
Ryleigh Alderink – potentially impactful 9th grader, having gone down as low as a 5:41 1600m this spring
Lauren Shaffer – made tremendous gains during track, dropping 15+ seconds from her 1600m best and qualifying for state in the 800m.
| Place | Grade | Name | Team |
| 1 | 11 | Libby Smith | Gobles |
| 2 | 11 | Veyda Conley | Martin |
| 3 | 9 | Ryleigh Alderink | Holton |
| 4 | 11 | Lauren Shaffer | Gobles |
| 5 | 10 | Zoe Fabing | Fowler |
| 6 | 12 | Madison Cooley | Gobles |
| 7 | 10 | Laura Rotman | Holland Calvary Christian |
| 8 | 9 | Jane Vonk | Holland Calvary Christian |
| 9 | 11 | Ava DeYoung | Gobles |
| 10 | 12 | Acacia Williams | Holland Calvary Christian |
| 11 | 10 | Allison Rodgers | Martin |
| 12 | 10 | Leah Thelen | Fowler |
| 13 | 12 | Alison Rotman | Holland Calvary Christian |
| 14 | 11 | Marian Davlin | Portland St. Patrick |
| 15 | 9 | Riley Bender | Martin |
| 16 | 10 | DuRae Sage | Martin |
| 17 | 11 | Sara Schipper | Martin |
| 18 | 12 | Olivia Thelen | Fowler |
| 19 | 9 | Taylor Cooley | Gobles |
| 20 | 10 | Addison Tomsic | Gobles |
Region 32
Top 27 Teams
Top-10 Kalamazoo Hackett
| Proj. Place | Team | Score |
| 1 | Kalamazoo Hackett | 19 |
| 2 | Three Oaks River Valley | 53 |
| 3 | Decatur | 62 |
Top Athletes
Emma Riker – the reigning regional champ that’s fresh off one of the better distance seasons in all of D4. All-State with her 4×8 girls to go along with 4th and 5th place finishes in the 1600m and 3200m, respectively.
Brie Siems – triathlete who surely takes those skills and applies them to many of our disciplines. Cross, hurdles, high jump, and long sprints among the many areas that Siems excels.
Rowan Allen – a mainstay at this region, top-6 finishes throughout her freshman through junior years.
| Place | Grade | Name | Team |
| 1 | 12 | Emma Riker | Kalamazoo Hackett |
| 2 | 11 | Brie Siems | Kalamazoo Hackett |
| 3 | 12 | Rowan Allen | Mendon |
| 4 | 9 | Cayla Buss | Decatur |
| 5 | 12 | Kate Van Es | Kalamazoo Hackett |
| 6 | 10 | Delaney McBride | Kalamazoo Hackett |
| 7 | 11 | Ella Hendrixson | Three Oaks River Valley |
| 8 | 11 | Harper Bowman | New Buffalo |
| 9 | 10 | Abigail Riker | Kalamazoo Hackett |
| 10 | 11 | Emmy Nofs | Battle Creek St. Philip |
| 11 | 11 | Sarah Stemaly | Athens |
| 12 | 11 | Anne Gradowski | New Buffalo |
| 13 | 12 | Rachel Byler | White Pigeon |
| 14 | 10 | Brittney Hernandez | Three Oaks River Valley |
| 15 | 9 | Grace Ulbrich | Kalamazoo Hackett |
| 16 | 9 | Jordan Ynclan | Kalamazoo Hackett |
| 17 | 11 | Helen Donner | Three Oaks River Valley |
| 18 | 9 | Annabell Bent | Marcellus |
| 19 | 10 | Dalyn Bogard | Climax-Scotts |
| 20 | 10 | Linda Ultz | Burr Oak |
Region 33
Top 27 Teams
Top-10 Whitmore Lake
#12 Lansing Christian
| Proj. Place | Team | Score |
| 1 | Whitmore Lake | 18 |
| 2 | Lansing Christian | 49 |
| 3 | Genesee Christian Academy | 97 |
| 4 | Webberville | 119 |
| 5 | Dansville | 121 |
| 6 | Novi Christian Academy | 132 |
Top Athletes
Kaylie Livingston – she’s got a ticket coming, our defending D4 champ!
Taylor Wiegand – has been operating at a high level for the past two years, racking up 18th and 10th place finishes at MIS.
Carina Burchi – three times an All-Stater, twice a team state champ. I’d call that a successful career.
Elodie Weaver – title-clinching race from 2023 propelled Elodie into her best season yet. 2024 contained a sub-20 PR and first All-State finish ever.
| Place | Grade | Name | Team |
| 1 | 11 | Kaylie Livingston | Whitmore Lake |
| 2 | 12 | Taylor Wiegand | Livingston Christian |
| 3 | 12 | Carina Burchi | Whitmore Lake |
| 4 | 12 | Elodie Weaver | Whitmore Lake |
| 5 | 10 | Malynda Lambros | Whitmore Lake |
| 6 | 11 | Adrienne Mitchell | Lansing Christian |
| 7 | 9 | Cassa Minnis | Dansville |
| 8 | 10 | Madison Markowicz | Novi Christian Academy |
| 9 | 12 | Sofia Robertson | Whitmore Lake |
| 10 | 11 | Annie Wernet | Lansing Christian |
| 11 | 12 | Juliette Tallon | Lansing Christian |
| 12 | 10 | Gabriella Wood | Lansing Christian |
| 13 | 12 | Alaina Driver | Potterville |
| 14 | 9 | Piper Guilloz | Whitmore Lake |
| 15 | 11 | Jane Wilder | Webberville |
| 16 | 11 | Makenna Bush | Lansing Christian |
| 17 | 11 | Caroline Darrah | Whitmore Lake |
| 18 | 12 | Tori Ferguson | Genesee Christian Academy |
| 19 | 10 | Ariana Stewart | Genesee Christian Academy |
| 20 | 12 | Yazmine Beverly | Webberville |
Region 34
Top 27 Teams
Top-10 Hillsdale Academy
Top-10 Concord
#23 Petersburg-Summerfield
#25 Hudson
| Proj. Place | Team | Score |
| 1 | Hillsdale Academy | 28 |
| 2 | Concord | 43 |
| 3 | Petersburg-Summerfield | 87 |
| 4 | Hudson | 100 |
| 5 | Manchester | 152 |
| 6 | Addison | 157 |
| 7 | Jackson Preparatory | 167 |
Top Athletes
Evelyn Meyer – dropped more than a minute from her 9th to 10th grade seasons. Quickened times led to a state appearance, where Meyer placed 41st.
Makenzie Wolfe – during the spring, this Bulldog pulled off the rare high jump/distance combo. When it came time for State, she concentrated on the distance races, hitting qualifiers in the 1600m and 3200m
| Place | Grade | Name | Team |
| 1 | 11 | Evelyn Meyer | Hillsdale Academy |
| 2 | 12 | Makenzie Wolfe | Petersburg-Summerfield |
| 3 | 9 | Audrey Rinehart | Concord |
| 4 | 12 | Elizabeth Caspar | Hillsdale Academy |
| 5 | 11 | Allie Miller | Hillsdale Academy |
| 6 | 9 | Audrey Pyle | Concord |
| 7 | 11 | Haley Stimer | Concord |
| 8 | 9 | Heather Morris | Hillsdale Academy |
| 9 | 12 | Annabelle Czeiszperger | Hudson |
| 10 | 12 | Audrey Nehlsen | Hillsdale Academy |
| 11 | 12 | Grace Raymond | Petersburg-Summerfield |
| 12 | 12 | Cieara Barrett | Concord |
| 13 | 9 | Eliza Roberts | Hillsdale Academy |
| 14 | 11 | Moira Beier | Hillsdale Academy |
| 15 | 10 | Mya Barrett | Concord |
| 16 | 10 | Abby Raymond | Petersburg-Summerfield |
| 17 | 11 | Lillian Jagielski | Pittsford |
| 18 | 10 | Ellie Woodring | Addison |
| 19 | 9 | Madelyn St. John | Hudson |
| 20 | 9 | Braelynn Thorrez | Concord |
Region 35
Top 27 Teams
Top-10 Kingston
Top-10 Ubly
#14 Dryden
#20 Harbor Beach
| Proj. Place | Team | Score |
| 1 | Kingston | 44 |
| 2 | Ubly | 45 |
| 3 | Dryden | 60 |
| 4 | Harbor Beach | 92 |
| 5 | Brown City | 148 |
| 6 | Kinde North Huron | 152 |
| 7 | Marlette | 171 |
Top Athletes
Lilah Kiley – coming off an outstanding track season where she claimed regional titles in the 800m and 1600m, then turned around and nabbed top-10 D4 finishes in each.
Norah Kiley – likely to be one of the better freshmen in Michigan. Undefeated during her 8th grade fall season, then found a 4th place finish in the prestigious Megastar 1600m.
Cara Prusakiewicz – your defending regional champ. Busted into the 19’s twice at season’s close, winning here then grabbing 23rd in Brooklyn.
| Place | Grade | Name | Team |
| 1 | 12 | Lilah Kiley | Kingston |
| 2 | 9 | Norah Kiley | Kingston |
| 3 | 12 | Cara Prusakiewicz | Dryden |
| 4 | 12 | Katie Sweeney | Ubly |
| 5 | 10 | Alyvia Janke | Unionville-Sebewaing |
| 6 | 10 | Claire Wright | Dryden |
| 7 | 10 | Payton King | Kingston |
| 8 | 9 | Ella Gustner | Dryden |
| 9 | 10 | Abbygail Plester | Ubly |
| 10 | 12 | Alexis Fabbro | Vassar |
| 11 | 10 | Taylor Geiger | Ubly |
| 12 | 10 | Myah Peruski | Ubly |
| 13 | 10 | Emily Meek | Unionville-Sebewaing |
| 14 | 9 | Isabella West | Mayville |
| 15 | 12 | Madison Prowse | Brown City |
| 16 | 11 | Aspen Jimkoski | Kinde North Huron |
| 17 | 9 | Rachel Becker | Unionville-Sebewaing |
| 18 | 11 | Cailin Spearman | Harbor Beach |
| 19 | 10 | Brooklyn Morell | Ubly |
| 20 | 12 | HarLee Leasher | Brown City |
Region 36
Top 27 Teams
Top-10 Auburn Hills Oakland Christian
#11 Royal Oak Shrine
#21 Lutheran Westland
#26 Southfield Christian
| Proj. Place | Team | Score |
| 1 | Auburn Hills Oakland Christian | 42 |
| 2 | Royal Oak Shrine | 46 |
| 3 | Lutheran Westland | 83 |
| 4 | Southfield Christian | 98 |
| 5 | Allen Park Cabrini | 106 |
| 6 | Austin Catholic | 131 |
| 7 | Detroit Crockett | 197 |
Top Athletes
Raley Keith – cross times hit a freefall come October then the accomplishments couldn’t stop flowing. 13th place at MIS helped spur the Lancers’ runner-up finish. And then led into a track season where Raley medaled in both the 1600m and 3200m at State.
Eleanor Cole – steadily moving up in the XC world. Earned a State Finals appearance first as a sophomore, then dropped 30+ seconds at MIS as a junior, earning a spot up on the stage.
| Place | Grade | Name | Team |
| 1 | 12 | Raley Keith | Auburn Hills Oakland Christian |
| 2 | 12 | Eleanor Cole | Lutheran Westland |
| 3 | 10 | Cassidy Bowers | Austin Catholic |
| 4 | 11 | Lydia Gleason | Auburn Hills Oakland Christian |
| 5 | 12 | Stella Behnan | Cardinal Mooney Catholic |
| 6 | 10 | Deirdre O’Connell | Allen Park Cabrini |
| 7 | 9 | Sumaiya Ahmed | Royal Oak Shrine |
| 8 | 9 | Lily McClendon | Auburn Hills Oakland Christian |
| 9 | 10 | Nora Tillman | Royal Oak Shrine |
| 10 | 11 | Louisa Denks | Royal Oak Shrine |
| 11 | 9 | Oyin Bankole-Ayoola | Southfield Christian |
| 12 | 9 | Melanie Clark | Royal Oak Shrine |
| 13 | 12 | Maya Ferguson | Cardinal Mooney Catholic |
| 14 | 9 | Dania Wojdyla | Royal Oak Shrine |
| 15 | 10 | Ava Bates | Lutheran Westland |
| 16 | 9 | Katalin Ballaz | Auburn Hills Oakland Christian |
| 17 | 11 | Sydney Erickson | Lutheran Westland |
| 18 | 9 | Abigail VanHooser | Auburn Hills Oakland Christian |
| 19 | 11 | Ella Clarke | Southfield Christian |
| 20 | 9 | Yaya Thomassen | Auburn Hills Oakland Christian |
Michigan XC Speed Ratings 