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2026’s 50 Tickets to Brooklyn: Boys 50-41

mixcspeedratings

It’s baaack. A summertime tradition has returned, the 50 Tickets to Brooklyn. These lists celebrate the top 50 returners – based on a concoction of the ’25 XC season, projected improvements, the ’26 Track season, and a tiny bit of my own input.

Enjoy!

2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
11Caleb Blonde15:59.9Jonesville194.4MITCA8-Nov2025
11Caleb Blonde16:09.1Jonesville191.6D3 State Finals1-Nov2025
11Caleb Blonde15:50.1Jonesville196.3Region 2324-Oct2025
11Caleb Blonde15:48.7Jonesville194.1Larry Steeb18-Oct2025
11Caleb Blonde15:56.9Jonesville195.0Cascades Conference15-Oct2025
11Caleb Blonde15:54.1Jonesville194.3Gabriel Richard11-Oct2025
11Caleb Blonde16:21.0Jonesville195.7Portage4-Oct2025
11Caleb Blonde16:06.3Jonesville192.2Stockbridge27-Sep2025
11Caleb Blonde16:17.0Jonesville190.7Jackson20-Sep2025
11Caleb Blonde16:21.7Jonesville203.1Spartan12-Sep2025
11Caleb Blonde16:16.7Jonesville194.8Bath6-Sep2025
11Caleb Blonde16:24.4Jonesville193.9Harper Creek Optimist2-Sep2025
11Caleb Blonde16:59.3Jonesville182.2Concord27-Aug2025
11Caleb Blonde16:51.4Jonesville178.2Happy Acres23-Aug2025
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
10Caleb Blonde15:44.8Jonesville197.7Division 3 State2-Nov2024
10Caleb Blonde16:09.3Jonesville189.2Region 2325-Oct2024
10Caleb Blonde15:52.4Jonesville193.5Larry Steeb19-Oct2024
10Caleb Blonde16:21.6Jonesville187.5Cascades Conference16-Oct2024
10Caleb Blonde15:56.4Jonesville195.9Gabriel Richard12-Oct2024
10Caleb Blonde15:51.2Jonesville200.9Portage5-Oct2024
10Caleb Blonde15:48.4Jonesville194.2Stockbridge28-Sep2024
10Caleb Blonde16:55.7Jonesville179.5Jackson21-Sep2024
10Caleb Blonde16:39.0Jonesville184.0Leslie Blackhawk10-Sep2024
10Caleb Blonde16:24.6Jonesville197.5Bath7-Sep2024
10Caleb Blonde17:27.6Jonesville181.8Concord28-Aug2024
10Caleb Blonde17:06.6Jonesville185.1Happy Acres24-Aug2024
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
9Caleb Blonde16:47.2Jonesville176.9Division 3 State4-Nov2023
9Caleb Blonde17:20.7Jonesville169.4Region 2327-Oct2023
9Caleb Blonde16:52.4Jonesville177.9Cascades Conference18-Oct2023
9Caleb Blonde16:43.5Jonesville182.5Portage7-Oct2023
9Caleb Blonde16:35.5Jonesville176.2Stockbridge30-Sep2023
9Caleb Blonde17:08.1Jonesville174.3Jackson23-Sep2023
9Caleb Blonde16:52.7Jonesville171.8Leslie Blackhawk12-Sep2023
9Caleb Blonde18:04.1Jonesville172.0Springport6-Sep2023
9Caleb Blonde17:30.9Jonesville179.7Hillsdale30-Aug2023

Personal Records

5k (XC) – 15:44
800m – 1:57
1600m – 4:23
3200m – 9:37

Accolades

XC

17th Place – Division 3 State
2x All-State (XC)
Region 23 Champion
2x Cascades Conference Champion

Track

Division 3 4×8 State Champion
3rd Place – Division 3 State 800m
4th Place – 2024 Division 3 State 3200m
Hillsdale County 1600m Champion
Cascades Conference 800m Champion

You Know I Dig Improvement

And while his 800m’s may have the least correlation to XC, they’re still worth mentioning as a show of his career. Caleb has been excelling at the two-lapper for the past two seasons, both in different regards. During his sophomore spring, Blonde was able shoot past the 2-flat barrier, dropping nearly 5 sec. from his freshman PR. But even with the fast times, state success eluded him and his team, both finishing off the podium. A year later, Caleb’s PR didn’t undergo a significant change, but the accolades did. He carried Jonesville to an early lead in their winning 4×8, then doubled back and improved his individual finish from 12th to 3rd. Although drastically different events, two accomplishments that Blonde can build upon.

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
11Luke Herron15:39.1Caro201.3MITCA8-Nov2025
11Luke Herron15:44.3Caro199.9D3 State Finals1-Nov2025
11Luke Herron16:02.2Caro191.6Region 2525-Oct2025
11Luke Herron16:15.9Caro198.0Thumb Area18-Oct2025
11Luke Herron16:16.9Caro191.4BTC Black/White15-Oct2025
11Luke Herron16:13.2Caro190.9Ubly8-Oct2025
11Luke Herron16:28.5Caro191.8Wagener Park27-Sep2025
11Luke Herron15:47.8Caro198.7Brooks Mid-Season19-Sep2025
11Luke Herron16:13.4Caro202.9Holly13-Sep2025
11Luke Herron15:56.2Caro205.6John Bruder Classic3-Sep2025
11Luke Herron17:08.3Caro190.6Mike Jackson Memorial21-Aug2025
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
10Luke Herron16:01.3Caro192.2Division 3 State2-Nov2024
10Luke Herron16:06.8Caro190.7Region 2526-Oct2024
10Luke Herron16:32.1Caro181.3Thumb Area19-Oct2024
10Luke Herron16:33.4Caro174.2Ubly9-Oct2024
10Luke Herron17:00.1Caro170.0Wagener Park28-Sep2024
10Luke Herron16:26.4Caro188.2Brooks Mid-Season Spectacular21-Sep2024
10Luke Herron16:50.1Caro193.6Holly14-Sep2024
10Luke Herron16:49.0Caro187.3John Bruder Classic4-Sep2024
10Luke Herron17:33.5Caro173.8Mike Jackson22-Aug2024
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
9Luke Herron17:04.1Caro171.3Division 3 State4-Nov2023
9Luke Herron17:06.7Caro170.8Region 2527-Oct2023
9Luke Herron17:20.0Caro165.0Thumb Area21-Oct2023
9Luke Herron17:39.6Caro164.5GTC League17-Oct2023
9Luke Herron17:12.7Caro161.4Ubly11-Oct2023
9Luke Herron17:06.1Caro167.0Wagener Park30-Sep2023
9Luke Herron17:00.9Caro174.7Cadillac23-Sep2023
9Luke Herron17:15.1Caro180.6Holly16-Sep2023
9Luke Herron17:00.6Caro181.5John Bruder Classic7-Sep2023

Personal Records

5k (XC) – 15:39
1600m – 4:26
3200m – 9:23

Accolades

XC

6th Place – Division 3 State
2x All-State
Region 25 Champion
2x Big Thumb Conference Champion

Track

9th Place – Division 3 State 1600m
16th Place – Division 3 State 3200m
7th Place – 2025 Division 3 State 3200m
Region 29 1600m/3200m Champion
BTC White 1600m/3200m Champion

You Know I Dig Improvement

And Herron’s has been incremental and steady, moving up slowly season by season. Thus, I’d prefer to look at the whole picture. For example, the entirety of his freshman year was spent on the high side of 17-flat. As a junior, he was 15:xx on four separate occasions. Accomplishments and places too, improving from 64th in D3 as a freshman to 20th as a sophomore to 6th as a junior. Decent jumps that when added together, signify an impressive progression.

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
10Oskar MacArthur16:18.2Ann Arbor Skyline188.3MITCA8-Nov2025
10Oskar MacArthur16:47.4Ann Arbor Skyline178.2D1 State Finals1-Nov2025
10Oskar MacArthur16:20.4Ann Arbor Skyline188.2Region 424-Oct2025
10Oskar MacArthur16:45.3Ann Arbor Skyline185.2SEC Championship16-Oct2025
10Oskar MacArthur16:49.8Ann Arbor Skyline181.1River Rat Open10-Oct2025
10Oskar MacArthur17:03.8Ann Arbor Skyline181.4Portage4-Oct2025
10Oskar MacArthur16:38.3Ann Arbor Skyline188.2DeWitt27-Sep2025
10Oskar MacArthur16:42.3Ann Arbor Skyline183.6SEC Red 225-Sep2025
10Oskar MacArthur16:18.5Ann Arbor Skyline190.2Jackson20-Sep2025
10Oskar MacArthur16:28.7Ann Arbor Skyline197.8Holly13-Sep2025
10Oskar MacArthur16:49.2Ann Arbor Skyline180.6SEC 19-Sep2025
10Oskar MacArthur17:05.2Ann Arbor Skyline183.3A2 City Preview27-Aug2025
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
9Oskar MacArthur16:53.8Ann Arbor Skyline176.1Division 1 State2-Nov2024
9Oskar MacArthur16:34.1Ann Arbor Skyline188.0Region 426-Oct2024
9Oskar MacArthur16:54.2Ann Arbor Skyline181.6SEC Championship17-Oct2024
9Oskar MacArthur17:23.1Ann Arbor Skyline174.0River Rat Open10-Oct2024
9Oskar MacArthur17:09.2Ann Arbor Skyline174.9Portage5-Oct2024
9Oskar MacArthur17:39.4Ann Arbor Skyline173.9SEC Red 224-Sep2024
9Oskar MacArthur17:11.7Ann Arbor Skyline174.1Jackson21-Sep2024
9Oskar MacArthur17:57.7Ann Arbor Skyline171.1Holly14-Sep2024
9Oskar MacArthur18:36.7Ann Arbor Skyline156.8SEC 110-Sep2024
9Oskar MacArthur18:06.0Ann Arbor Skyline163.7Bath7-Sep2024
9Oskar MacArthur18:37.5Ann Arbor Skyline158.5Early Bird Open29-Aug2024

Personal Records

5k (XC) – 16:18
800m – 1:54
1600m – 4:15
3200m – 9:50

Accolades

XC

2x State Qualifier

Track

2nd Place – Division 1 State 4×8
17th Place – Division 1 State 1600m
4th Place – Region 5 1600m
5th Place – SEC Red 1600m

You Know I Dig Improvement

And Skyline was on a roll this past spring, with MacArthur being a prime example. Coming off his second straight cross campaign with a mid-16 personal best, Oskar was due for a breakthrough. The hits came during indoor, where he erased his freshman best at Distance Fest, racing to a 1:56 in the 800m. That early fitness paved the way for an immaculate 1600m spring, where MacArthur was one of three sophomores to toe the line at D1 State and where he blasted a 4:15 to end his season, good enough for the 2nd quickest sophomore in the state.

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
11Joshua Macri16:35.0Macomb Lutheran North182.7MITCA8-Nov2025
11Joshua Macri15:53.7Macomb Lutheran North197.8D2 State Finals1-Nov2025
11Joshua Macri16:18.1Macomb Lutheran North184.0Region 1725-Oct2025
11Joshua Macri16:09.6Macomb Lutheran North187.1Larry Steeb18-Oct2025
11Joshua Macri16:27.6Macomb Lutheran North186.8Macomb County11-Oct2025
11Joshua Macri16:53.0Macomb Lutheran North185.0Portage4-Oct2025
11Joshua Macri16:05.6Macomb Lutheran North191.1Dakota1-Oct2025
11Joshua Macri16:30.4Macomb Lutheran North187.5Hansons27-Sep2025
11Joshua Macri16:04.5Macomb Lutheran North193.2Brooks Mid-Season19-Sep2025
11Joshua Macri16:04.3Macomb Lutheran North195.2Autumn Classic13-Sep2025
11Joshua Macri15:55.5Macomb Lutheran North195.2Muskrat Classic6-Sep2025
11Joshua Macri16:08.2Macomb Lutheran North193.3Golden Grizzlies29-Aug2025
11Joshua Macri16:38.7Macomb Lutheran North197.4Lamplighter15-Aug2025
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
10Joshua Macri16:16.7Macomb Lutheran North189.1MITCA9-Nov2024
10Joshua Macri16:30.1Macomb Lutheran North184.0Division 2 State2-Nov2024
10Joshua Macri16:24.5Macomb Lutheran North178.8Region 1726-Oct2024
10Joshua Macri16:39.9Macomb Lutheran North186.4Dryden Cardinal Classic19-Oct2024
10Joshua Macri16:29.3Macomb Lutheran North186.6Macomb County12-Oct2024
10Joshua Macri16:29.6Macomb Lutheran North182.5Dakota Carnival3-Oct2024
10Joshua Macri16:28.6Macomb Lutheran North188.8Hansons28-Sep2024
10Joshua Macri16:16.2Macomb Lutheran North191.6Brooks Mid-Season Spectacular21-Sep2024
10Joshua Macri16:37.5Macomb Lutheran North186.8Autumn Classic14-Sep2024
10Joshua Macri17:44.3Macomb Lutheran North163.6Muskrat Classic6-Sep2024
10Joshua Macri16:44.1Macomb Lutheran North195.6Lake St. Clair Early Bird28-Aug2024
10Joshua Macri16:32.1Macomb Lutheran North195.0Lamplighter23-Aug2024
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
9Joshua Macri18:25.2Macomb Lutheran North159.6Region 1727-Oct2023
9Joshua Macri19:11.4Macomb Lutheran North149.9Cardinal Classic21-Oct2023
9Joshua Macri18:37.4Macomb Lutheran North147.2Macomb County14-Oct2023
9Joshua Macri18:01.1Macomb Lutheran North161.0Hansons30-Sep2023
9Joshua Macri18:28.7Macomb Lutheran North152.8Cleverley Friday Night22-Sep2023
9Joshua Macri18:41.5Macomb Lutheran North148.5Autumn Classic16-Sep2023
9Joshua Macri19:25.0Macomb Lutheran North139.7Mustang Early Bird26-Aug2023
9Joshua Macri18:37.3Macomb Lutheran North156.6Lamplighter18-Aug2023

Personal Records

5k (XC) – 15:53
800m – 1:58
1600m – 4:20
3200m – 9:34

Accolades

XC

19th Place – Division 2 State
2x Region 17 Champion
2x All-Macomb County

Track

8th Place – Division 2 State 1600m
9th Place – Division 2 State 800m
10th Place – MITS Indoor State 800m
Region 19 800m/1600m/3200m Champion
Macomb County 1600m Champion
CHSL AA 800m/1600m/3200m Champion

You Know I Dig Improvement

And what a rise between 2023 and 2024. Macri had a solid freshman season, competing on the varsity squad for Lutheran North, even slipping into the 17’s at the ultra-fast Dakota Invite. A year later, solid was out the window, and Joshua was a Macomb County force. Sub-17 on all but one outing (where I believe the runners took a wrong turn). As low as 16:16 at Goodells, Region 17 Champ, earning an All-County spot. On average, something like a two-minute improvement, hitting an uncharted level where he’s been for the past two years.

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
10Bennett Snapper15:54.2Caledonia195.9D1 State Finals1-Nov2025
10Bennett Snapper15:59.5Caledonia197.2Region 325-Oct2025
10Bennett Snapper15:54.4Caledonia196.5OK Green Conference14-Oct2025
10Bennett Snapper16:41.3Caledonia188.9Portage4-Oct2025
10Bennett Snapper15:58.1Caledonia193.6Otsego Bulldog27-Sep2025
10Bennett Snapper16:13.7Caledonia195.1OK Green 224-Sep2025
10Bennett Snapper15:55.2Caledonia200.6Ottawa Hills12-Sep2025
10Bennett Snapper16:32.9Caledonia191.7Coach B8-Sep2025
10Bennett Snapper16:39.1Caledonia192.3OK Green 13-Sep2025
10Bennett Snapper16:12.9Caledonia201.0Under the Lights v222-Aug2025
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
9Bennett Snapper17:24.0Caledonia164.0OK Green Conference15-Oct2024
9Bennett Snapper17:38.7Caledonia165.1Portage5-Oct2024
9Bennett Snapper17:48.6Caledonia158.1Otsego Bulldog28-Sep2024
9Bennett Snapper18:17.4Caledonia166.5OK Green 225-Sep2024
9Bennett Snapper18:30.0Caledonia150.0Ottawa Hills13-Sep2024
9Bennett Snapper19:05.9Caledonia142.7Coach B9-Sep2024
9Bennett Snapper18:47.5Caledonia151.5OK Green 14-Sep2024
9Bennett Snapper18:28.0Caledonia151.7Under the Lights v223-Aug2024

Personal Records

5k (XC) – 15:54
1600m – 4:26
3200m – 9:27

Accolades

XC

2nd Place – OK Green Conference
12th Place – Region 3
46th Place – Division 1 State

Track

19th Place – Division 1 State 4×8
3rd Place – OK Green 3200m
4th Place – OK Green 1600m

You Know I Dig Improvement

And while I know the signs were apparent during Snapper’s 9th grade spring, I’d just like to call attention the comparison from race to race, freshman to sophomore fall.

Under the Lights: 18:28 to 16:12
Ottawa Hills: 18:30 to 15:55
Otsego Bulldog: 17:48 to 15:58
Portage: 17:38 to 16:41

Even the race with the least progression was still nearly a minute faster. Given his track season, I see no signs of Bennett slowing down.

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
10Rylen Richey15:54.4Grand Ledge196.2MITCA8-Nov2025
10Rylen Richey15:52.8Grand Ledge196.4D1 State Finals1-Nov2025
10Rylen Richey15:59.4Grand Ledge195.2Region 424-Oct2025
10Rylen Richey16:06.2Grand Ledge195.6CAAC Blue 216-Oct2025
10Rylen Richey16:02.7Grand Ledge194.1Greater Lansing11-Oct2025
10Rylen Richey15:57.3Grand Ledge201.6Bluejay27-Sep2025
10Rylen Richey16:29.0Grand Ledge196.0CAAC Blue 118-Sep2025
10Rylen Richey16:26.1Grand Ledge201.6Spartan12-Sep2025
10Rylen Richey16:46.1Grand Ledge194.0Averill6-Sep2025
10Rylen Richey16:11.2Grand Ledge195.3Saranac27-Aug2025
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
9Rylen Richey16:35.6Grand Ledge182.8MITCA9-Nov2024
9Rylen Richey16:35.3Grand Ledge182.2Division 1 State2-Nov2024
9Rylen Richey16:31.8Grand Ledge185.1Region 225-Oct2024
9Rylen Richey16:36.9Grand Ledge186.7CAAC Blue 217-Oct2024
9Rylen Richey16:51.4Grand Ledge180.2Greater Lansing12-Oct2024
9Rylen Richey16:35.8Grand Ledge186.4Bluejay28-Sep2024
9Rylen Richey17:00.0Grand Ledge177.0CAAC Blue 119-Sep2024
9Rylen Richey17:59.0Grand Ledge169.0Spartan13-Sep2024
9Rylen Richey17:24.3Grand Ledge186.6Averill7-Sep2024
9Rylen Richey17:36.8Grand Ledge176.7Saranac28-Aug2024

Personal Records

5k (XC) – 15:52
1600m – 4:27
3200m – 9:28

Accolades

XC

2nd Place – CAAC Blue
5th Place – Region 4
5th Place – Greater Lansing
44th Place – Division 1 State

Track

2nd Place – Greater Lansing 3200m
2nd Place – CAAC Blue 1600m
3rd Place – CAAC Blue 3200m
4th Place – Region 4 3200m

You Know I Dig Improvement

And Rylen’s came this spring, particularly in the 3200m. For one, he improved just through the sheer volume of races. Back in his freshman spring, Richey was successful in the event, slipping under 10:00 twice. But he completed the eight lapper a mere six times. A year later and he was a mainstay in the event, toeing the line on twelve separate occasions. Of those twelve, he was sub-10 in 10 of ‘em, even jumping down as far as 9:28, a 23 sec. improvement from a year past.

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
11Josiah Derksen16:29.9Rockford184.4MITCA8-Nov2025
11Josiah Derksen16:09.8Rockford190.7D1 State Finals1-Nov2025
11Josiah Derksen16:11.2Rockford191.3Region 125-Oct2025
11Josiah Derksen16:07.2Rockford190.9OK Red Championship16-Oct2025
11Josiah Derksen16:01.9Rockford199.4Kent Ottawa11-Oct2025
11Josiah Derksen17:03.3Rockford181.6Portage4-Oct2025
11Josiah Derksen16:24.0Rockford191.7Allendale Falcon27-Sep2025
11Josiah Derksen16:24.7Rockford192.1OK Red 224-Sep2025
11Josiah Derksen16:09.9Rockford197.4Cedar Springs20-Sep2025
11Josiah Derksen16:12.6Rockford194.8Ottawa Hills12-Sep2025
11Josiah Derksen16:22.2Rockford195.9OK Red 19-Sep2025
11Josiah Derksen16:15.9Rockford200.0Under the Lights v222-Aug2025
11Josiah Derksen17:09.6Rockford187.8PC Early Bird15-Aug2025
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
10Josiah Derksen16:35.2Rockford182.3Division 1 State2-Nov2024
10Josiah Derksen16:27.3Rockford184.9Region 126-Oct2024
10Josiah Derksen16:44.3Rockford178.9OK Red Championship17-Oct2024
10Josiah Derksen17:44.1Rockford163.3Portage5-Oct2024
10Josiah Derksen16:48.5Rockford180.2Allendale Falcon28-Sep2024
10Josiah Derksen17:34.3Rockford181.2OK Red 225-Sep2024
10Josiah Derksen16:56.0Rockford185.0Cedar Springs21-Sep2024
10Josiah Derksen16:59.5Rockford188.5OK Red 110-Sep2024
10Josiah Derksen17:05.1Rockford187.3Saranac28-Aug2024
10Josiah Derksen16:54.9Rockford189.7PC Early Bird16-Aug2024
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
9Josiah Derksen17:30.4Rockford163.5OK Red Conference19-Oct2023
9Josiah Derksen17:36.8Rockford164.7Portage7-Oct2023
9Josiah Derksen17:25.4Rockford168.2Allendale Falcon30-Sep2023
9Josiah Derksen17:44.6Rockford163.5Cedar Springs23-Sep2023
9Josiah Derksen17:27.3Rockford167.9Ottawa Hills15-Sep2023
9Josiah Derksen17:55.5Rockford162.2Bath9-Sep2023
9Josiah Derksen17:46.4Rockford167.9Under the Lights v225-Aug2023
9Josiah Derksen18:01.9Rockford168.4Portage Early Bird18-Aug2023

Personal Records

5k (XC) – 16:01
800m – 2:00
1600m – 4:20
3200m – 9:38

Accolades

XC

Kent Ottawa (Long Course) Champion
7th Place – OK Red Championship
8th Place – Region 1

Track

26th Place – Division 1 State 4×8
4th Place – OK Red 1600m/3200m
7th Place – Region 2 1600m
8th Place – Region 2 3200m

You Know I Dig Improvement

And Derksen became a wholly new runner between his freshman and sophomore campaigns. 18:01 to open his career (still very good!) to 16:35 at the close of his 10th grade fall. Competing at Regional and State after missing out on both in his first year. Dropping sub-17’s in a majority of races, in comparison to largely being in the upper half of the 17’s. Josiah’s sophomore season set the stage for the incremental improvement that came as a junior, both on the grass and track, that leads him to this stage here.

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
11Logan Youngman16:04.5Hillsdale192.9MITCA8-Nov2025
11Logan Youngman15:42.3Hillsdale200.6D3 State Finals1-Nov2025
11Logan Youngman15:54.2Hillsdale194.9Region 2324-Oct2025
11Logan Youngman16:30.8Hillsdale189.4LCAA Final18-Oct2025
11Logan Youngman16:02.8Hillsdale197.4Sturgis Kiwanis11-Oct2025
11Logan Youngman16:44.4Hillsdale181.5LCAA 21-Oct2025
11Logan Youngman16:10.5Hillsdale190.8Stockbridge27-Sep2025
11Logan Youngman15:57.4Hillsdale197.2Jackson20-Sep2025
11Logan Youngman16:46.7Hillsdale182.4LCAA 19-Sep2025
11Logan Youngman16:34.6Hillsdale188.8Bath6-Sep2025
11Logan Youngman16:30.7Hillsdale185.1Springport3-Sep2025
11Logan Youngman16:32.1Hillsdale191.0Hillsdale27-Aug2025
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
10Logan Youngman16:35.8Hillsdale180.7Division 3 State2-Nov2024
10Logan Youngman16:36.6Hillsdale180.1Region 2325-Oct2024
10Logan Youngman16:44.7Hillsdale179.1LCAA Final19-Oct2024
10Logan Youngman16:49.2Hillsdale181.3Sturgis Kiwanis12-Oct2024
10Logan Youngman17:17.8Hillsdale171.1Hudson Booster5-Oct2024
10Logan Youngman16:50.1Hillsdale173.6Stockbridge28-Sep2024
10Logan Youngman16:49.6Hillsdale181.5Jackson21-Sep2024
10Logan Youngman17:00.5Hillsdale185.5Bath7-Sep2024
10Logan Youngman16:40.4Hillsdale183.2Hillsdale28-Aug2024
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
9Logan Youngman17:44.9Hillsdale161.4Region 2327-Oct2023
9Logan Youngman18:21.9Hillsdale148.0LCAA Championship21-Oct2023
9Logan Youngman17:39.7Hillsdale162.4Hudson Booster7-Oct2023
9Logan Youngman17:10.1Hillsdale164.6Stockbridge30-Sep2023
9Logan Youngman17:29.8Hillsdale167.1Jackson23-Sep2023
9Logan Youngman18:18.0Hillsdale167.3Springport6-Sep2023
9Logan Youngman17:50.6Hillsdale173.2Hillsdale30-Aug2023

Personal Records

5k (XC) – 15:42
1600m – 4:24
3200m – 9:26

Accolades

XC

4th Place – Division 3 State
LCAA Champion
2nd Place – Region 23

Track

Division 3 State 3200m Champion
LCAA 1600m Champion
2nd Place – Region 25 3200m
2nd Place – Hillsdale County 1600m

You Know I Dig Improvement

And I was announcing at Bluejay, trying to make sense of all the names, attempting to relay what was happening in the penultimate section of the 3200m. My binoculars were at home, my eyesight failing to realize it was Logan Youngman leading and winning the race. That 3200m on the magical Shepherd track was a 23 sec. personal best for the Charger junior. Four weeks later, Youngman proved that he wasn’t finished, dropping a 9:26 to win the D3 crown. All told, the Hillsdale junior subtracted over 30 seconds from his previous PR.

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
10Lincoln Laansma17:10.9Tri-unity Christian170.7MITCA8-Nov2025
10Lincoln Laansma16:32.2Tri-unity Christian179.9D4 State Finals1-Nov2025
10Lincoln Laansma16:54.3Tri-unity Christian175.6Region 3125-Oct2025
10Lincoln Laansma16:44.6Tri-unity Christian182.5Alliance Conference16-Oct2025
10Lincoln Laansma16:49.3Tri-unity Christian183.6Kent Ottawa11-Oct2025
10Lincoln Laansma16:21.6Tri-unity Christian184.8Saranac Color Run7-Oct2025
10Lincoln Laansma16:38.6Tri-unity Christian190.5Allegan4-Oct2025
10Lincoln Laansma16:37.0Tri-unity Christian187.3Allendale Falcon27-Sep2025
10Lincoln Laansma16:37.9Tri-unity Christian184.7Chargers Autumn Sunrise20-Sep2025
10Lincoln Laansma16:34.1Tri-unity Christian187.0Sparta13-Sep2025
10Lincoln Laansma16:11.2Tri-unity Christian196.3Christian Schools6-Sep2025
10Lincoln Laansma16:21.4Tri-unity Christian198.2Under the Lights v222-Aug2025
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
9Lincoln Laansma16:56.4Tri-unity Christian175.9MITCA9-Nov2024
9Lincoln Laansma16:40.1Tri-unity Christian179.0Division 4 State2-Nov2024
9Lincoln Laansma17:08.0Tri-unity Christian171.3Region 3126-Oct2024
9Lincoln Laansma17:27.6Tri-unity Christian167.8Kent Ottawa12-Oct2024
9Lincoln Laansma17:20.8Tri-unity Christian169.1Saranac Color Run8-Oct2024
9Lincoln Laansma17:42.4Tri-unity Christian164.2Allegan5-Oct2024
9Lincoln Laansma17:21.8Tri-unity Christian169.1Allendale Falcon28-Sep2024
9Lincoln Laansma17:24.1Tri-unity Christian171.3Chargers Autumn Sunrise21-Sep2024
9Lincoln Laansma17:47.2Tri-unity Christian165.9Sparta14-Sep2024
9Lincoln Laansma16:50.5Tri-unity Christian181.9Christian Schools7-Sep2024
9Lincoln Laansma17:15.6Tri-unity Christian175.8Under the Lights v223-Aug2024
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
8Lincoln Laansma17:19.6Tri-unity Christian165.5Division 4 State4-Nov2023
8Lincoln Laansma17:06.4Tri-unity Christian171.5Region 3128-Oct2023
8Lincoln Laansma17:25.2Tri-unity Christian171.6Alliance League Championship19-Oct2023
8Lincoln Laansma17:15.6Tri-unity Christian165.5Saranac Color Run10-Oct2023
8Lincoln Laansma17:51.4Tri-unity Christian159.9Portage7-Oct2023
8Lincoln Laansma17:16.2Tri-unity Christian171.3Allendale Falcon30-Sep2023
8Lincoln Laansma17:16.5Tri-unity Christian162.8Chargers Autumn Sunrise23-Sep2023
8Lincoln Laansma17:40.3Tri-unity Christian161.6Sparta16-Sep2023
8Lincoln Laansma18:05.6Tri-unity Christian155.5Christian Schools9-Sep2023

Personal Records

5k (XC) – 16:11
1600m – 4:20
3200m – 9:19

Accolades

XC

20th Place – Division 4 State
2x All-State
3rd Place – Alliance Conference
3rd Place – Region 31

Track

5th Place – Division 4 State 3200m
6th Place – Division 4 State 1600m
Alliance Conference 1600m Champion
4th Place – Region 33 800m

You Know I Dig Improvement

And it’s pretty evident that the junior underwent a major one this past spring. Laansma has always been an accomplished D4 runner, racking up a 9th place 3200m finish as a freshman to go with All-States on the grass in the fall. When the weather warmed up this spring, Lincoln became one of the better runners in his class and set up himself up to be in the D4 mix in the coming years. His 9:39 in the 3200m became 9:19, the 3rd fastest D4 time of 2026 and the 3rd fastest time of anyone in the sophomore class or younger. Even at the shorter 1600m, where he progressed from 4:33 to 4:20, Lincoln ranks 6th amongst all sophomores and freshmen.

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
10Todd Tobin15:36.1Highland-Milford202.3MITCA8-Nov2025
10Todd Tobin15:51.7Highland-Milford196.8D1 State Finals1-Nov2025
10Todd Tobin15:41.5Highland-Milford199.8Region 225-Oct2025
10Todd Tobin15:49Highland-Milford198.7LVC Championship16-Oct2025
10Todd Tobin16:33.3Highland-Milford203.2Oakland County4-Oct2025
10Todd Tobin16:42.7Highland-Milford195.1Averill6-Sep2025
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
9Todd Tobin16:14.4Highland-Milford189.2Division 1 State2-Nov2024
9Todd Tobin16:43.3Highland-Milford183.9Region 726-Oct2024
9Todd Tobin16:37.5Highland-Milford191.2LVC Championship17-Oct2024
9Todd Tobin17:06.8Highland-Milford187.1Oakland County5-Oct2024
9Todd Tobin16:41.7Highland-Milford184.1Jackson21-Sep2024
9Todd Tobin17:37.8Highland-Milford182.1Averill7-Sep2024

Personal Records

5k (XC) – 15:36
800m – 1:59
1600m – 4:23
3200m – 9:44

Accolades

XC

2nd Place – LVC Championship
2nd Place – Region 2
5th Place – Oakland County
42nd Place – Division 1 State

Track

2nd Place – LVC 1600m
3rd Place – Region 9 1600m
3rd Place – LVC 3200m
2nd Place – MITS Indoor State DMR

You Know I Dig Improvement

And Todd has proven he can start a cross season in one manner and finish in a whole different one. Part of it is how Milford sets up their schedule, gaining tough race-day experience until it comes to be championship time. Though with Tobin dropping significant time from early season to late, he’s a major factor as well. Each of his fall campaigns have commenced at the Averill Invite, 17:37 and 16:42, respectively. As a freshman, he took that 17:37 and turned it into a 16:14. As a sophomore, 16:42 to 15:41. A minute or more each fall.

Uncategorized

2026 Summer Preview: Division 1’s Top Teams (11-27)

mixcspeedratings

The goal for this summer’s preview is to be a bit more thorough and coherent. Usually I’m rushed and racing to get out content before the season begins, but I swear this year will be different! I’m starting a little earlier, I already performed a ton of the dirty work over the winter, and am as motivated as ever.

Anyhow, the plan is this:

  1. Write a bit about teams ranked 11-27, D4 through D1
  2. Knock out the 50 Tickets
  3. Have more detailed posts about the Top 10 Teams
  4. Throw out the always controversial Regional Projections
  5. Hopefully have one all-encompassing post for each division (including the UP, which typically starts a little later than us trolls, so they’ll get their own two-week period in late August)

Why rank to 27? Well, unless there’s a 4th place team that qualifies out of a regional, there are 27 teams that compete at the Lower Peninsula State Finals.

These projections are based on a combination of last season’s ratings, projected improvements, and this past track season. They contain kids that ran XC in 2025, either for their high school or a middle school that typically feeds to that high school. Projecting D4 is always a little rough because of the smaller enrollments. My estimation is that there’s more recruiting from within the school and multi-sport athletes compared to other divisions. As a result, these likely miss out on athletes that could have a huge impact.

As always, these are for fun and a way to keep the best sport in the world on your mind through these summer months.

27-11

27. Howell – of course Jack MacGregor leads the way, but he’s backed up by two other solid contributors, David DeLand and Alex Weller. Both are mid-16 runners who placed in the top-25 in 2025’s Region 4.

26. Brownstown Woodhaven – the Downriver squad made their first trip to MIS last fall and now appeared poised to advance for a second consecutive year. Talent is pouring out of their middle school program, though the ever-improving senior Vincent Jones should lead the way.

25. Traverse City Central – a traditional power from the north. The Trojans will need to replace Caleb Keller, with Evan Fox likely stepping into the role of the top guy. The senior finished his track season on a high note, racing to a 4:28 PB at MITCA.

24. Fenton – from D1 to D2 back to D1 are these Tigers. Gavin Katic is the standout, but also needing notice is the depth of the program. This fall could very well be a world where seven Fenton kids could be sub-17.

23. Lake Orion – getting a lil’ regional change could be good fortune for the Dragons. They’ll add what could be an outstanding freshman to the duo of Luis Nava (2nd fastest 9th grader at D1 State) and Ricardo Guajardo (4:39/9:54 as a sophomore).

22. Dexter – the Washtenaw County squad will be tough up front. Not only with Coen Hill, but also Nick Martens, whose 9:38 in the 3200m was a 30+ second drop from the season before.

21. Romeo – the Bulldog sophomore class has made their presence known, throwing out eight boys that were sub-18. Take that burgeoning potential and mix it with seniors such as Brody Empson and Carson Hlavin, then you’ve got a stew going.

20. Holland West Ottawa – the Panthers should be able to pack it in up front with luminaries such as Boston Wilkinson, Sebastian Ruiz, and Maxwell Post. The three were all sub-16:30 in 2025.

19. Saginaw Heritage – Region 2 will be tough sledding, but the Hawks are deep. And with depth, comes potential breakouts. The Hawks return 12(!) sub-18 kids from last fall.

18. Davison – a squad that made the most movement from prior to track season to now. A great chunk of that is due to the rapid improvement of Sullivan Gartrell, who progressed from a kid barely breaking 18:00 to one spitting out a 2:00/4:28.

17. Rockford – a senior-laden team. Josiah Derksen, Noah Watson, Charles Gavan, Addison Dufendach are all experienced boys that will or should contribute.

16. Grand Ledge – in 2025, saw the realization from years of program building with a 10th place finish. Five finishers from that state squad remain, including what should be a strong top three of Rylen Richey, Caelan Marsh, and Nolan Lounds.

15. Milford – Sal’s boys move from the western Oakland region to the northern suburbs. The regional magic may still be needed, though their foundation will likely be strong. The Mavericks bring back six boys that have personal bests in the low-17’s or faster.

14. Portage Central – Marcus Essling and Tristan Zhang should be excellent up front, one of the better top-two combos in the state. Each were sub-10 this past spring in the 3200m.

13. Grand Blanc – a team loaded with youngsters that in 2025, got a chance to experience the trials and tribulations of racing, placing 5th in what may have been the toughest region in the state. Region 2 hasn’t gotten much easier, but these guys are a year older, and in the case of Jack Crongeyer, just finished a track campaign where they knocked 30 sec. off their 3200m best.

12. Kalamazoo Central – the depth pieces and packs of Giants clearly spent the winter training, as they progressed in a way that’ll surely see them displacing runners come fall. Two great examples: Colby Bartells and Brady Winther-MacInnis, each of whom dropped significant seconds in the 3200m this past spring.

11. Caledonia – the Scots will have one of the stronger top-three’s of anyone in the state. Sean Thompson, Bennett Snapper, and Bentley Nichols were all in the 16:20’s or faster last fall.

scored as if there were one giant XC meet between all the D1 teams

Best Track Seasons

(some of the teams that improved the most from March until now)

Davison

800m: 5 returners sub-2:15
1600m: 4 returners sub-4:50
3200m: 4 returners sub-11:00

Portage Central

800m: 5 returners sub-2:15
1600m: 6 returners sub-5:00
3200m: 2 returners sub-10:00

Kalamazoo Central

800m: 9 returners sub-2:15
1600m: 7 returners sub-5:00
3200m: 5 returners sub-10:30

2025 State Finals

3rd – Kalamazoo Central
7th – Milford
10th – Grand Ledge
12th – Caledonia
14th – Romeo
18th – Woodhaven Brownstown

14th – Fenton (D2)

DNQ – Grand Blanc, Portage Central, Rockford, Davison, Saginaw Heritage, Holland West Ottawa, Dexter, Lake Orion, Traverse City Central, Howell

27-11

27. Zeeland East – the Chix will look to reload from a streak of greatness. Adalyn Raab will undoubtedly lead the way. She’ll be followed by girls that’ve shown potential, such as Tenley DeWitt, who broke 20:00 as a freshman.

26. Mason – the Bulldogs could benefit from a reworked Region 4. They’re an experienced squad, led by three upperclasswomen (Jorga Wooledge, Ruby Petee, and Morgan Allen) that’ve all been sub-20 in their careers.

25. Macomb Dakota – coming off a wonderful track season, especially shown through the improvement of Grace Mathers, who progressed from a girl running mid-19’s in cross to one that posted the 14th fastest freshman 1600m in Michigan.

24. Dexter – Senior Kodie Snyder will be at the forefront of the Dreadnaught squad. She’s fresh off a track season where she dropped a vast amount of time in the 3200m (11:40 to 11:12).

23. Howell – the class of ’29 can be a gamechanger for the Highlanders, offering up four sophomores that slipped under 21:00 as freshmen. Add those girls to Anna Halliday and you’ve got another squad hopeful to make it out of Region 4.

22. Utica – Kylie Brown is a girl that’s quickly gotten better and better. She dropped over two minutes off her freshman best to run 19:05, placing 11th in Region 9.

21. Clarkston – Avery DeGrendel has been gradually whittling time down, each and every year. A major payoff came this spring, where she grabbed her first individual qualifier on the track in the 1600m.

20. Romeo – many have gone and left a legacy that will be remembered for years. But in their absence, the opportunity comes for others to step up and make a name for themselves. Of course, Annie Hrabovsky and Reese Rosbolt will lead the way, giving the Bulldogs two low-sticks in a year that’s a little more uncertain.

19. Zeeland West – the Dux return six of the seven runners that competed on Region 3’s 4th place team. They add what could be a solid freshman piece.

18. Rochester – Charlotte Jones had a breakout track season, though she’s not the only Falcon to show out. Annie Roraff dropped 6 seconds in her main event (800m), but also proved to be an adept miler, which could definitely carry over to XC.

17. Rochester Adams – those Keith girls always find a way, Leah Keith the latest of the bunch. She found a home in the 1600m this spring, racing in the 5:30’s on multiple occasions, showing that she has the fitness to contribute during cross.

16. White Lake Lakeland – always a solid squad that performs above expectation. This year’s version appears to be deep and will be senior-led. Those seniors have plenty of experience stepping up when needed, having qualified and competed for the past three State Finals.

15. Hartland – Along with Lakeland, another team that can throw many girls at you. The Eagles will replace Neuer and Nunnery, but are well-equipped to be led by Ava Goodman, a senior who has slipped under 19:00 the past two seasons.

14. Midland Dow – we know about Emilia Garces, yes. Though through four, the Chargers should be able to pack up and bury teams. Kate Mcfarlane, Autumn Luick, and Hannah Vogel were all sub-19:30 in 2025,

13. Saline – the combo of Savannah Staton and Katarina Munson can surely be one of the quicker one-two punches in the state. Staton’s accomplishments are numerous and speedy, but don’t sleep on Munson, who has dropped under 19:00 each of the past two falls.

12. Brownstown Woodhaven – the queens of Downriver look to make their presence more well-known in the state. The Warriors were able to state a bit of a case in 2025-2026, qualifying for XC State, then their 4×8 winning Region 5. With six varsity returners from that state squad, the purple-clad crew can challenge for the top-10.

11. Traverse City West – the Titans graduate their excellent and accomplished ’26 class, but there’s still plenty of numbers in the waiting. Four returners, including the great Tessa Mascari, have run in the very low-20’s or faster.

scored as if there were one giant XC meet between all the D1 teams

Best Track Seasons

(some of the teams that improved the most from March until now)

Macomb Dakota

800m: 5 returners sub-2:40
1600m: 6 returners sub-6:00
3200m: 5 returners sub-13:00

Rochester

800m: 4 returners sub-2:40
1600m: 5 returners sub-6:00
3200m: 2 returners sub-12:00

2025 State Finals

2nd – Romeo
7th – Traverse City West
9th – Hartland
10th – Saline
14th – Rochester Adams
17th – Rochester
19th – White Lake Lakeland
20th – Woodhaven Brownstown
21st – Clarkston
22nd – Utica
23rd – Macomb Dakota
25th – Zeeland East

DNQ – Midland Dow, Zeeland West, Howell, Dexter, Mason

Uncategorized

2026 Summer Preview: Division 2’s Top Teams (11-27)

mixcspeedratings

The goal for this summer’s preview is to be a bit more thorough and coherent. Usually I’m rushed and racing to get out content before the season begins, but I swear this year will be different! I’m starting a little earlier, I already performed a ton of the dirty work over the winter, and am as motivated as ever.

Anyhow, the plan is this:

  1. Write a bit about teams ranked 11-27, D4 through D1
  2. Knock out the 50 Tickets
  3. Have more detailed posts about the Top 10 Teams
  4. Throw out the always controversial Regional Projections
  5. Hopefully have one all-encompassing post for each division (including the UP, which typically starts a little later than us trolls, so they’ll get their own two-week period in late August)

Why rank to 27? Well, unless there’s a 4th place team that qualifies out of a regional, there are 27 teams that compete at the Lower Peninsula State Finals.

These projections are based on a combination of last season’s ratings, projected improvements, and this past track season. They contain kids that ran XC in 2025, either for their high school or a middle school that typically feeds to that high school. Projecting D4 is always a little rough because of the smaller enrollments. My estimation is that there’s more recruiting from within the school and multi-sport athletes compared to other divisions. As a result, these likely miss out on athletes that could have a huge impact.

As always, these are for fun and a way to keep the best sport in the world on your mind through these summer months.

27-11

27. Ludington – Gabe Grierson leads the way for this west coast squad. The senior busted out a sub-16 last fall at Benzie to secure his first ever run at MIS.

26. Haslett – a solid team throughout, though ability to move up in the rankings may depend on freshmen – three of ‘em were 12-flat or faster at the MS level in 2025.

25. Tecumseh – a young squad brought to the forefront by the ’28 class, which contains four kids that were in the low-17’s or faster as sophomores.

24. Freeland – led by Ryan Brown, a burgeoning young talent that broke into the 16’s late last fall and completed a solid track season.

23. Petoskey – senior-laden and deep, coming off a track season where much improvement was found. Jack Frentz is the prime example, dropping over a minute from his 2025 best in the 3200m.

22. St. Joseph – headlined by a top-two that can compete with most. Seth Randall and Carson Wiersbe have both gotten into the very low-16’s and each were top-10 finishers from Region 13.

21. Vicksburg – Caiden Caswell is the star, but Vicksburg ain’t just one man. One of the better 2nd men of the division will hang in there for sure, as Hunter Smith always runs his best races come late October or early November.

20. Chelsea – year after year, the Bulldogs churn out teams and athletes. 2026 looks to be no different, with a team that could contend for a MIS spot. And Wyeth Angus, who broke into the 15’s in his final race of the year at MITCA.

19. Spring Lake – the Lakers are no stranger to success as well. Owen Adams is the low-stick, a kid that dropped nearly a minute from his sophomore best to place 3rd in Region 10 and step onto the podium at MIS.

18. DeWitt – pure quality through the Panther lineup, with 10+ athletes certainly capable of breaking into the 17’s.

17. Owosso – another team featuring many athletes with potential to run fast. Scroll down the roster and you have many candidates of sub-17 kids. One runner stands out, soon to be sophomore Leonidas Erfourth, who raced to the 11th fastest freshman 3200m mark in the state.

16. Paw Paw – three consistent runners don the Red Wolves singlets – Christopher Vogt, Landon Lindsay, and Grant Krause. All three were sub-17 in the fall and under 4:40 for the 1600m this past spring.

15. Grand Rapids South Christian – another team with a strong top-three. Ben Verlin and Josiah Rozema are the experienced seniors, each grinding over the course of three seasons for the Sailors. Hudson Kemper is the sophomore barely tapping into his talent, breaking 17:00 late in cross and racing a 4:36 in the 1600m this past spring.

14. Detroit Country Day – definitely a darkhorse for a top-10 spot, led by two boys with a real shot of making the podium. Omar Elbashir can handle the stage, having run one of the more wise races amongst his D2 competitors. Jack Hincks had a breakout track season, dropping his times from 4:50/10:31 to 4:30/9:47.

13. Adrian – Moises Salazar Jr. moves on, but the Maple train keeps chugging. Four Adrian returners were in the low-17’s or faster in ’25, ensuring a solid foundation for the SE Michigan squad.

12. Cedar Springs – pack running should be a major advantage for the RedHawks. Case in point: last year’s Region 10 where CS had the fastest fifth and sixth runners in the field. They bring back five of their six varsity runners from that race.

11. Forest Hills Eastern – the Hawks have depth and low-sticks and a culture hellbent on improvement. Grayson Michels surely has embraced that thought, dropping over a minute from his freshman best to run 16:28 last October.

scored as if there were one giant D2 XC meet

Best Track Seasons

(some of the teams that improved the most from before track to now)

Petoskey

800m: 3 returners sub-2:20
1600m: 6 returners sub-5:00
3200m: 3 returners sub-11:00

Paw Paw

800m: 4 returners sub-2:15
1600m: 4 returners sub-5:00
3200m: 3 returners sub-11:00

Adrian

800m: 7 returners sub-2:15
1600m: 5 returners sub-5:00
3200m: 3 returners sub-11:00

2025 State Finals

8th – Forest Hills Eastern
13th – Chelsea
16th – Cedar Springs
17th – Adrian
18th – DeWitt
20th – Spring Lake
21st – Detroit Country Day
23rd – Petoskey

DNQ – Ludington, Haslett, Tecumseh, Freeland, St. Joseph, Vicksburg, Owosso, Paw Paw, Grand Rapids South Christian

27-11

27. Forest Hills Eastern – the Hawks bring back four girls that were in the 20:30’s or faster.

26. Ludington – leading the way will be Eliza Schwass, though Annabelle Lowman is as good of a #2 as one will find. The senior-to-be has reached the MIS podium all three of her seasons, hitting as high as 8th the past two Novembers.

25. Allendale – the Falcon depth extends a little further than D2 teams in the same ballpark, as Allendale returns seven girls that were sub-22 or faster.

24. Holly – given the evolution of Maddie Lindley and Julia Bambach, you gotta figure the Bronchos will have another girl exponentially break through. There are plenty of candidates!

23. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard – both Bridget Fidkowski and Monica Lynn should be at the forefront of any race. That was the case in Region 18, where the pair placed 2nd and 4th, greatly contributing to the Fighting Irish regional crown.

22. Adrian – coming off the heels of a great track season, the Maples are super strong up front. Of course there’s the venerable Ayda Skeels, but also Madison Petty, who was 19th in D2 last year and a state qualifier in the 1600m.

21. Pinckney – it’s Jaelyn Ray’s team, with quality depth in tow. Both Valyntina Garcia and Eastynn Charder broke into the 19’s late in the ’25 season, the two being valuable contributors to the Pirates’ regional championship.

20. Sturgis – the Sturgis MS Trojans were St. Joseph County champs and many of those youngsters could feature on this high school team.

19. Freeland – Clara Kaczor is the hallmark of this team, and she leads a Falcon squad that should have plenty of bodies to choose from. Eight other Freeland returners were sub-22 at some point last fall.

18. Macomb Lutheran North – the Region 17 Champion in both 2024 and 2025. The Mustangs clearly are working to earn another trophy, evidenced by a track season that saw five LN girls slip under 6:00 in the 1600m.

17. Plainwell – Mai Nguyen is a name I haven’t covered much, but her accomplishments are vast. She’s a 3x individual qualifier on the track, hit 3rd place in both the Wolverine Conference and Region 13, and medaled here at D2 State last fall.

16. Clare – a traditionally strong program that just recently moved up to D2. After a year of adjustment, the Pioneers should be in contention to qualify out of Region 10.

15. Holland – have one of the quicker 1-2 combos in the state with Johanna Mulder and Olivia Weiss. Mulder won the OK Black 3200m in sub-11 PR fashion and Weiss stepped onto the medal stand at MIS in November.

14. Williamston – could be greatly influenced by the Hornet MS program, which had two girls under 12:30 last fall and in the top-10 at Junior Greater Lansing.

13. Spring Lake – the track state championship vibes have to rub off, right? Most evident of the Laker fitness was the 800m, where four returners ran under 2:35, including standout Cora Parker, who placed 3rd in D2.

12. Coopersville – fresh off an 11th place finish and back for more. Breslyn Klein seems on the verge of a big season, coming off a track campaign where she sprinted to the 6th fastest freshman 800m time in Michigan.

11. Cadillac – seems like reloading is the philosophy on the shores of Lake Cadillac. It’s best exemplified by their lead girl, Ella McInerney, who dropped 20+ second PR’s in the 1600m and 3200m this past spring.

scored as if there were one giant D2 XC meet

Best Track Seasons

(some of the teams that improved the most from before track to now)

Adrian

800m: 2 returners sub-2:25
1600m: 3 returners sub-5:55
3200m: 3 returners sub-12:20

Macomb Lutheran North

800m: 6 returners sub-2:50
1600m: 5 returners sub-6:00
3200m: 4 returners sub-12:30

Cadillac

800m: 6 returners sub-2:40
1600m: 5 returners sub-5:45
3200m: 4 returners sub-13:00

2025 State Finals

6th – Cadillac
7th – Pinckney
11th – Coopersville
12th – Holland
16th – Spring Lake
17th – Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard
20th – Adrian
21st – Freeland
23rd – Williamston
24th – Macomb Lutheran North
25th – Sturgis

DNQ – Clare, Plainwell, Holly, Allendale, Ludington, Forest Hills Eastern