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50 Tickets to Brooklyn: Girls #35

THE SUMMER PREVIEW

Accomplishments & Accolades

  • 1600m – 5:14
  • 3200m – 10:59
  • 5k (XC) – 18:25
  • 6th Place – KLAA Championship
  • 6th Place – Region 4
  • 4th Place – KLAA Championship
  • 4th Place – Region 4

Ratings Throughout the Years

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
11Elle Bissett19:10.8Brighton131.1Division 1 State4-Nov2023
11Elle Bissett19:28.9Brighton130.4Region 428-Oct2023
11Elle Bissett19:29.1Brighton137.3KLAA Conference20-Oct2023
11Elle Bissett18:25.8Brighton149.4Portage7-Oct2023
11Elle Bissett18:26.5Brighton147.2Jackson23-Sep2023
11Elle Bissett19:44.5Brighton129.2Spartan15-Sep2023
11Elle Bissett20:36.0Brighton121.7Averill9-Sep2023
11Elle Bissett21:41.3Brighton97.2Mustang29-Aug2023
11Elle Bissett19:41.1Brighton137.0Lamplighter18-Aug2023
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
10Elle Bissett20:35.3Brighton107.2Division 1 State5-Nov2022
10Elle Bissett21:40.9Brighton88.0KLAA Conference22-Oct2022
10Elle Bissett19:34.3Brighton124.9Portage8-Oct2022
10Elle Bissett20:28.4Brighton116.9Spartan16-Sep2022
10Elle Bissett21:49.5Brighton102.5Averill10-Sep2022
10Elle Bissett20:55.2Brighton112.9Lamplighter19-Aug2022
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
9Elle Bissett19:50.8Brighton120.1Division 1 State6-Nov2021
9Elle Bissett20:12.0Brighton116.3Region 429-Oct2021
9Elle Bissett19:45.7Brighton122.4KLAA Conference21-Oct2021
9Elle Bissett20:52.0Brighton106.7Portage9-Oct2021
9Elle Bissett20:44.5Brighton106.2Coaching Legends2-Oct2021
9Elle Bissett21:59.3Brighton90.2Spartan17-Sep2021
9Elle Bissett22:33.4Brighton83.9Averill11-Sep2021
9Elle Bissett22:34.8Brighton88.4Mustang31-Aug2021
9Elle Bissett23:59.1Brighton51.3Lamplighter20-Aug2021

The Rundown

As Lydia LaMarra got on this list because of her late-season XC heroics, Elle Bissett is included because of her ability to lay down times during track. Across the board, she displayed significant improvement in each event. 800m? 2:35 to 2:24. 1600m? 5:25 to 5:14? 3200m? Perhaps the greatest, 11:27 to 10:59. That 3200m also came with the most honors, Elle racking up 4th place finishes in both the KLAA and in Region 4.

This all comes off a cross season that was her best yet. In terms of time, Elle transformed from a girl running 19-20’s to one that showed flashes of dipping into the 18’s. We saw that mid-season, where her 18:25 and 7th place finish at Portage showed she can absolutely hang with the state’s best, a fact that she’d later prove in the spring. In terms of place, consider the regional stage. As a freshman, she placed 30th and as a sophomore, competed in the JV race. This past fall, she placed 6th, an integral member of the winning Bulldogs squad.

Elle’s ability, heightened improvement, and a great training backdrop should make for an impactful senior year.

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50 Tickets to Brooklyn: Boys #35

THE SUMMER PREVIEW

Accomplishments & Accolades

  • 1600m – 4:26
  • 5k (XC) – 15:31
  • 26th Place – D1 State
  • 4th Place – MAC Championship
  • 4th Place – Macomb County
    • 2x All-County
  • 2nd Place – Macomb County 1600m

Ratings Throughout the Years

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
10Harper Wesley15:47.1Utica197.3MITCA11-Nov2023
10Harper Wesley15:38.0Utica201.7Division 1 State4-Nov2023
10Harper Wesley16:07.3Utica195.6Region 827-Oct2023
10Harper Wesley15:40.4Utica199.9MAC Championship21-Oct2023
10Harper Wesley15:44.3Utica204.9Macomb County14-Oct2023
10Harper Wesley15:31.1Utica203.6Bluejay30-Sep2023
10Harper Wesley16:06.8Utica194.7Jackson23-Sep2023
10Harper Wesley16:17.8Utica199.7Holly16-Sep2023
10Harper Wesley16:20.0Utica196.7Ramblin’ Rock9-Sep2023
10Harper Wesley16:44.3Utica189.9Lake St. Clair Early Bird30-Aug2023
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDateYear
9Harper Wesley16:28.3Utica183.2MITCA12-Nov2022
9Harper Wesley17:01.8Utica179.1Division 1 State5-Nov2022
9Harper Wesley16:49.1Utica184.6Region 829-Oct2022
9Harper Wesley16:45.0Utica180.7MAC Division22-Oct2022
9Harper Wesley16:53.2Utica182.3Macomb County15-Oct2022
9Harper Wesley16:57.0Utica176.0Bluejay1-Oct2022
9Harper Wesley17:21.8Utica175.7Mott Fall Classic23-Sep2022
9Harper Wesley17:04.2Utica171.6MAC Red 120-Sep2022
9Harper Wesley18:16.6Utica158.8Holly17-Sep2022
9Harper Wesley17:11.5Utica170.5Muskrat Classic10-Sep2022
9Harper Wesley17:52.1Utica170.0Saline Early Bird1-Sep2022
9Harper Wesley17:24.7Utica177.1UCS Quad26-Aug2022

The Rundown

Come October of his freshman year, the signs were apparent. In that month, a young Harper rattled off four straight sub-17’s. And that was needed, with the Chieftains in the midst of a state qualifying battle in the ever tough Region 8. At that Regional, Wesley was projected to be 18th, but finished 7 spots better as Utica pulled off a little upset in advancing out of that region. You can see his reaction in the infamous picture above.

The same theme materialized in October of his sophomore year, only quite a bit faster. His 15:31 at Shepherd was a wowing effort and it kicked off a stretch of five of six races being in the 15’s. Accomplishments abounded too, high finishes in the county, conference, and regional stage. The capper was an All-State, pretty good for a kid who looked to be top-75.

Big goals await and can certainly be had, as Wesley was the lone underclassman in the top-10 at County, is within striking distance of the school record, and placed 8th amongst anyone 11th grade and below at State.

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Regional Previews: Division 3, Region 22

SUMMER PREVIEW

Last Year

Summer
Mid-Season
Final Projections
The Result

Boys

  1. Buchanan (18th in D3)
  2. Olivet (20th)
  3. Union City (26th)

Girls

  1. Buchanan (18th)
  2. Bridgman (24th)
  3. Schoolcraft (26th)

2023’s Summer Preview was spot on for boys, and I’ll just extend my apologies to Bridgman’s Bees. They’re probably running dunes and satisfied where they were in Region 34 so who knows if they’ll read this.

Top 27 Teams

Boys

Top Ten – Saugatuck
#18 – Buchanan
#20 – Union City

Girls

#17 – Buchanan
#21 – Saugatuck
#26 – Union City

Projected Scores

Boys

PlaceTeamProjected Score
1Saugatuck42
2Buchanan78
3Union City82
4Constantine124
5Schoolcraft165
6Bangor192
7Centreville192
8Bloomingdale236
9Watervliet239
10Hartford255
11Galesburg-Augusta281
12Kalamazoo Christian299
13Lawton385
14Coloma424
15Comstock425
16Niles Brandywine464

Girls

PlaceTeamProjected Score
1Buchanan66
2Saugatuck80
3Union City96
4Schoolcraft102
5Niles Brandywine146
6Kalamazoo Christian153
7Fennville187
8Watervliet191
9Bangor252
10Centreville256
11Hartford278
12Constantine287

Top Runners

Boys

PlaceGradeNameTeam
112Daniel MandujanoWatervliet
211Ben GautscheUnion City
310Sawyer MonroeSaugatuck
410Marcus SilvaSaugatuck
512Dante PillotSchoolcraft
611Sammy GamboaSaugatuck
711Alessandro AvilaConstantine
89Will HulinCentreville
911Liam McBethBuchanan
1012Robbie KingConstantine
1112Jason ShoopUnion City
1211Jack SherwoodBuchanan
1310Grant RehkopfSaugatuck
1411Jacob KuntzBuchanan
1512Carter StevensGalesburg-Augusta
1611Brennan NorSaugatuck
1712Coy WeinbergBuchanan
1812Tyler CarusoBangor
199Jackson BowmanSaugatuck
2010Cullen DeckerUnion City
2111Austen WaldenConstantine
2212Cohen BurdickUnion City
2312Carlos RuizHartford
2412Zack MitchellKalamazoo Christian
2510John KeserBuchanan

Daniel Mandujano

Career has taken him many places. From a 20+ min. opener in 2022, to a State Finals appearance later that year, to an All-State finish last November.

Ben Gautsche

Youngster has closed each of the past two seasons with some scorchers. 2023’s sophomore version had three straight 16:xx’s.

Sawyer Monroe

9th grade year got better and better and better before it ended up on an All-State finish in D4. The Trailblazers move up a division, but I’m sure that experience will be helpful.

Marcus Silva

Another young Saugatuck star, Marcus’s 10:12 from the 3200m ranked 40th amongst all of Michigan’s freshmen.

Dante Pillot

Has grown from a kid that never dipped under 19:00 as a freshman to one that’s been in the 17’s and top-10 here each of the past two years.

Sammy Gamboa

Hard to believe he’s now an elder statesman on this Trailblazer team. Moved from the 18’s as a freshman to 16:59 in his sophomore campaign.

Girls

PlaceGradeNameTeam
110Isabelle SliterFennville
212Alaina KloosterKalamazoo Christian
310Lyvia CurtisSaugatuck
410Kamryn SixberrySaugatuck
510Alli GautscheUnion City
612Ariana PillotSchoolcraft
712Madeline YoungBuchanan
812Emma MillerBuchanan
911Alina MartinsonSaugatuck
109Olivia BaysSchoolcraft
1112Skyler FraleyUnion City
1211Samantha GilesFennville
1311Alaina NagelBuchanan
1412Kimberly RomeroWatervliet
159McKenzie HawksUnion City
1612Leilani SchoonmakerSaugatuck
179Alyda LeepSchoolcraft
1811Ellie ReedCentreville
199Avery MollbergBuchanan
2010Hadley CampLawton
2112Alayah NieuwsmaSaugatuck
229Payton YeskeWatervliet
2311Adyson BakerBuchanan
2412Christina MendozaFennville
2512Alissa SkirkaUnion City

Isabelle Sliter

Moves over from Region 21 and has a good chance of being a favorite here. Ran in the 19’s for 7 of her final 8 races, then blasted a 5:22 1600m to place 13th in D3. Finished the spring as the #6 1600m girl in D3.

Alaina Klooster

Has gotten it done all three of her seasons at this regional, placing anywhere from 2nd to 6th. In all three years, her season best has been between 19:50 and 20:10 and I see no signs of that changing.

Lyvia Curtis

Not just the first-year boys who were experiencing good vibes and great times. Lyvia was a sub-21 figure for 8 of her final 9 races. Then proved to be even more of a championship racer during track, moving from 12:40 to 12:12 to place 17th at D4 State.

Kamryn Sixberry

And it ain’t just one 9th grade girl! Kam was under 21:00 on a few occasions as well, getting as low as 20:23.

Alli Gautsche

Remarkably consistent in her first high school year, moving slowly from the 21’s to a 20:04 finish.

Ariana Pillot

Region 24’s 1600m champion. Big-time PR of 5:36, her first track individual qualifier ever.

Madeline Young

Three times a top-10 finisher in regional races and is coming off her best 1600m season to date, running a 5:39.

Emma Miller

Comeback story of 2023. After placing 9th here as a freshman and top-100 in D3, missed much of the 2022 season. Emma came back and crushed this Portage course, setting a PR in early October and winning here in Region 22.