Blog

THE SUMMER PREVIEW

Accomplishments & Accolades

• 29^th Place – Division 1 State (XC)
• Region 6 Champion (XC)
• 2^nd Place – KLAA (XC)
• 13^th Place – Division 1 State 1600m
• 2^nd Place – KLAA 1600m
• 3^rd Place – Region 6 800m/1600m



Ratings Throughout the Years

Grade	Name	Time	Team	Rating	Meet
11	Ella Christensen	18:58.0	Northville	144.3	Pete Moss
11	Ella Christensen	19:35.7	Northville	134.4	Spartan
11	Ella Christensen	19:42.1	Northville	120.0	Jackson
11	Ella Christensen	19:05.2	Northville	133.9	Bluejay
11	Ella Christensen	19:22.6	Northville	128.8	Portage
11	Ella Christensen	19:04.2	Northville	131.6	River Rat Open
11	Ella Christensen	19:05.3	Northville	139.9	KLAA
11	Ella Christensen	18:35.6	Northville	140.1	Region 6
11	Ella Christensen	18:57.7	Northville	139.8	Division 1 State
Grade	Name	Time	Team	Rating	Meet
10	Ella Christensen	20:23.9	Northville	123.0	Lamplighter
10	Ella Christensen	19:45.3	Northville	128.6	Pete Moss
10	Ella Christensen	19:12.9	Northville	134.4	Ramblin’ Rock
10	Ella Christensen	19:58.2	Northville	130.6	Spartan
10	Ella Christensen	19:25.0	Northville	138.7	Mott Fall Classic
10	Ella Christensen	19:07.6	Northville	136.1	DeWitt
10	Ella Christensen	19:20.4	Northville	137.2	Wayne County
10	Ella Christensen	19:36.8	Northville	144.1	Freeland Falcon
10	Ella Christensen	18:51.8	Northville	140.4	KLAA Championship
10	Ella Christensen	19:32.6	Northville	134.8	Region 6
10	Ella Christensen	18:54.0	Northville	139.0	Division 1 State
10	Ella Christensen	19:03.3	Northville	136.6	MITCA
Grade	Name		Team	Rating	Meet
9	Ella Christensen		Northville	105.9	Northville/Salem
9	Ella Christensen		Northville	110.0	Canton/Northville
9	Ella Christensen		Northville	102.4	Northville/Pioneer
9	Ella Christensen		Northville	116.0	Northville/Plymouth
9	Ella Christensen		Northville	118.6	Hansons
9	Ella Christensen		Northville	113.0	Brighton/Northville
9	Ella Christensen		Northville	120.0	West Ottawa
9	Ella Christensen		Northville	123.7	KLAA
9	Ella Christensen		Northville	114.3	Pre-Region 15
9	Ella Christensen		Northville	115.0	Region 8
9	Ella Christensen		Northville	122.3	Division 1 State

The Rundown

One thing that has stood out for me in both knowing about Ella and watching her run is her ability to put herself through tough circumstances to help her Mustang squad. One of those occasions was June’s State Finals. With Northville in the thick of the 4x800m race, she could have just run a 2:20 and no one would bat an eyelash. But there’s no “just” in Ella, as she expended every last bit of energy to split a 2:15, just enough to contribute to their 8^th place squad. The same has been true in XC, where injuries have plagued her on occasion. Mid-season setbacks can derail a championship outcome, but not for her, as she’s placed in the top-50 in Division 1 each year, as low as 29^th this past fall. Reliability and knowing someone’s in your corner, willing to fight for you are both traits a first-year coach strives for, and Ella with her senior leadership definitely fits those bills.

THE SUMMER PREVIEW

2022 Results

You receive two sets of results, their high school squad and their middle school squad. Since much of their hope and promise centers around their incoming freshmen, the middle school results should be illuminating. Yes, I wrote the same dang thing for Gobles. If the spike fits…

HIGH SCHOOL

Meet	Division	Place
Portage EB		18th of 20
Region 31		3rd of 9
Division 4 State		14th of 27

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Meet	Division	Place
UTL v2		1st of 9
Bredeweg		1st of 12
Sparta	D3	1st of 7
Autumn Sunrise	Sunrise	1st of 5
Otsego Bulldog	D2	1st of 7
Portage		2nd of 54
Zone 6	Small	1st of 10
West Michigan		2nd of 13

Top Returners

Zach Vonk

Showed a bit of promise in the 800m this spring, moving down to 2:18 by season’s end.

Potential Newcomers

Riley Weed

First off, Riley Weed is a great cross country name. Secondly, he proved formidable at the longer distances while still training as an 8^th grader. 17:08 at Allendale, followed up by a 17:39 at MIS.

Christian Getz

Might take a bit more time to get acquitted to a full 5k. At the 3k in Terredise in mid-November, he may have had his best race, placing 12^th at NXR.

Noah Schipper

Seems to be one of the more well-equipped athletes to handle the high school distance, his 18:12 at Allendale as evidence. Placed 8^th in the West Michigan MEGASTAR 1600m.

Gibson White

One of the better 8^th grade 800m runners, dipping down as low as 2:17.

Zeke Williams

Right on that 12-min. mark with a few breakthroughs, most notably his 11:45 after conquering Mount Bulldog.

Caleb Adkins

Closed his track season out with three consecutive 2:24’s.

Brody VanTuinen

Only three races on his portfolio, the final of which a mid-12 win in the West Michigan open race.

Eli Laninga

Mid-12’s through much of the end of the XC season, then showed to be a little stronger in the mid-distances on the track, where he placed 14^th in the West Michigan MEGASTAR 800m.

THE SUMMER PREVIEW

2022 Results

You receive two sets of results, their high school squad and their middle school squad. Since much of their hope and promise centers around their incoming freshmen, the middle school results should be illuminating.

HIGH SCHOOL

Meet	Division	Place
Bridgman		9th of 9
SW Rustbuster		9th of 9
Bob Teske		8th of 11
Mendon		7th of 8
Bangor		13th of 14
Portage	D4	16th of 16
Little Guys		9th of 10
Region 31		7th of 7

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Meet	Division	Place
SW Rustbuster		2nd of 9
Mendon		1st of 6
Bangor		1st of 8
Otsego Bulldog	D2	1st of 6
SAC Championship		1st of 12
Portage		7th of 53
Zone 1		5th of 22
Little Guys		1st of 5

Top Returners

Madison Cooley

During freshman year, transformed from a girl starting in the high-22’s to 24’s to one that was sub-22 in her final 5 races. Madison was 43^rd at State in PB of 21:06 to close the year.

Zoie Wood

Sub-25 in her final 5 races, including a 23:48 at Portage, 3.5 minutes faster than her freshman year.

Potential Newcomers

Libby Smith

Winner of all her MS races but two, Portage and Zone 5. Going the full 2-mile distance, she hovered around the 12:30 mark for much of the year.

Ava DeYoung

Actually placed ahead of Smith at Portage and Zone 5. Was 2^nd in a majority of Gobles’ races, still running those steady 12:30’s.

Lauren Schaffer

Kept around the 13-flat area during cross, then when she took to the track, placed 4^th in the West Michigan MEGASTAR meet.