Blog

Last Year

SUMMER PREVIEW
MID-SEASON
REGIONAL PROJECTIONS
THE RESULT

Girls

1. Blissfield (11^th)
2. Clinton (16^th)
3. Monroe St. Mary CC (17^th)

Boys

1. Erie Mason (14^th)
2. Clinton (19^th)
3. Manchester (25^th)

Top 27 Teams

Previous years had top-25 teams, but there’s 27 (and sometimes more) team qualifiers and what does it hurt to add another two?

Girls

Monroe St. Mary CC (11^th), Blissfield (15^th), Clinton (18^th), Grass Lake (19^th), Ann Arbor Greenhills (22^nd)

Boys

Clinton (20^th), Ann Arbor Greenhills (23^rd), Monroe St. Mary CC (27^th)

(If your team isn’t listed in the images above or the scores below, you probably don’t have five returners, at least on ol’ athletic.net. I’m sure many of these teams will fill out their rosters by late October)

Projected Scores

Place	Girls Team	Score
1	Monroe St. Mary CC	66
2	Blissfield	69
3	Grass Lake	89
4	Clinton	93
5	Ann Arbor Greenhills	104
6	Flat Rock	168
7	Erie Mason	168
8	Ottawa Lake-Whiteford	195
9	Manchester	201
10	Canton Preparatory	322
11	Detroit Voyageur	332

Place	Boys Team	Score
1	Clinton	69
2	Ann Arbor Greenhills	85
3	Grass Lake	90
4	Erie Mason	92
5	Monroe St. Mary CC	92
6	Flat Rock	106
7	Manchester	190
8	Blissfield	230
9	Ypsilanti Arbor Preparatory	266
10	Ida	276
11	Detroit Voyageur	325
12	Canton Preparatory	354

Top Runners

Thought I’d give a review of some of the top returners in each region. Returners means no incoming freshman (you’ll get your days in the sun). If you’re gonna be in the 50 Tickets, you’ll get a full writeup there. If you’re on a top team and you’re projected highly here, you hit the jackpot! Yes, I’m writing a bit less than previous years, but I think I’ve learned my lesson in that I need to conserve energy and brainpower for all divisions and regions. Typically by August, I’m rushing to get these done. This time around, hopefully all regions get the same amount of coverage.

Bella LaFountain, Monroe St. Mary CC

Took her lumps in her first two HS races, then went on a sub-20 (and even sub-19 once!) roll. Bella was 2^nd here and in the Huron League, then 17^th in Division 3.

Eliza Bush, Ypsilanti Arbor Preparatory

Basketball star has figured out a way to give an impact on the XC courses in the fall, capturing last year’s regional title and then the following week, grabbing her second consecutive All-State.

Hope Miller, Blissfield

After a fall where she was sub-20 in 5 of her final 6 races, handed in a spring that showed the 800m/1600m may be her best events. 18^th place in the D3 1600m and her 5:26 ranked #3 amongst all D3 freshman girls.

Hailey Sills, Blissfield

Hailey ranks #4 on that list, though it appears she’s more distance oriented. Back in May, she was the winner of both the Region 26 and LCAA 3200m. Her low-12’s suggest she’ll greatly improve on her freshman XC campaign.

Katelyn Bydlowski, Ida

Quiet improvements on the grass from 2021 to 2022, dropping 30 sec. off her previous best, qualifying for State for the first time. Very extravagant improvements come spring, where Katelyn subtracted a minute from her 3200m best and made it out to Track States. Those low-12’s suggest an enormous leap come fall.

Cylee Elkins, Clinton

The venue may have changed, the conditions greatly improved, but Region 27 is her spot. Two years, two personal bests, two top-10 finishes, and the only sub-20 of her two year career.

Samantha Coots, Clinton

Has come to be extremely reliable for the Redwolves. Three HS seasons have featured 10+ races in the 20-min. range, almost all coming during championship season. Three state qualifying efforts and no reason to believe she can’t make it a fourth.

Keegan Masters, Ottawa Lake-Whiteford

Your defending champion. Keegan avenged a defeat at the TCC Championships 11 days prior, winning his first regional title. The following week, Keegan captured 19^th at D3 State and nearly stepped on the podium twice in the spring, 6^th in the 1600m and 10^th in the 3200m. He’ll have some talent and an experienced vet to hold off in order to defend his crown.

Jacob Stanislawski, Flat Rock

Had some major hits during track, such as his 9:55 3200m that ranked #15 amongst all of Michigan’s freshman boys. That distance mastery shone down in the fall as well, where Jacob displayed a number of low-16 performances.

Simon VanderVlucht, Monroe St. Mary CC

After attaining his first All-State as a sophomore, came back for more. New PB’s came about during his junior season, moving from 16:43 to 16:20, but the same accomplishments remained – top-5 in the Huron League and Region 27, top-30 in the State.

Austin Sulier, Erie Mason

Made some exponential leaps late in his sophomore season, in a matter of weeks, bumping his personal best down from 17:55 at Hudson to 17:23 at MITCA. His 17:40 at State moved him up 100+ places and helped his eagles nail down their 2^nd straight 14^th place finish.

Lucas Goodman, Clinton

In his junior year, experienced his first State Finals race, making it along with his Redwolve teammates. Even without the team, Lucas would’ve gone on his own, crossing in 7^th with his 17:22 personal best.

THE SUMMER PREVIEW

2022 Results

Meet	Division	Place
Eagle	D1	3rd of 8
Under the Lights	Twilight	4th of 12
Bredeweg		4th of 20
Ottawa Hills	Session 1	2nd of 19
Cougar Falcon	Falcon	2nd of 11
Otsego Bulldog	D2	16th of 30
Portage	D2	10th of 43
OK Blue Conference		4th of 8
Region 11		5th of 13

Top Returners

Will Engbers

Mid-16 performer for much of the year, showing tremendous growth from his freshman form. Winner of the OK Blue Conference Meet in the fall, then top-4’s in the long distances on the track.

Aidan Brinks

Began to find a calling in the mid-distances this spring, but he can throw down on the grass as well. Sub-17 on a few occasions this past fall.

Brayden Rynsburger

Consistent mid-17 athlete after being north of 19:00 for a good bit of his freshman year. Continued that progression onto the track, where he was able to place in the OK Blue and Region 12 in the 1600m.

Landon Gerritsma

Freshman year saw a mix of performances. When Landon was on, he rocked it out to the tune of a mid-season stretch that saw three mid-17 efforts. Track saw a bit more consistency, as he was able to slowly progress to a 4:45 1600m late (17^th amongst all D2 freshmen).

Nathan Steen

As a sophomore last year, stepped into a more prominent role for the Maroons. There were a number of successful races, five of which sub-18. Peaked nicely during May, racing to two 2:04’s during championship season.

Will Whitmore

ANOTHER youngster on this HC squad. May have had one of the better closes of the season, ripping mid-17 efforts on his final six races. More impressive considering his 20 min.+ debut.

Jacob Nicely

Freshman fall contained a multitude of 18-min efforts, his Cougar Falcon 18:01 juuuust on the cusp of reaching past that enormous barrier.

Colin Taylor-DeNooyer

Was on his way to a much-improved 10^th grade campaign before his season got cut short, averaging nearly a minute faster at his first four races.

Potential Newcomers

Cole Coffman

Finished 8^th at Portage along with a bunch of low-11 efforts.

Wyatt Taylor-DeNooyer

Sub-12 for all but one of his 2-mile middle school races. Top 10’s at a ton of large invites, such as Bredeweg, Otsego Bulldog, and Zone 6.

THE SUMMER PREVIEW

2022 Results

Meet	Division	Place
Under the Lights	Big	4th of 11
Pete Moss	Big	7th of 11
Marauder	Large	1st of 10
Northwood		3rd of 12
Holly	D3	2nd of 17
Frankenmuth Eagles		1st of 7
Bluejay	Elite	12th of 25
Birch Run		1st of 16
Greater Flint		3rd of 22
TVC 8		2nd of 7
TVC Overall		2nd of 13
Saginaw County		1st of 8
Region 15		2nd of 13
Division 2 State		12th of 27

Top Returners

Mary Richmond

Such a low stick that the Eagles truly only need to score four, Mary’s 1^st place is almost always guaranteed. She won 14 of the 17 races in which she donned a Frankenmuth jersey last fall.

Natalie Foltz

Closed the year with sub-20’s in eight of her final ten races, including a 2^nd place finish in Saginaw County.

Elise Barden

Elise’s spring season is a major reason the Eagles are ranked this highly. She took the momentum and confidence boost from a sub-20 close and turned that into a 5:33/12:04 spring.

Gabby Cleveland

As with Elise, was able to take tremendous growth during the fall and spin it into an excellent track season. Gabby closed with sub-20’s at Shepherd, both at Region 15 and MITCA, then ripped a 2:29 800m at Davison this spring.

Clare Conzelmann

Finally at Region 15, after 10+ races, Clare was able to snatch a personal best. Her 21:16 and 32^nd place finish were 12spots better than in 2021.

Evie Culver

Evie’s 2021 regional race was a 24 min. slog through the mud. One year later, more than 3 whole minutes faster, contributing to Frankenmuth’s advancement. I know the conditions changed a bit, but that’s a monstrous jump.

Kaitlyn Miller

Although she wasn’t quite as quick as her sophomore self, Kaitlyn was afforded the opportunity to compete at MIS for the first time since her freshman year. During track, she set personal bests in the 800m and 3200m.

Potential Newcomers

Lucy Conzelmann

Essentially the Mary Richmond of the middle school level, winning the Lutheran State Meet and running mid-12’s for a majority of the season.