Blog

Uncategorized

50 Tickets to Brooklyn: Boys #43

THE SUMMER PREVIEW

Accomplishments & Accolades

  • 6th Place – Division 3 State (XC)
  • 2x All-State (XC)
  • 2021 Region 21 Champion (XC)
  • 2x CSAA Champion (XC)
  • 6th Place – Division 3 3200m 2021 & 2022

Ratings Throughout the Years

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDate
11Samuel Martini16:35.6Kent City188.8Under the Lights v226-Aug
11Samuel Martini16:20.4Kent City200.5Central Montcalm Hornet10-Sep
11Samuel Martini16:09.3Kent City197.6Sparta17-Sep
11Samuel Martini16:10.5Kent City195.5CSAA (Morley Stanwood)22-Sep
11Samuel Martini16:01.4Kent City194.5Bluejay1-Oct
11Samuel Martini16:31.9Kent City196.0CSAA Lakeview4-Oct
11Samuel Martini15:57.3Kent City196.9Portage8-Oct
11Samuel Martini16:40.1Kent City189.0CSAA Conference18-Oct
11Samuel Martini16:09.2Kent City193.6Region 2129-Oct
11Samuel Martini16:17.4Kent City192.5Division 3 State5-Nov
11Samuel Martini16:06.7Kent City190.4MITCA12-Nov
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDate
10Samuel Martini17:26.9Kent City180.1CM Hornet11-Sep
10Samuel Martini16:44.5Kent City179.8Sparta18-Sep
10Samuel Martini16:41.1Kent City185.3Bluejay2-Oct
10Samuel Martini16:29.9Kent City192.7Portage9-Oct
10Samuel Martini16:58.9Kent City189.0Kent Ottawa16-Oct
10Samuel Martini16:30.0Kent City181.7Region 2130-Oct
10Samuel Martini16:30.9Kent City184.4Division 3 State6-Nov
10Samuel Martini17:11.9Kent City175.0MITCA13-Nov
GradeNameTeamRatingMeetDate
9Samuel MartiniKent City143.8Cedar Springs/Kent City25-Aug
9Samuel MartiniKent City167.2Hill Bale12-Sep
9Samuel MartiniKent City147.3CSAA Silver16-Sep
9Samuel MartiniKent City165.5OGTC19-Sep
9Samuel MartiniKent City157.0KC Eagle26-Sep
9Samuel MartiniKent City168.0Shepherd Bluejay3-Oct
9Samuel MartiniKent City163.6CSAA Silver6-Oct
9Samuel MartiniKent City168.2Bengals9-Oct
9Samuel MartiniKent City165.7Mustang16-Oct
9Samuel MartiniKent City164.6Pre-Region 4124-Oct

The Rundown

Some on this list might start their careers hot out of the gates, running sub-16 as a freshman. Some may begin slowly and have a massive leap. Sam has had the more boring approach, and by boring, I mean he’s been able to rack up medal after medal, honor after honor. The past two years have contained plenty of them as he’s worked his way from the mid-16’s to the high-15’s. High placings at Portage, wins at Shepherd and Sparta, have all led to championship seasons where he’s picked up a regional championship and two All-States. What’ll happen next? We know he’s got championship experience and everything is on the table…

Uncategorized

50 Tickets to Brooklyn: Girls #43

THE SUMMER PREVIEW

Accomplishments & Accolades

  • Bay County Champion (XC)
  • 2021 SVL Champion (XC)
  • 6th Place – Region 2 (XC)
  • SVL 800m Champion
  • Division 1 State Qualifier – 3200m
  • 2nd Place – SVL 1600m

Ratings Throughout the Years

GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDate
10Isabelle Becker20:14.0Bay City Western134.7Milford1-Sep
10Isabelle Becker19:37.1Bay City Western127.3SVL North 113-Sep
10Isabelle Becker19:19.9Bay City Western139.7Spartan16-Sep
10Isabelle Becker19:15.4Bay City Western133.9SVL North 227-Sep
10Isabelle Becker18:49.8Bay City Western139.7Portage8-Oct
10Isabelle Becker18:43.6Bay City Western137.1SVL Championship19-Oct
10Isabelle Becker18:48.6Bay City Western135.8Region 228-Oct
10Isabelle Becker19:35.4Bay City Western127.2Division 1 State5-Nov
GradeNameTimeTeamRatingMeetDate
9Isabelle Becker20:20.1Bay City Western131.6Milford2-Sep
9Isabelle Becker20:59.0Bay City Western113.3SVL North 114-Sep
9Isabelle Becker19:37.1Bay City Western137.6Spartan17-Sep
9Isabelle Becker18:48.7Bay City Western138.1SVL North 228-Sep
9Isabelle Becker20:06.6Bay City Western120.1Bay County15-Oct
9Isabelle Becker19:02.5Bay City Western144.2SVL Championship20-Oct
9Isabelle Becker19:52.0Bay City Western137.7Region 230-Oct
9Isabelle Becker18:51.8Bay City Western139.8Division 1 State6-Nov
9Isabelle Becker18:46.0Bay City Western142.3MITCA13-Nov

The Rundown

Bay City Western shares the same scheduling philosophy I’d have as a coach. Light racing on tough courses early in order to run fast late during championship season. Isabelle has opened both her seasons at Milford, conquering the dreaded double hill at Possum Hollow, both 20 min+ efforts. She’s ended both her seasons in the 18’s and championships in hand. As a freshman, that was the SVL title. This past year, being the best in her county. Each year, it’s been top-10 in one of the tougher regions you’ll find, Region 2. She even added a bit more strength during track, taking her personal best down in the 3200m from 11:28 to 11:14. Never be fooled by Coach Nesbitt’s runners, you know by October they’ll be sticking their nose in it with the best of ‘em, Isabelle being no different.

Uncategorized

The Regional Previews: Division 4, Region 32

Last Year

Summer Preview
Mid-Season
Regional Projections
The Result

Girls

  1. Kalamazoo Hackett (13th)
  2. Concord (26th)
  3. Mendon (23rd)

Boys

  1. Concord (11th)
  2. Kalamazoo Hackett (17th)
  3. Battle Creek St. Philip (23rd)

It was pretty much chalk over here, the same top 3 projected in summer and the week prior ended up making it to State. Mendon’s girls did outperform their projected score, and who could’ve foreseen the impact of the Irish’s freshmen boys?

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

Concord (14th), Kalamazoo Hackett (15th), Mendon (27th)

Boys

Three Oaks River Valley (Top 8), Kalamazoo Hackett (10th), Battle Creek St. Philip (20th)

(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

PlaceGirls TeamScore
1Kalamazoo Hackett45
2Concord46
3Mendon93
4Centreville112
5White Pigeon146
6Three Oaks River Valley163
7New Buffalo184
8Athens184
9Battle Creek St. Philip206

PlaceBoys TeamScore
1Three Oaks River Valley44
2Kalamazoo Hackett67
3Battle Creek St. Philip97
4Concord136
5Centreville150
6New Buffalo159
7Mendon181
8Colon213
9White Pigeon241
10Eau Claire253
11Athens273
12Decatur339

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 (River Valley, Hackett already) 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.

Presley Allen, Mendon

Junior has had an exceptional career to date, winning this Region twice and placing All-State as a freshman. Last November, her experience at MIS wasn’t the greatest, but I’m confident that’ll spur her forward in the next few months.

Rowan Allen, Mendon

Freshman year may have commenced with inauspicious beginnings, but ended with her name known far and wide across the D4 scene. 11th place at Class D and 9th at D4 State.

Cieara Barrett, Concord

The times dropped last fall, Cieara turning into a mid-20 girl by the end of the season. The championships came this spring, where she doubled up victories in the Big 8 800m & 1600m to go along with her Regional championship in the 800m.

Marek Butkiewicz, Kalamazoo Hackett

Mentioned his track season in the earlier Hackett post, but his grass racin’ wasn’t bad either. Of Marek’s 11 races, 9 were sub-18, and at the end of the year, he could be counted on to show up when it matters.

Landon Rogers, Three Oaks River Valley

Turned into a beast in championship season, getting under 17:00 at Allendale, then the first freshman to cross the line at D4 State, where he was 17th.

Gavin Sehy, Kalamazoo Hackett

Advancements didn’t just come across on the grass, they occurred on the cinders as well. 5:11 > 4:38 and 11:31 > 10:26.

Luke Sprague, Battle Creek St. Philip

Top-10 in this here Region 32 the past two years, 2nd in 2021 and 8th in 2022. I’m not sure if moving down a few spots was motivation, but lets just roll with it – the following week, Luke had one of the better races of his career to place 25th in Division 4.

Charlie Gibson, Three Oaks River Valley

Freshman showed incredible progress over the course of the year, from the 20’s early to the 17’s late. And he didn’t just break 18:00 once, he was consistently there from late-September onward.