Michigan XC Speed Ratings

The issue of the time crunch continues. Would it be any shock to you that way back in my days of schooling, I would pull all-nighters to finish papers and lab reports? Anyway, the track sections are omitted here, for the #1’s, the past three years and track will be missing. I will fill those in later, write a bit, and then update y’all when I do all that. I think writing will actually illuminate why these teams are ranked so high, although everyone knows it’s just how the math turned out.

The Past Three Years

2021

Team Champions – Ski Valley, Region 28
9^th Place – D4 State

2020

Team Champions – Ski Valley, Pre-Region 55
2^nd Place – Region 28
23^rd Place – D4 State

2019

2^nd Place – Ski Valley
24^th Place – Northern Michigan
3^rd Place – Region 28
20^th Place – D4 State

The Past Three Years

2021

Team Champions – WMC, Region 20
2^nd Place – D3 State

2020

Team Champions – WMC, Pre-Region 40, Region 20
2^nd Place – D2 State

2019

Team Champions – WMC, Region 20
5^th Place – D3 State

The Past Three Years

2021

Team Champions – Lenawee County
3^rd Place – SEC White
2^nd Place – Region 18
6^th Place – D2 State

2020

3^rd Place – Lenawee County
4^th Place – SEC White
2^nd Place – Pre-Region 35
2^nd Place – Region 18
6^th Place – D2 State

2019

Team Champions – Lenawee County
4^th Place – SEC White
3^rd Place – Region 18
13^th Place – D2 State

The Past Three Years

2021

2^nd Place – Wayne County
7^th Place – KLAA
3^rd Place – Region 6
15^th Place – D1 State

2020

8^th Place – KLAA
4^th Place – Pre-Region 11
3^rd Place – Region 6
18^th Place – D1 State

2019

Team Champions – Wayne County
3^rd Place – KLAA
2^nd Place – Region 6
12^th Place – D1 State

The Past Three Years

2021

Team Champions – Ski Valley, Region 28
6^th Place – D4 State

2020

Team Champions – Ski Valley, Pre-Region 55, Region 28
8^th Place – D4 State

2019

Team Champions – Ski Valley
14^th Place – Northern Michigan
2^nd Place – Region 28
13^th Place – D4 State

The Past Three Years

2021

Team Champions – I-8, J. Chris Jensen, Region 23
5^th Place – D3 State

2020

Team Champions – J. Chris Jensen, Pre-Region 45, Region 23
2^nd Place – I-8 (maybe 3^rd, tough to tell conference scoring)
10^th Place – D3 State

2019

4^th Place – I-8
2^nd Place – J. Chris Jensen
2^nd Place – Region 23
19^th Place – D3 State

The Past Three Years

2021

Team Champions – Region 16
3^rd Place – FML
3^rd Place – Greater Flint
10^th Place – D2 State

2020

Team Champions – FML Stars
3^rd Place – D2 Greater Flint
3^rd Place – Pre-Region 31
3^rd Place – Region 16
22^nd Place – D2 State

2019

11^th Place – Greater Flint
5^th Place – Region 16

The Past Three Years

2021

2^nd Place – SEC Red
2^nd Place – Region 5
5^th Place – D1 State

2020

Team Champions – SEC Red
2^nd Place – Pre-Region 9
2^nd Place – Region 5
5^th Place – D1 State

2019

2nd Place – SEC Red
2^nd Place – Region 5
3^rd Place – D1 State

Uncategorized

50 Tickets to Brooklyn: #2

August 18, 2022 mixcspeedratings

50 Tickets

Regional Previews

Top Tens

Flash back to New Balance, standing track side, five laps in and coaches all around asking, “who’s that up front in the black?”
- Ottawa Hills don’t race much, but when they do, their elite athletes always find a way to the front, Benne another one in a long line of recent greats
That New Balance 3200m ended in 8:56.38 and if I’m reading Jeff Hollobaugh’s list correctly, I believe that’s #4 all-time for Michigan juniors
The night in early May wasn’t completed without past races – in cross country, Benne had already captured an All-State honor and OK Gold title
- And the previous spring, reaching as low as 9:21 for the 3200m distance
The race did set the stage for the distance upset of the D1 State Finals, Benne sitting patiently on Hough, matching his every move, making the last, decisive move at 150m to bring home the title
You could flip a coin between him, Seth, and Hunter and who is ranked where
- The numbers have the three in this order, mainly because of Hunter’s cross country times and records
But between Seth and Benne in Division 1, Seth had the upper hand in cross, Benne ran the faster 3200m in track
- Seth’s highs were higher in cross, Benne was more consistent, and the consistency reigns supreme in these
In 2020, we missed out on Hobbs vs. Hough, I have a feeling karma will work in our favor and we’ll have the best D1 individual matchup this state has seen in years

Grade	Name	Time	Rating	Meet	Course	Date
11	Benne Anderson	16:04.2	200.9	Pete Moss	Benzie Central HS	28-Aug
11	Benne Anderson	16:05.1	193.0	OK Gold 1 (Cedar Springs)	Cedar View Elementary	8-Sep
11	Benne Anderson	16:00.5	204.2	Ottawa Hills	Riverside Park	17-Sep
11	Benne Anderson	15:33.5	195.8	OK Gold 2	Gracewil CC	28-Sep
11	Benne Anderson	15:50.0	206.0	Portage	Portage West MS	9-Oct
11	Benne Anderson	15:48.2	198.6	OK Gold Conference	Riverside Park	19-Oct
11	Benne Anderson	15:34.5	203.8	1 Allendale	Allendale HS	30-Oct
11	Benne Anderson	15:22.9	210.4	D1 State	MIS	6-Nov

Grade	Name	Rating	Meet	Course	Date
10	Benne Anderson	190.5	OK Gold 1	South Christian Sports Park	8-Sep
10	Benne Anderson	189.0	Ottawa Hills	Riverside Park	18-Sep
10	Benne Anderson	187.6	OK Gold	Wayland MS	29-Sep
10	Benne Anderson	200.7	Bengals	Riverside Park	9-Oct
10	Benne Anderson	188.4	PR 2	Cedar Springs ES	24-Oct
10	Benne Anderson	187.8	D1 Reg 1	Buckley HS	31-Oct
10	Benne Anderson	195.9	D1 State	MIS	6-Nov

Grade	Name	Rating	Meet	Course
9	Benne Anderson	119.7	Spartan	Forest Akers
9	Benne Anderson	169.9	OK White	Riverside Park

I said at the beginning of the summer that these weren’t necessarily rankings, but a celebration of achievements, an ode to those who have given our sport so much
Rachel has racked up the achievements, and in her career, thus far, has given us much to marvel
Ann Arbor middle schools don’t post many cross country results, 100% understandable, but we were able to get a glimpse during indoor track in her 8^th grade year, where she ran 2:16/5:06
Her presence was known immediately upon landing at the high school level, winning 9 of her first 10 races, placing 2^nd at D1 State, helping the Pioneers grab a state title
Since then, it’s been title after title, record after record, on the state and national stage
- The title that stands out was this past fall on the cross course, her 17:09 sealing ANOTHER championship for the Pioneer crew
- Rachel and her Purple TC girls were the talk of the indoor scene, now owning indoor state records in the 4×8 and DMR, capturing national titles and record at New Balance Indoor
Unfortunately, outdoor track wasn’t able to occur, it’s not my place to know or ask why, but I do know this – any future with Rachel in it will be a good one, we have been and we will be blessed to have her around

Grade	Name	Time	Rating	Meet	Course	Date
10	Rachel Forsyth	17:45.0	168.7	Pete Moss	Benzie Central HS	28-Aug
10	Rachel Forsyth	17:23.9	175.0	John Bruder Classic	Shepherd HS	8-Sep
10	Rachel Forsyth	18:37.6	154.1	SEC 1	Hudson Mills (South)	14-Sep
10	Rachel Forsyth	17:48.3	173.9	Spartan	Forest Akers	17-Sep
10	Rachel Forsyth	18:17.3	158.6	SEC Red 2	Munson Park	28-Sep
10	Rachel Forsyth	17:26.0	175.3	Portage	Portage West MS	9-Oct
10	Rachel Forsyth	18:30.7	166.1	Freeland Falcon	Freeland	16-Oct
10	Rachel Forsyth	17:48.3	162.9	SEC Championship	Hudson Mills (North)	21-Oct
10	Rachel Forsyth	18:28.3	176.2	5 Lake Erie	Lake Erie	30-Oct
10	Rachel Forsyth	17:09.3	173.9	D1 State	MIS	6-Nov

Grade	Name	Rating	Meet	Course	Date
9	Rachel Forsyth	149.7	Pioneer/Chelsea	Pioneer HS	2-Sep
9	Rachel Forsyth	153.7	Pioneer/Tecumseh	Hudson Mills (North)	12-Sep
9	Rachel Forsyth	131.0	Brighton/Pioneer	Pioneer HS	16-Sep
9	Rachel Forsyth	148.8	Northville/Pioneer	Pioneer HS	23-Sep
9	Rachel Forsyth	156.3	Pioneer/Saline	Pioneer HS	3-Oct
9	Rachel Forsyth	161.8	SEC Red	Indian Creek Park	17-Oct
9	Rachel Forsyth	155.0	PR 9	Indian Creek Park	24-Oct
9	Rachel Forsyth	160.2	D1 Reg 5	Lake Erie	31-Oct
9	Rachel Forsyth	163.5	D1 State	MIS	6-Nov

Uncategorized

Regional Previews: Division 1, Region 1

August 18, 2022 mixcspeedratings

Regional Previews

50 Tickets

Top Tens

Where: Allendale HS

Primarily flat with a few bumps in the back section. Wide open, solid footing, easy for spectators. A waterlogged mess for everyone else, last year’s regionals ran fast in comparison. Expect some personal bests as Grand Rapids area athletes are known to do as the season ends. Thank you to the Allendale folks for hosting many regionals. Easier for state officials, easier for me, just copy/pasting what I previously wrote.

2021 Boys: Grand Haven (7^th), Rockford (10^th), Lowell (19^th)

2021 Girls: Forest Hills Northern (15^th), Rockford (26^th), Grand Haven (12^th)

Unfortunately, to finish all these previews before Friday morning, some areas need to get cut. The writing about the various athletes, any sort of team battles, history, backdrop, that’s the most logical area to take in order to save time. The negative is that’s my favorite part. The positive is that with a lighter schedule of meets next week, I’ll be able to write my Upper Peninsula preview (yes, you read that right) and fill these in. So I’ll likely post an update to all the socials after those athletes are covered, and maybe we’ll have more info on some of the teams that are in contention.

Top 25 Boys Teams: Grand Haven (6^th), Zeeland West (8^th), Jenison (14^th), Rockford (18^th)

Top 25 Girls Teams: Holland West Ottawa (Top 2), Grand Haven (6^th), Rockford (21^st), Jenison (23^rd)