Michigan XC Speed Ratings

For one, she has the best name in Michigan XC
But other than that, Cookie is blessed with an astounding combination of speed and endurance
She’s gone sub-2:20 multiple times, either on relays or in open races
And on the other side of the spectrum, boasts numerous performances close to or below 18:00
Her 5^th place finish at MIS played a major role in Pioneer’s state title
The State track meet didn’t go so well, at least her 3200m – but trust me, she’ll be back in a major way

As a young underclassman, Quinn absorbed many lessons from the likes of Jack Spamer, Zach Stewart, and the rest of the Bulldog crew
In those years, Quinn wasn’t as quick as he is now, but he did manage to get down to the low 17’s in his sophomore campaign
The year break in racing made his growth that much more impressive
He lowered his PB by more than a minute and was able to run varsity for Brighton’s championship races
That growth continued into track, where he had similar drops: 2:29 > 2:01, 5:05 > 4:25, and 10:35 > 9:31

The Top Tens: Division 3, #6

2020 Season: 1st GLAC, 5th Greater Lansing, 1st Pre-Region 53, 2nd Region 27, 9th D3 State

2020 Season: 1st CMAC, 2nd Greater Lansing, 1st Pre-Region 47, 3rd Region 24, 6th D3 State

Parker has the special combination of always being an exceptional runner, but also putting forth a major breakthrough this spring
He’s established a bit of success on the grass – two 14^th place finishes at MIS, numerous low-16 performances, and even dipped under 17:00 as a freshman
During that freshman year, he was able to show ability in the longer distances on the track, reaching down to 10:09 in the 3200m
But in that two year absence, he must have developed some serious speed
Parker was able to break both 2:00 and 4:20, the latter of which coming in an exhilarating dual against a runner to be named later
Holland Christian is receiving an infusion of young talent this fall and Parker will be counted on to lead them into the D2 fray

On the opposite side of the spectrum is Helen Sachs
She steps onto a West Ottawa squad rife with upperclass talent and will definitely be a contributor in their quest for November glory
Helen first caught my eye as I was doing research for the 2020 season, and was a 7^th grader to watch out for
Her 8^th grade cross year produced numerous results – a few sub-12 races and 2^nd place finishes at both West Michigan and Grand Rapids Championships
Just as Lambers, she had a breakout track season, reaching times that very few 8^th graders reach
Amongst her fellow 8^th graders, her 3200m was ranked 7^th and 1600m 6^th