Category: 2020 Previews

The list.

45. Grace Pettit, Plainwell

Grace keeps our team laughing all year round. She is constantly making faces, cracking jokes, or just finding a way to make everyone smile. She really helps keep everyone loose before meets. I think this should be a great year for Grace, she gets out of Makenna’s (Veen) shadow and gets to lead races and really see what she can accomplish. I’m thinking that Grace will have a great chance at competing for the state title this season with all the hard work she has been putting in throughout the quarantine.

Coach Brett Beier

• Other than a Portage Regional (where she still finished top 3!), she delivered extremely reliable performances
• By my metrics, a top 10 freshmen girl in the State
• And the top freshman girl at the D2 State Meet
• Showed some mid-distance ability this winter, going 5:11 in the 1600m in January

46. Adam Thomas, Anchor Bay

• Look at that year to year improvement! (32 points = 1:36)
• Despite a subpar State race, he’s shown he can bring it in pressure-filled races, the Goodells regional required a 16:16 to get out, he runs a 16:08 in arguably his best race of the season
• A few examples of his development
  • 42^nd to 11^th at Regionals
  • 40^th to 13^th at Macomb County
  • 3:04, his drop from 1^st race ever to his PR

The list.

46. Parker Lambers, Holland Christian

Parker is a very talented runner that is just scratching the surface of what he can do. He continues to work on racing tactics as he becomes more able to race at a high level. His freshmen year, he did not medal in a single meet and was able to place 14th at the state meet the following year. He comes into his junior season as the most experienced varsity runner on the team and will be leaned upon for leadership because he has earned it on the course. With his natural talent and relentless motor, he’ll be competing for state titles in the next couple of years for sure.

– Alex Mitchell

• As Alex stated, the improvement from his freshman to sophomore year was tremendous
• Over 100 places gained at State from 9^th to 10^th grade
• 14^th in the state, beating 4 kids that bested him the prior week
• Was able to run 15:52 in a track time trial this spring

46. Lindsey Peters, Caledonia

• Not attaining a PR might not show it, but had a very successful 2019 season because of its stability
• 31^st place at State was her highest finish yet and her first in the top 100
• Has been All-Region in each of the past three years
• Ratings each of the past three years have indicated a steady progress, no reason why that won’t continue
• Was able to lay down a 5:13 1600m indoors, which matched her previous best from the 2019 track season

50, 49, 48

47. Sarah Liederbach, Petoskey

• Again on the common theme of saving her best race for last, finishing as Petoskey’s 2^nd girl on their 2^nd place finish
• Will be an integral part of their team that looks to avenge that 2^nd place finish
• Steady improvement from year to year, improving more than 100 places from her State finish as a freshman
• Continued that peak into the MITCA open race, running 19:06 on a muddy track in Shepherd
• Set a 1600m PR indoors this winter, running 5:33

47. Brady Neumann, Saginaw Heritage

• In 2017, established himself as one of the top freshmen in the state, in 2019 we saw that potential come to fruition
• Many outstanding performances, that of which nearly running sub-16 at Regionals may be the most impressive
• Narrowly missed Saginaw County and Regional crowns, but has excellent shot at claiming either this fall