FLASHBACK: 2009 All-Area Girls Cross-Country Team: All-American Goethals leads talented All-Area pack of runners

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

Over the past decade, female cross-country runners from Oakland County have

FURIOU FINISH: Oxford's Brook Kovacic earned a spot on the 2009 All-Area First Team. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

dominated the scene, with dozens of all-state runners and even a handful of state champions. That continued to be the trend in 2009.

This season marked yet another fine season for runners in the area, especially for the schools located in the coverage area for www.northoaklandsports.com.

Before we look at this year’s elite crop of runners, let’s look back at some numbers, faces and teams from the past decade in the sport that have dominated the scene.

This decade saw three different area runners win five individual state championships. There were 67 area runners that earned all-state honors by finishing in the top-30 at the state finals — and there are only 11 schools in the area that sponsor cross-country, just to paint a picture of how dominant runners from this area have been this past decade.

Katie Boyles of Rochester Adams and Laura Rolf of Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest were both state champions, with Rolf winning twice this decade and Boyles winning three in the 1990s and one in 2000. There was Shannon Stanley of Adams, who was a three-time state runner-up from 2000-02. Those are just three of those 67 standouts to stand up on the all-state podium over the past 10 years.

Team-wise, at least one team each year in the decade finished in the top 10 in Division 1 or Division 4 at the state finals.  A total of 18 times a team finished in the top-10 in that span as well.

Want some more championship numbers? Clarkston won three state championships in Division 1 (2003-05), had one runner-up (2002) and finished in the top 10 six times this past decade.  Adams also finished in the top-10 six times, won a state title (2006) and finished fourth twice (2000, 2001).

Rochester also got into the state championship act with a title in 1997. That was preceded by a fifth-place finish in 2006. Troy High also put together four straight top-10 finishes this decade (2006-09).

This year, Troy led area teams by finishing sixth in Division 1. That was coupled by Rochester’s Megan Goethals, who wrapped up the 2000s by winning the Division 1 state title in 2008 and 2009.

Goethals leads this year’s talented contingent on the 2009 All-Area Girls Cross-country Team, which featured five area runners that earned all-state honors. Here are the profiles for the eight first-team members, which features three seniors, two sophomores, two freshman and one junior. The team was chosen by area coaches:

FIRST TEAM

MEGAN GOETHALS, Rochester: The most dominating runner in state history, and one of the state’s most dominant athletes in any sport during the past several years, Goethals finished unbeaten against state completion as both a junior and senior. This season, she shattered numerous course records and became the first female runner in state history to break 17 minutes with a 16:54.8 clocking at the Division 1 state finals. The 2009 Miss Cross-Country winner was also the Midwest regional champ and national champ on the Foot Locker circuit. Goethals, a three-time all-stater and two-time county, league, regional and state champ, recently committed to the University of Washington. She holds four schools records in track and field as well.

“What can you say that hasn’t already been said,” smiled Rochester coach Larry Adams. “She’s had as great of a season as any athlete in state history.”

BROOK HANDLER, Rochester: Part of the Falcons’ top five the past three years, Handler ran in Goethals’ shadow but was still one of the state’s best. The junior was second at the Algonac regional and OAA Red Division Jamboree No. 1. She also claimed third at the Hanson’s Invitational, the second league jamboree and league meet, placed fifth at both the Oakland County meet and West Bloomfield Invitational Division II race, 11^th at the Michigan State Spartans Invitational Elite Division, and 13^th at the Division 1 state finals to garner all-state honors for the second straight season.

“She put in a lot of work to get to where she is now,” said Adams. “She had a great season and I expect she will be one of the better runners in the state next year as a senior.”

NATALIE SMITH, Clarkston: A sophomore in her second varsity season, Smith was the Wolves’ No. 1 runner this season, although an injury sidelined her at the Division 1 state meet. Smith posted several top-flight finishes this season, including second at the Rockford Invitational. She was fourth at the Holly Invitational Division I, fifth at both the Holly regional and OAA Red Division League Meet, seventh at the first OAA jamboree and 13^th at the county meet. Her best effort this season was 18:53.

MICHELLE MORISET, Troy: During her four-year tenure with the Colts, Moriset kept heading up the progress charts and had her best season to date, leading the Colts to a sixth-place finish at the Division 1 state finals. The only meet this senior did not finish in the top 10 was at the Michigan State Spartans Elite Division race, where she crossed 17^th in a loaded field. She runner-up at the Grosse Pointe South regional, county meet and OAA Red Division League Meet. She also crossed third and fourth at the two OAA jamborees, fourth at the West Bloomfield Invitational Division II and capped the year with a sixth-place showing (18:23) at the Division 1 state finals. Her all-time best is 17:55 and she also holds the school record in track for 3,200 meters (10:38).

“I thought Michelle finally put it all together this year,” said coach Matthew Richardson. “She really stepped up and was in the top five at most of the meets this season and sixth at the state meet. The talent in Division 1 is so deep and to have Michelle finish up there in the top 10 at the state meet with that group is a great way to end her high school cross country career. I look forward to having her back one last time in track in the spring.”

SAMMY JOHNSON, Troy: The Colts’ second senior in their top five, Johnson was a consistent performer and helped the Colts to a top-10 ranking throughout the year and its highest finish at the state meet in more than decade (sixth). Johnson was sixth at the OAA Red Division Jamboree No. 1, claimed eighth at the second jamboree and 11^th at the league meet. She was also 10^th at the West Bloomfield Invitational Division II, 12^th at the Grosse Pointe South  regional, 14^th at the county meet and 27^th at the Spartans Invitational Elite Division. She crossed 56^th at the Division 1 state meet and had a best time of 19:20 this season.

“Sammy was consistently one of our top runners the past couple of years,” said Richardson. “She was our second-highest finisher at the state meet and was either our No. 2 or sometimes No. 3 runner this season. She placed high at a lot of meets.”

BROOKE KOVACIC, Oxford: This freshman led the Wildcats to their first league championship in a decade and became the school’s first all-state performer since Karen Leroy finished 10^th in 1999. Kovacic placed 19^th at the Division 1 state meet in 18:59, the sixth-best effort among Michigan freshmen. She was also the Flint Metro League, Saginaw regional, Catholic Central Shamrocks Invitational Division II and West Bloomfield Invitational Division I champion, placed second at the Waterford Mott Classic, third at the Oxford Invitational and 12^th at the county meet.

“Brooke is an extremely hard worker and it paid off in how well she did as a freshman,” said coach Ray Sutherland. “She’s our No. 2 all-time and I think she has the talent to be our best by the time she graduates. She’s a great competitor, the type that does not like to lose. She won a lot of races as a freshman.”

JAMIE MORRISSEY, Rochester Adams: Although the Highlanders had their streak of consecutive appearances at the state meet snapped at 17, it wasn’t due to the efforts of this freshman. Morrissey was among the leaders at several big meets this season. She won the Goodrich O’Mala Memorial Invitational, was third at the Holly regional, seventh at both the county and OAA Red Division Jamboree No. 2, eight at the first league jamboree, ninth at the league meet and 24^th at the Spartans Invitational Elite Division. At the Division 1 state finals, she crossed 17^th (18:57).

“She reminds me of Katie Boyles a little bit in that while Jamie isn’t at that level yet, she was very consistent for a freshman,” said coach Budd Cicciarelli. “We lost a lot of girls from last year and we were rebuilding. Jamie stepped in and became our top runner. She wasn’t afraid to compete and mix it up. She stepped forward and became our leader. She was our top finisher all season long.”

SARAH JOHNSON, Rochester Adams: After missing most of her freshman campaign with a health issue, Johnson returned in 2009 and became the Highlanders No. 2 performer in most meets. A sophomore, Johnson was second at the Goodrich Invitational, fourth at the Holly regional, sixth at the OAA Red Division League Meet, ninth at both league jamborees, 11^th at the county meet and 33^rd at the Spartans Invitational-Elite Division. At the Division 1 state finals, she finished 33^rd overall, missing all-state by only three slots.

“I knew she had talent, but keeping her healthy was the issue this year,” said Cicciarelli. “She primarily was our No. 2 runner this season. She only missed all-state by eight-nine seconds.”

COACH OF THE YEAR

JED KRAMER, Rochester Stoney Creek: Kramer just finished his fourth season as head coach for a program that has only been around for eight season and his Cougars had one of their best seasons to date overall. This is the second time that both the girls and boys teams have qualified for state, as it also happened for Stoney Creek in 2005. This marked the first time that the Cougars’ girls team won a regional title. Stoney Creek was also fourth at the Oxford Invitational, sixth at the OAA Red Division League Meet, fifth at the first of two OAA jamborees and fourth at the second, and eighth at the West Bloomfield Invitational Division II. At the Division 1 state finals, they were 26^th.

“We didn’t have that one dominant runner, but we had a good group of girls and we thought that we had a chance of making the state meet this year,” said Kramer. “I know we didn’t have a very good state meet, but our best day was the regional. That was when we finally put it all together.”

2009 ALL-AREA GIRLS CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM

NAME                                     SCHOOL                              GRADE

Megan Goethals                   Rochester                              Senior

Brook Handler                      Rochester                              Junior

Natalie Smith                        Clarkston                               Sophomore

Michelle Moriset                  Troy                                        Senior

Sammy Johnson                   Troy                                        Senior

Brook Kovacic                       Oxford                                    Freshman

Jamie Morrissey                   Roch. Adams                       Freshman

Sarah Johnson                      Roch. Adams                         Sophomore

COACH OF THE YEAR

Jed Kramer                            Roch.  Stoney Creek            4^th Season

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Auburn Hills Oakland Christian: Rachel Termarsch, soph.; Clarkston: Mende Gleiss, soph.; Lindsey Fantin, jr.; Erin Billette, fr.; Lake Orion: Molly Emerick, fr.; Kathryn Miller, sr.; Ashley Batreau, soph.; Abbey Ernatt, soph.; Oxford: Ashley Burr, fr.; Megan Seeley, jr.; Rochester: Jessica Smith, fr.; Lauren Secord, sr.; Rochester Adams: Caroline Miller, sr.; Lydia Stanley, fr.; Caroline Gerlach, sr.; Rochester Stoney Creek: Sara Szatkowski, jr.; Kelsie Pittel, jr.; Cassie Hoffman, fr.; Samantha Boyle, jr.; Laura Johnston, fr.; Troy: Madison Pines, sr.; Katie Shaheen, soph.; Lindsey Miller, jr.; Kira Burnett, fr.; Haley Burns, fr.; Julia Dinverno, jr.; Sarah Stanczak, jr.; Troy Athens: Katie Dickerson, soph.; Sara Vanoord, jr.

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Tags: all-area, all-area cross-country, all-area girls cross-country, High School Cross Country

Category: All Area Teams, Auburn Hills Avondale, Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, Clarkston, Clarkston Everest Catholic, Lake Orion, Oxford, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Hills Lutheran NW, Rochester Stoney Creek, Troy, Troy Athens, Uncategorized