CROSS COUNTRY STATE FINALS: Adams, Lake Orion pace area teams

13 local runners run to all-state honors

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

BROOKLYN — Rochester Adams saved its best for last.

The Highlanders’ girls cross country team, which failed to make the state finals the past two years after a 19-year run of state-qualifying squads, capped a fine season Saturday at Michigan Speedway. Adams finished sixth at the Lower Peninsula Division 1 state meet to lead all area schools from the www.northoaklandsports.com coverage area.

Grosse Pointe South captured its first state title, edging top-ranked Saline 106-111 for the crown. Defending champ Grand Haven was third with 163 points.

Adams finished with 232 points. Oxford was 11^th with 306 points, Troy 12^th (336) and Clarkston 16^th (381) to round out area schools.

“I thought at the beginning of the season that we should qualify and we set the goal of finishing in the top 10,” said veteran Adams coach Budd Cicciarelli. “I think we really came on in the last month of the season and finished sixth at state. I thought because we had three really good runners that we might even be able to get into the top five, but we’ll take sixth.

TRI-FECTA: Rochester Adams' Stephen Biebelhausen (left), Pontiac Notre Dame Prep's Sara Barron and Clarkston's Sam Tanielian were three of 13 local runners that eaqrned all-state accolades at Saturday's state finals. File Photos | Dan Stickradt

“Grosse Pointe South won, which I thought they would, and Saline was second. I didn’t think anyone else would beat those two teams,” continued Cicciarelli. “But after that I thought it was wide open. (Birmingham) Seaholm won our league and finished fourth and we weren’t too far behind them.”

West Bloomfield’s Erin Finn ran to the state title in 17:22, two seconds ahead of Taylor Manet of Rockford (17:24). Finn hails from the OAA White Division and she finished the season unbeaten against Michigan runners.

“With really only senior, we got into the top 10, which is good because we’ll bring back most of our roster next season,” added Cicciarelli. “We’re hoping if things go well, we can bring the rest of the pack up next year and finish even higher.”

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE: Lake Orion's TJ Carey finished fourth overal at the Division 1 state finals. File Photo | Dan Stickradt

Oxford’s Brooke Kovacic was sixth overall to lead area runners, clocking a career-best 18:03 and lead a pack of seven area runners that earned All-State honors in Division 1. The top 30 in each division earn all-state accolades each season.

Adams’ Gabby Thivierge (18:11) and Jamie Morrissey (18:18) were eighth and ninth, respectively, to lead Adams. Clarkston’s Natalie Smith was 18^th (18:35), Rochester Stoney Creek’s Nicole Kowalchick 24^th (18:43) and Rochester’s Jessica Goethals (27^th, 18:45) and Marie Lepore (28^th, 18:55) also cracked the top 30.

Sarah Johnson ran 39^th, while Carloline Kletzien (104^th) and Lydia Stanley (159th) also contributed to Adams’ team score.

For Oxford, Brittany Johnson was 38^th Chelsea Johnson 60^th, Jenna Feeney (103^rd), Alora McCoy (170^th) helped the Wildcats, who will graduate only two from their top 10.

Lauren Miller led Troy by running 32^nd. Katie Shaheen (50^th), Abby Grreen (109^th), Kira Burnett (118^th) and Haley Burns (121st) also added to Troy’s team score.

Following Smith for Clarkston were Erin Billette (113th), Katilin Catania (123rd) and Lynsie Graham (124th) and Sage Beauregard (142^nd) to round out the Wolves’ scoring effort.

Ashley Bartreau (141^st) of Lake Orion was an individual qualifier.

LAKE ORION BOYS 11^TH, CLARKSTON 14TH

Milford captured the state crown with 128 points, followed by Hartland( 172), Waterford Mott (177), Saline (186) and White Lake Lakeland (188) in a top five of teams relatively close to one another near the I-23 corridor.

Lake Orion led area schools by taking 11^th in the Dragons’ eighth straight appearance at the state meet. Clarkston, making its first appearance at the state meet in three years, finished14^th overall (370).

Garrett Zuk of White Lake Lakeland was the individual winner in 15:21.

“I thought since we were 17^th last season that if we could break into the top 15 this year, that would be a nice improvement,” offered Lake Orion coach Stan Ford. “We had two all-state runners, but I didn’t know what David Diaz would do being his first season of cross country. He stepped up.

“I thought the rest of the guys ran well, too,” continued Ford. “I felt that TJ (Carey) would finishing up in the top 10 somewhere if he ran well and he did. The pace is always fast at the state finals and sometimes kids can get into a group and caught up and they just run faster. I thought we did a nice job with our pack. We finished six places higher than last year, so that’s a nice improvement.”

Lake Orion’s TJ Carey was fourth overall (15:32) to lead five North Oakland runners to all-state accolades. Clarkston’s Sam Tanielian ran 17^th (15:54), Lake Orion’s David Diaz 20^th (15:57), Rochester Adams’ Stephen Biebelhausen ran 24^th 15:57 and Troy’s William Yau was 30^th (16:01).

For Lake Orion, Ryan Singles (97th), Justin Prawdzik (120th) and Aaron Kaufman (144th) also contributed to the Dragons’ scoring.

Adam Bruderick was Clarkston second-highest finisher, claiming 99^th.MichaelCulver finished 108^th, while Daniel Byrne (133^rd) and Ian Brennan (151^st) also followed for the Wolves, who lost one of their top runners, Austin Draving, to an injury on regional weekend.

Individually, Oxford’s Ryan Gillespie was 40^th, Adams’ Dylan Oppenheiser 41^st, Rochester’s Blake Pozolo 72^nd and Oxford’s Alec Smith 86^th to round out the local qualifiers.

DIVISION 2

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep was the area’s only girls team at the state finals and the fighting Irish collected 457 points and finished 20^th overall.

ELITE GROUP: Rochester Adams' Jamie Morrissey was one of three Highlanders to finish among the top 30 at the state finals, good enough for All-State honors. File Photo | Dan Stickradt

East Grand Rapids emerged as the state champion with 153 points and Cedar Springs was second (176).

Grand Rapids Christian’s Julia Bos was the individual winner in 17:24.

Sara Barron of Notre Dame Prep was eight overall in 18:24 to earn all-state honors for the first time.

Jamie Hanson was the Irish’s second-highest finisher in the 152^nd position. Lauren McGrath (154^th), Christine Scheer (176^th) and Christina Casali (181^st) also scored for Notre Dame Prep.

In the D-2 boys race, Mason captured the state crown with 92 points and St. Joseph was second with 129.

Bryce Bradley of Chelsea was the individual winner in 15:20.

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep’s Troy Kaufman was 75^th (16:50) as the area’s sole qualifier.

DIVISION 4

Hesperia won the girls D-4 crown with 67 points, well ahead of North Muskegon’s 103.

Auburn Hills Oakland Christian was 20^th with 480 points, as the sole NOS team to qualify in Division 4.

In the team meet, Alexis Nelson was 57^th (21:17) to pace the Lancers. Angelica Allegro (72^nd), Rachel Termarsch 79^th), Courtney Yee (103^rd) and Amy Libka (169^th) followed suit.

Breckenridge’s Kirsten Olling was the individual winner in 18:02 and Holland Black River’s Nicole Zeinstra ran second (18:40).

Lauren Church of Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest was 150^th

In the D-4 boys race, Concord collected the state trophy with 64 points, while Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart was second with 99 points.

Oakland Christian ran 23^rd (555), and Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes was 26^th (585).

Spencer Nousain of Concord was the state champ with a 15:55 clocking.

In the team race, Josh Peterson (52nd), Adam Exelby (66th), Chris Krieg (106th), Dylan Algaate (165th) and Brandon Lucas (166th) finished as part of Oakland Christian’s team score.

Ryan Sullivan was 39th for WOLL, running an area best 17:21. Gabe Fenske (91st), Ian New (129th), Vince Frazer (158th) and Joe Terbrack (168th) helped the Lakers’ cause.

Cameron Santangelo of Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest ran 129^th overall for the Crusaders as an individual qualifier.

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Tags: Cross Country, featured, High School Cross Country, MHSAA Cross Country State Finals, Prep Cross Country

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