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CROSS COUNTRY: Clarkston boys win first OAA title since 1999; Seaholm girls claim sixth straight crown

Dan Stickradt | October 21, 2016 | Comments (0)

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

Twitter: @LocalSportsFans

ROCHESTER — Taking over the Clarkston boys cross-country program is July, Larry Adams knew his group had the talent to contend in the OAA Red Division this season.

The Wolves lived up to that billing.

Clarkston won both league jamborees and also claimed Thursday’s league championships meet title at Borden Park in Rochester to amass 28 total points and win its first outright OAA title since 1999. The Wolves collected 61 points at the conference meet to clinch the crown.

“I knew that they had a lot back, that they qualified for the state meet last yer and that they ran well at the state meet,” recalled Adams, who came over to Clarkston after 25-plus years at league foe Rochester. “The kind of times they had last spring in track, too, made me realize the potential here. there is some good quality upperclassmen and a mixture of younger runners, too, with two freshmen that ran varsity today. All together, they worked hard all season and were awarded with league championship. I knew they had a chance at the beginning of the season.”

Birmingham Seaholm (62), Lake Orion (84), Rochester Adams (86), Oxford (96), Rochester (146) and Troy (153) rounded out the league championships standings.

In the final league standings, Clarkston (28) was well ahead of defending champion’s Lake Orion’s 21 points. Seaholm (19), Adams (17), Oxford (13), Troy (7) and Rochester (6) rounded out the field.

Seaholm’s girls, also the two-time defending Division 1 state champions, captured its sixth straight overall league title — an all-time league record — with 27 total points. Troy (22) and Clarkston (21) followed in second and third, respectively, while Lake Orion (14), Adams (12), Oxford (12) and Rochester (4) wrapped up the final standings.

At the league meet, Seaholm took the top three individual slots and had five in the top 10 to scored just 23 points, one of the lowest in league history.

“They are running well and very focused,” said veteran Seaholm girls coach Jeff Devantier. “We have really picked it up and are looking for some reply good races at the regional and state meet. We have remained healthy, which is really a big plus. We are going into (the home stretch) healthy and ready to go.”

Rachel McCardell (18:30.6), Emily Rooney (18:30.7) and Audrey Ladd (18:30.8) all crossed in near-unisom, while Kati Beckeman (seventh, 19:27.7) and Reagan McNally (10th, 19:42.1) comprised of Seaholm’s point scorers.

The Maples recently took over the top spot in the coaches association D-1 state rankings.

“Every team in the top five is good,” added Devantier. “It’s really the same five schools the last five years or so. Any one of them is capable of winning (the state title). It will go down to who races the best and who wants it the most.”

Elizabeth Dalrymple (fourth, 18:54.8), Mallory Ferguson (fifth, 19:20.5) and Emily Ferguson (ninth, 19:40.5) led Clarkston to the second-place finish at the league meet with 59 points. Troy (85), Oxford (111), Lake Orion (122), Adams (146) and Rochester (147) followed in the meet standings.

Lake Orion’s Allison Sherman was sixth (19:25.1) and Troy’s Megan Worrel claimed eighth (19:37.6) to round out the top 10 individuals.

In the boys individual race, Adams’ Matt Schram concluded an unbeaten league season with a 15:46.4 clocking despite the constant rain and soggy course conditions.

“I went out and ran my race,” admitted Schram, who recently verbal led with Michigan State. “At the regional, I will go out with the front pack and just try to win. At the state meet, I expect I will be (in contention). I will try to go out with the front pack and go for it at the end. There’s no secret that I want to try to win the state championship. I’m not going to say that I’m going to win. There’s a very good pack of runners that will be there. I am going to run with the front runners and hope to be in position to win (down the stretch).”

Seaholm’s Luke Wallace was a distant second in 16:06.7, while Lake Orion’s Michael Jarvis (16:10.4), Rochester’s Kyle Johnson (16:11.3) and Austin Remick (16:17.5), Seaholm’s Ben Williams (16:17.6), Oxford’s Dominic Bruce (16:19.1), Clarkston’s William Eisert (16:33.7), Seaholm’s George Nummer (16:41.1) and Oxford’s Riley Feeney (16:43.9) rounded out the top 10.

Behind Eisert, Mika Juuhl (11th), Brendan Fawazza (12th), Shawn Slater (14th) and Jacob Dolan (16th) were part of Clarkston’s winning contingent in the boys race.

Boys Cross Country

OAA RED DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Oct. 20 at Bloomer Park, Rochester)

TEAM SCORES — 1. Clarkston, 61; 2. Birmingham Seaholm, 62; 3. Lake Orion, 84; 4. Rochester Adams, 86; 5. Oxford, 96; 6. Rochester, 146; 7. Troy, 153.

LEAGUE JAMBOREE NO. 1 STANDINGS — 1. Clarkston, 7; 2. Lake Orion, 6; 3. Rochester Adams, 5; 4. Oxford, 4; 5. Troy, 3; Rochester, 2; 7. Birmingham Seaholm, 1.

LEAGUE JAMBOREE NO. 2 STANDINGS — 1. Clarkston, 7; 2. Birmingham Seaholm, 6; 3. Lake Orion, 5; 4. Rochester Adams, 4; 5. Oxford, 3; 6. Troy, 2; 7. Rochester, 0.

LEAGUE MEET STANDINGS — 1. Clarkston, 14; 2. Birmingham Seaholm, 12; 3. Lake Orion, 10; 4. Rochester Adams, 8; 5. Oxford, 6; 6. Rochester, 4; 7. Troy, 2.

FINAL LEAGUE STANDINGS — 1. Clarkston, 28; 2. Lake Orion, 21; 3. Birmingham Seaholm, 19; 4. Rochester Adams, 17; 5. Oxford, 13; 6. Troy, 7; 7. Rochester, 6.

LEAGUE MEET TOP 15 FINISHERS — 1. Matt Schram (Rochester Adams) 15:46.4; 2. Luke Wallace (Birmingham Seaholm) 16:06.7; 3. Michael Jarvis (Lake Orion) 16:10.4; 4. Kyle Johnson (Rochester) 16:11.3; 5. Austin Remick (Rochester) 16:17.5; 6. Ben Williams (Birmingham Seaholm) 16:17.6; 7. Dominic Bruce (Oxford) 16:19.1; 8. William Eisert (Clrkston) 16:33.7; 9. George Nummer (Birmingham Seaholm) 16:41.1; 10. Riley Feeney (Oxford) 16:43.9; 11. Mika Juuhl (Clarkston) 16:46.1; 12. Brendan Favazza (Clarkston) 16:53.6; 13. Charles Zhou (Rochester Adams) 16:56.9; 14. Shawn Slater (Clarkston) 17:00.9; 15. Peter Nolan (Rochester Adams) 17:04.1.

Girls Cross Country

OAA RED DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Oct. 20 at Bloomer Park, Rochester)

TEAM SCORES — 1. Birmingham Seaholm, 23; 2. Clarkston, 59; 3. Troy, 85; 4. Oxford, 111; 5. Lake Orion, 122; 6. Rochester Adams, 146; 7. Rochester, 146.

LEAGUE JAMBOREE NO. 1 STANDINGS — 1. Troy, 7; 2. Birmingham Seaholm, 6; 3. Rochester Adams, 5; 4. Lake Orion, 4; 5. Clarkston, 3; 6. Oxford, 2; 7. Rochester, 1.

LEAGUE JAMBOREE NO. 2 STANDINGS — 1. Birmingham Seaholm, 7; 2. Clarkston, 6; 3. Troy, 5; 4. Rochester Adams, 4; 5. Lake Orion, 3; 6. Oxford, 2; 7. Rochester, 1.

LEAGUE MEET STANDINGS — 1. Birmingham Seaholm, 14; 2. Clarkston, 12; 3. Troy, 10; 4. Oxford, 8; 5. Lake Orion, 6; 6. Rochester Adams, 4; 7. Rochester, 2.

FINAL LEAGUE STANDINGS — 1. Birmingham Seaholm, 27; 2. Troy, 22; 3. Clarkston, 21; 4. Lake Orion, 14; 5. (tie) Oxford, 12; 6. Rochester Adams, 12; 7. Rochester, 4.

LEAGUE MEET TOP 15 FINISHERS — 1. Rachel McCardell (Birmingham Seaholm) 18:30.6; 2. Emily Rooney (Birmingham Seaholm) 18:30.7; 3. Audrey Ladd (Birmingham Seaholm) 18:30.8; 4. Elizabeth Dalrymple (Clarkston) 18:54.8; 5. Mallory Ferguson (Clarkston) 19:20.5; 6. Allison Sherman (Lake Orion) 19:25.1; 7. Kati Beckeman (Birmingham Seaholm) 19:27.7; 8. Megan Worrel (Troy) 19:37.6; 9. Emily Ferguson (Clarkston) 19:40.5; 10. Reagan McNally (Birmingham Seaholm) 19:42.1; 11. Hanah Palomino (Troy) 19:43.4; 12. Katie Scoles (Troy) 19:43.5; 13. Emily Leipold (Lake Orion) 19:44.3; 14. Mia Patria (Clarkston) 19:49.3; 15. Kerstin Hufstedler (Oxford) 19:52.6.

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