PORTAGE — Three Rivers’ boys’ cross country team is on its way to the state finals.
The Wildcats took second place at the MHSAA Division 2 Boys’ Cross Country Regional meet held at Portage West Middle School on Saturday, Oct. 26, finishing with 89 points. Marshall was regional champions, finishing with 59 points, while Otsego was third place with 90 points, one behind Three Rivers.
With the result, the team qualified for the Division 2 state finals, to be held Saturday, Nov. 2 at 1:30 p.m. at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich.
Sullivan Zietlow continued his strong season, finishing third on the day with a time of 16:01 and earned All-Region honors. Rounding out the Wildcats’ top seven were Charlie Brauer (18th, 17:00.10), Jonah Zietlow (19th, 17:00.15), Reece Howes (24th, 17:05), Trey Hall (30th, 17:31 (PR)), David Kore (38th, 17:53), and Dontrel Taylor (56th, 18:38).
“It was a great day of racing for our boys’ team and we are so incredibly proud of everything they have been able to accomplish this season,” head coach Jason Muckel, who was named the Wolverine Conference Coach of the Year in mid-October, said. “We are excited for the boys’ team to be able to move on and compete at the state meet next Saturday.”
Sturgis’ boys’ team competed in the same meet, finishing seventh out of the 13 teams competing with a score of 159 points. Nolan Park led the way with a 10th place finish and a time of 16:40, and he was followed by Benjamin Morales (12th, 16:44), Micaiah Arreola (27th, 17:17), Niko Morales (55th, 18:36) and Caleb Hohn (62nd, 18:52) in the top five.
In the girls’ meet, Three Rivers placed ninth out of 15 teams in Saturday’s regional meet with 235 points. Otsego won the meet with 48 points, while Sturgis finished second with 102 points. Lillie Kerr led the way for the Wildcats with a 24th place finish in a time of 21:05. She was followed by Savannah Headley (44th, 22:00), Gabby Kilbourn (47th, 22:15), Brynn Copenhaver (59th, 22:56), Sarela Cruz (59th, 23:19), Laighnee Roll-Pike (82nd, 24:31), and Rylea Summey (91st, 25:19).
Sturgis’ top three runners, Berkley Holtz (19:32), Sydney Bir (19:39) and Tess Hatt (19:40) finished third, fourth and fifth respectively to help the Lady Trojans qualify for the Division 2 state finals. Eleanor Park was fourth on the team with a time of 21:43, and Kenzie Eicher rounded out their top five with a 54th place finish and a time of 22:42.
Several local qualifiers in D4 state finals
PORTAGE — In the Division 4 Cross Country Regional meet, several area individuals and one area team qualified for the State Finals meet to be held Saturday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich.
A third-place finish for White Pigeon girls’ team at Friday, Oct. 25’s meet places them in the finals, as they scored 101 points. Rachel Schelstraete crossed the line in 17th place (23:34), followed by Jamielynn Delarye (20th, 24:20), Rachel Byler (23rd, 24:35), Lydia Byler (29th, 25:35), Sydney McClure (41st, 28:15), and Hanna Helbling (42nd, 28:33). Burr Oak placed sixth on the day, with Braylyn Hernandez (28th, 25:30) and Linda Ultz (32nd, 25:59) competing for the Lady Bobcats.
Mendon had two sisters qualify for the finals, as Presley and Rowan Allen placed second and sixth, respectively, with times of 20:16 and 20:53. The Hornets also had two boys qualify for the finals, as Ben Iobe placed fifth in 16:54, while Kyron Christner ran to a 15th place finish in 18:41. White Pigeon’s Jesse Fielis crossed the line in 17:14, good for sixth place and a berth in the finals, while Allesandro Avila of Constantine is finals-bound, finishing 12th in 17:14. Will Hulin of Centreville qualified for the finals as well, placing 16th with a time of 17:28.
