Sports
Area runners ready to compete at state finals
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Friday, November 6, 2009 9:40 AM EST
BROOKLYN - Corunna cross country coach Bryan Heid describes the first 400 meters of the state finals at Michigan International Speedway as a stampede that produces a noise that rivals that of the race cars that run there in the summer.
Maybe it was that description that impressed Cavaliers junior Marissa Schneider when she ran in the Division 2 state finals as a sophomore in 2008 causing her to place 72nd with a time of 19 minutes, 39 seconds. A year later Schneider knows what to expect and is hoping to place in the top 30 and earn All-State honors.
“(Schneider) really wants to be in the top 25,” Heid said. “She was so overwhelmed last year I don't know if she even blinked, she was awestruck. This year she knows what she's getting into and is ready but she'll have to run the race of her life to break into the top 25.”
Schneider placed fourth in last week's D-2 regional race in Bay City at Delta College with a time of 20:03. She finished behind Owosso sisters Claire and Chloe Gilbert, who finished second and third respectively.
The Gilberts will join Schneider at the D-2 finals race at 1:30 Saturday, while Owosso junior Kiernan McClintock and Corunna junior Matthew McNeil will run the D-2 boys' race at 2:30 p.m. McClintock placed 102nd in last year's state finals with a time of 16:52, while McNeil is making his first appearance in the race.
“(McNeil) was close last year and it was devastating for him to not make it,” Heid said. “It's really exciting for him to move on to the big show. He wants to make the top 30, but he'll have to run a ridiculously good time to do so. He's had some great workouts this week and is running the best he ever has. It's the right time to being doing that.”
The D-3 boys' and girls' races are loaded with area cross country runners, including full boys' teams from Byron, Durand and Chesaning and the Railroaders girls' team. Durand senior David Madrigal III is a favorite to win the race after winning his regional race at Holly last week with a time of 16:23. Madrigal placed fifth at last year's state finals in 15:48.
Byron is sending nine runners to MIS tomorrow, including the entire boys team, which qualified for the first time in school history. Joining the boys are Kelsey Evans and Karli Dooing from the girls squad.
Chesaning junior Trevor Denton could sneak up on Madrigal and is expected to finish in the top five after he won the Indians' regional race at Carson City with a time of 16:07. Denton ran 18th in the 2008 state finals in a time of 16:14.
Perry qualified a trio of boys for the D-3 race, including state finals returnees senior Jacob Fortman and junior Justin Krauss, who earned All-State honors last year with a 29th-place finish in 16:22. Krauss and Fortman will be joined by sophomore John Bell, who beat his teammates at last week's regionals at Carson City with a sixth-place showing in 16:41.
“All three could be in the top 30 and earn all-state honors,” said Perry coach Carl Willitts. “(Fortman) could possibly be in the top 10 and is in great shape. It would be pretty awesome if all three were all-state.”
Perry freshman Jordan Krauss and junior Kylie Parker qualified for the D-3 girls' race with ninth and 13th place finishes respectively at the Ramblers regional in Carson City. The Ramblers tied Portland with 101 points for third place but lost the tiebreaker and barely missed qualifying as a team.
“I was pretty happy with the season but disappointed that the girls didn't make to states as a team,” Willitts said. “I'm hoping for a top 50 finish from both of them, I think that's realistic.”
Parker ran in the state finals in 2007 when Perry went as a team and placed 106th with a time of 20:41 as the Ramblers finished 17th with 399 points.
Laingsburg senior Amaya Ayers will be going for her fourth straight All-State award in D-3. Ayers placed 11th in 2008 (19:02), sixth in 2007 (18:54) and 23rd in 2006 (19:24). Ayers was rated No. 1 at this season at the Greater Lansing race and also broke a 20-year old school record.
“Amaya is the strongest mentally prepared athlete I have ever coached,” Laingsburg coach Mal Balow said.
She will be joined by classmate Mark List in the boys' race who was 87th in last years' finals with a time of 17:21.
The D-3 girls race starts at 10:30 a.m. while the boys' race starts at 11:30 a.m. and admission is $7.