Editor’s note: Special thanks to Kyle Kempster of Western Michigan Christian for his video and photo contributions.
BROOKLYN, MI — It felt like deja vu as the Lower Peninsula cross country state finals were held at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday. There were lots of familiar faces claiming championships from the Muskegon area.
Abby Vander Kooi (Western Michigan Christian) has won every state championship race she has competed in. Vander Kooi captured her fourth individual title in four tries, and led Western Michigan Christian (98 points) to the Division 4 state championship by running a first-place time of 18:06.58.
She didn’t do it alone though. Her sister, Grace, provided considerable help by finishing eighth (19:28.28) and starting off her high school career with a team championship.
In another family effort, sisters Alyson and Audrianna Enns finished second and fourth, respectively, to help the Hart girls team (143) win a fifth Division 3 state title in a row.
Three Hart runners finished in the top five: Alyson Enns second, 17:59.67; Jessica Jazwinski third, 18:00.59; and Audrianna Enns fourth, 18:32.27. That’s something no team, in any division, replicated. It was an amazing performance from a Hart team, which has become accustomed to winning championships.
For the second-straight year, the Hart boys fell just short of the title. The Pirates finished runners-up behind St. Loius for the second year in a row.
Hart put in an impressive and balanced performance, with five runners finishing in the top 100 (Clayton Ackley 10th, Wyatt Dean 26th, Noah Bosley 29th, Max Nienhuis 69th and Seth Ackley 78th), but it wasn’t quite enough to dethrone the defending champions.
Muskegon-area cross country was well represented with multiple all-state performers. Please see below a complete list of results for West Michigan athletes and teams. All-staters are indicated with green text:
GIRLS
Division 1
Teams
Place | Team | Pts |
12 | Grand Haven | 366 |
Individuals
Place | Pts | Year | Team | Finish | Pace |
16 | Valerie BEECK | 9 | Grand Haven | 18:20.49 | 5:54 |
87 | Payton HOSLEY | 10 | Grand Haven | 19:25.98 | 6:15 |
108 | Addison SMITH | 9 | Grand Haven | 19:37.77 | 6:19 |
178 | Lily FRENDT | 9 | Grand Haven | 20:21.38 | 6:33 |
180 | Margot FRENDT | 11 | Grand Haven | 20:23.41 | 6:33 |
189 | Laurel TOLLIVER | 10 | Grand Haven | 20:30.05 | 6:35 |
262 | Gracey BARRY | 9 | Grand Haven | 22:26.92 | 7:13 |
Division 2
Teams
Result Lists|Team Summary – HS
Place | Team | Pts |
6 | Spring Lake | 231 |
Individuals
Result Lists|Individual Results
Place | Name | Year | Team | Finish | Pace |
22 | Lily PARKER | 11 | Spring Lake | 19:12.98 | 6:11 |
32 | Bea REESER | 10 | Spring Lake | 19:24.15 | 6:14 |
41 | Remington ARNEY | 10 | Newaygo | 19:38.81 | 6:19 |
42 | Summer BROWER | 9 | Ludington | 19:38.89 | 6:19 |
43 | Lexie RUFFING | 9 | Spring Lake | 19:39.33 | 6:19 |
96 | Valerie POLLOCK | 9 | Fruitport | 20:21.53 | 6:33 |
104 | Autumn BROWER | 9 | Ludington | 20:27.08 | 6:34 |
108 | Taava JOHNSON | 12 | Fremont | 20:29.74 | 6:35 |
122 | Brooklyn VERPLANK | 9 | Spring Lake | 20:39.29 | 6:38 |
129 | Katie RIEMERSMA | 10 | Spring Lake | 20:43.77 | 6:40 |
183 | Makaela SCHMIDT | 12 | Spring Lake | 21:19.99 | 6:51 |
189 | Jennifer JUDGE | 12 | Spring Lake | 21:27.05 | 6:54 |
Division 3
Teams
Place | Team | Pts |
1 | Hart | 143 |
2 | Kent City | 179 |
Individuals
Place | Name | Grade | Team | Finish | Pace |
2 | Alyson ENNS | 10 | Hart | 17:59.67 | 5:47 |
3 | Jessica JAZWINSKI | 9 | Hart | 18:00.59 | 5:47 |
4 | Audrianna ENNS | 12 | Hart | 18:32.27 | 5:58 |
14 | Lila VOLKERS | 9 | Kent City | 18:54.64 | 6:05 |
31 | Lexie Beth NIENHUIS | 9 | Hart | 19:36.65 | 6:18 |
36 | Alyeska LINSLEY | 12 | Kent City | 19:45.59 | 6:21 |
39 | Gabriella WINGARD | 12 | North Muskegon | 19:50.07 | 6:23 |
48 | Kierra FLEGEL | 12 | Kent City | 19:59.23 | 6:25 |
68 | Isabella MAX | 10 | Kent City | 20:23.81 | 6:33 |
70 | Carolyn BENNETT | 11 | North Muskegon | 20:30.21 | 6:35 |
72 | Gracie HOUTMAN | 10 | Kent City | 20:31.23 | 6:36 |
76 | Emily LANTZER | 12 | Kent City | 20:34.63 | 6:37 |
138 | Alisha ESQUIVEL | 9 | Kent City | 21:29.58 | 6:55 |
159 | Abigail PRETTY | 11 | Hart | 21:47.49 | 7:00 |
179 | Savanna OWENS | 11 | Hart | 22:08.25 | 7:07 |
193 | Lauren VANDERLAAN | 12 | Hart | 22:22.07 | 7:11 |
Division 4
Teams
Place | Team | Pts |
1 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 98 |
Individuals
Place | Name | Grade | Team | Finish | Pace |
1 | Abby VANDERKOOI | 12 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 18:06.58 | 5:49 |
8 | Grace VANDERKOOI | 9 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 19:28.28 | 6:16 |
33 | Ava ROTMAN | 12 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 20:41.09 | 6:39 |
36 | Brianna ZUIDEMA | 11 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 20:43.09 | 6:40 |
59 | Eleanor KINGSHOTT | 10 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 21:12.33 | 6:49 |
73 | Grace FOLKEMA | 10 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 21:30.72 | 6:55 |
113 | Vanessa PELTONIEMI | 11 | Holton | 22:17.61 | 7:10 |
127 | Cate GARRETSON | 11 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 22:28.82 | 7:14 |
153 | Aubrey GOYINGS | 9 | Holton | 22:55.48 | 7:22 |
BOYS
Division 1
Teams
Place | Team | Pts. |
7 | Grand Haven | 252 |
Individuals
Place | Name | Year | Team | Finish | Pace |
2 | Seth NORDER | 10 | Grand Haven | 15:19.91 | 4:56 |
8 | Klay GRANT | 12 | Muskegon Reeths-Puffer | 15:38.30 | 5:02 |
17 | Nolan CLARK | 11 | Grand Haven | 15:50.49 | 5:05 |
58 | Jaxon ALLEN | 10 | Muskegon Reeths-Puffer | 16:26.46 | 5:17 |
106 | Ben PEASE | 12 | Grand Haven | 16:45.24 | 5:23 |
120 | Jonathan TYSMAN | 12 | Grand Haven | 16:51.10 | 5:25 |
150 | Ben HELD | 9 | Grand Haven | 16:59.49 | 5:28 |
152 | Logan VINING | 11 | Grand Haven | 16:59.63 | 5:28 |
240 | Logan HOUGH | 11 | Grand Haven | 18:19.08 | 5:53 |
Division 2
Team
Place | Team | Pts. |
11 | Fremont | 343 |
Individuals
Place | Name | Grade | Team | Finish | Pace |
2 | Conor SOMERS | 12 | Fremont | 15:28.85 | 4:58 |
67 | Carter MCILROY | 11 | Whitehall | 16:47.92 | 5:24 |
86 | Riley BUYS | 12 | Whitehall | 16:58.00 | 5:27 |
88 | Gavin SCHULER | 12 | Fremont | 16:58.64 | 5:27 |
111 | Andre RICHMOND | 11 | Whitehall | 17:13.27 | 5:32 |
117 | John CHRISTENSEN | 10 | Fremont | 17:17.31 | 5:33 |
131 | Sean PETTIS | 10 | Fremont | 17:25.22 | 5:36 |
160 | Henrik QUIST | 11 | Fremont | 17:37.69 | 5:40 |
163 | Levi GLYNN | 10 | Fruitport | 17:39.21 | 5:40 |
167 | Cole LOWERY | 9 | Fremont | 17:40.65 | 5:41 |
192 | Maxwell REMONDINO | 12 | Muskegon Oakridge | 17:57.16 | 5:46 |
206 | Carter SHERMAN | 9 | Fremont | 18:05.79 | 5:49 |
261 | Peyton RUEL | 9 | Muskegon Oakridge | 19:42.73 | 6:20 |
Division 3
Teams
Place | Team | Pts |
2 | Hart | 146 |
Individuals
Result Lists|Individual Results
Place | Name | Grade | Team | Finish | Pace |
10 | Clayton ACKLEY | 11 | Hart | 16:19.34 | 5:15 |
18 | Samuel MARTINI | 10 | Kent City | 16:30.89 | 5:18 |
26 | Wyatt DEAN | 11 | Hart | 16:43.31 | 5:22 |
29 | Noah BOSLEY | 12 | Hart | 16:44.16 | 5:23 |
51 | Cale COPPESS | 12 | Montague | 17:17.05 | 5:33 |
69 | Max NIENHUIS | 12 | Hart | 17:26.25 | 5:36 |
71 | Jude MELDRUM-ROY | 11 | North Muskegon | 17:27.61 | 5:37 |
78 | Seth ACKLEY | 11 | Hart | 17:29.48 | 5:37 |
98 | Max STITT | 9 | Hart | 17:39.98 | z |
110 | Jaren VOGEL | 10 | Kent City | 17:48.17 | 5:43 |
117 | Caiden CUDNEY | 12 | Manistee | 17:52.32 | 5:45 |
157 | Josef BROMLEY | 11 | Hart | 18:20.86 | 5:54 |
Division 4
Team
Result Lists|Team Summary – HS
Place | Team | Pts |
7 | White Cloud | 261 |
14 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 358 |
Individual
Result Lists|Individual Results
Place | Name | Year | Team | Finish | Pace |
35 | Nathan CIOLK | 11 | White Cloud | 17:25.10 | 5:36 |
54 | Coleson CRUZAN | 9 | White Cloud | 17:50.21 | 5:44 |
82 | Jonathan CLAUSING | 11 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 18:10.27 | 5:50 |
86 | Mitchel DANIELS | 10 | Pentwater | 18:11.14 | 5:51 |
89 | Matthias MORSE | 9 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 18:11.91 | 5:51 |
97 | Kobe CANNING | 12 | White Cloud | 18:18.23 | 5:53 |
99 | Abe VANDUINEN | 10 | Pentwater | 18:21.35 | 5:54 |
113 | Carson FOONDLE | 10 | White Cloud | 18:31.79 | 5:57 |
119 | Graeson LAWRENCE | 10 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 18:35.70 | 5:59 |
123 | Danny MAAT | 10 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 18:38.27 | 5:59 |
132 | Kaleb CANNING | 9 | White Cloud | 18:42.81 | 6:01 |
133 | Ashton BYLE | 12 | White Cloud | 18:43.61 | 6:01 |
151 | Malachi GRAVES | 11 | White Cloud | 19:06.89 | 6:09 |
167 | Demitri LAWRENCE | 9 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 19:22.39 | 6:14 |
175 | Alexander LAWRENCE | 9 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 19:30.79 | 6:16 |
197 | Elijah ZENZ | 10 | Muskegon Western Mich. Christian | 20:15.59 | 6:31 |
Brent is the Managing Partner of CatchMark and has been a technologist for more than 15 years. During that time he has served in diverse leadership roles. At his core, Brent is a problem solver who chose technology because of the diverse and challenging problems it provides. He is currently a Certified Information Systems Security Professional with an emphasis in Cyber Security.
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