Area runners looking to peak as championship season approaches

Nearly 300 high school runners from 19 schools met at Marysville City Park yesterday afternoon for the 42nd Annual Marysville Invitational. With conference and regional championship races just two weeks away, this meet served as a tune-up for many.

L’Anse Creuse North captured first in the boys race, placing five runners in the top 15. St. Clair finished second with 92 points, L’Anse Creuse was third with 121, edging Marine City in fourth at 124, and Algonac finished fifth with 142.

Algonac freshman Julian Walker led the area with his second-fastest time of the season: 17 minutes, 32.7 seconds. His junior teammate David Clemons joined him in the top 10, taking ninth in 18:19.3, which was his second-best time as well, leaving the Muskrats optimistic about peaking in the season's final stretch.

Runners at the start of the Marysville Invitational on Thursday, Oct. 6.

Marysville senior Lance Kowalski has consistently dropped his times all season and was just shy of his personal best last night, taking fourth overall in 17:59.4 in his final home-course race.

In the girls race, Croswell-Lexington won with 49 points. Grosse Pointe South finished second with 67, Marysville was third with 113, Richmond took fourth with 126, and L’Anse Creuse North rounded out the top five teams with 148.

Cros-Lex junior Morgan Newton won overall in 19:53.4, but the competition for the next three spots was incredibly close. Runners from L’Anse Creuse North and Grosse Pointe South separated Newton and her sophomore teammate Eva Thompson in the final 150 meters, but Thompson managed to sprint her way to second, finishing in 20:05.1.

Richmond junior Brianna Albers took fifth in 20:28.7, and coming off of a huge personal-best race last weekend, Marysville sophomore Lillian Rutallie finished eighth in 21:03.8. Junior Abby Barkley was the third Pioneer to finish in the top 10, securing 10th overall in 21:11.3.

Only a few invitationals remain this season, starting with the Portage Invite this Saturday. Port Huron Northern, St. Clair, and Yale will look to compete against more than 100 schools from across the state as they race to new personal bests. And on Wednesday, 25 Blue Water and Thumb Area teams will race at the Ubly Invite.

This leads to the championships, starting the with Macomb County Championship on Saturday, Oct. 15, where Richmond and Armada will represent the area.

They’ll then join the rest of the BWAC teams for their conference championship in Algonac on Tuesday, Oct. 18. The Yale boys and Cros-Lex girls will look to secure their league titles as they’ve already won the previous two jamborees, but the race for MVP will be an exciting one.

After finishing as runner-up last fall, Armada senior Camden Khon has won the last two BWAC meets with Yale junior Blake Ferguson right behind both times. For the girls, Thompson edged Armada sophomore Brooklyn Khon for the No. 1 spot in the first jamboree, but Khon ran away with the title in the second race.

And on Saturday, Oct. 22, all of the MAC schools will meet at the Lake St. Clair Metropark for their conference championship.

The Marysville girls already won the previous two MAC-Blue meets, led by Rutallie who finished second and first overall in each of the races. The Mariners join the Vikings among the top three teams in the division.

Port Huron Northern senior Reese Georiga won both of the MAC-White meets, helping her team to fourth place each time. And on the boys side, the Huskies finished as co-champions of the MAC-White after taking first and second in each of their league meets.

After league competition wraps up, teams will race in their respective regional meets on Saturday, Oct. 22. Be on the lookout for a preview of one of the most exciting meets of the year later this month.

Top 15 Finishers (Boys)

1. Dylan Penberthy (Junior, LCN) – 16:53.5

2. Brandon Penberthy (Junior, LCN) – 17:14.4

3. Julian Walker (Freshman, ALG) – 17:32.7

4. Lance Kowalski (Senior, MV) – 17:59.4

5. John Schoen (Senior, Capac) – 18:04.4

6. Nathon Zydel (Junior, LNC) – 18:06.1

7. Aidan Daly (Sophomore, LC) – 18:12.0

8. Joseph Barnard (Senior, LCN) – 18:16.9

9. David Clemons (Junior, ALG) – 18:19.3

10. Robert Galan (Senior, LC) – 18:22.7

11. Alex Robertson (Junior, MC) – 18:23.4

12. Dylan Schumann (Junior, SC) – 18:27.9

13. Nolan Rybarcyzk (Junior, LCN) – 18:32.9

14. John Zakrzewski (Junior, Yale) – 18:33.2

15. Gabriel Borne (Senior, SC) – 18:34.9

Top 15 Finishers (Girls)

1. Morgan Newton (Junior, CL) – 19:53.4

2. Eva Thompson (Sophomore, CL) – 20:05.1

3. AnnDee Geddes (Senior, LCN) – 20:05.2

4. Savannah Spangler (Sophomore, GPS) – 20:06.4

5. Brianna Albers (Junior, RICH) – 20:28.7

6. Lauren Thomas (Junior, AB) – 20:46.0

7. Morgan Deenik (Junior, GPS) – 21:01.0

8. Lillian Rutallie (Sophomore, MV) – 21:03.8

9. Shelby Stabile (Sophomore, LC) – 21:03.9

10. Abby Barkley (Junior, CL) – 21:11.3

11. Taliyah Dawnson (Senior, WWT) – 21:37.4

12. Casidhe Flesher (Junior, MC) – 21:40.9

13. Avery Saunder (Senior, LCN) – 21:50.2

14. Jasmine Walker (Freshman, ALG) – 21:51.7

15. Ava Carr (Senior, GPS) – 21:52.4

--

For in-game updates and other news, follow Calli on Twitter @ newberry_calli

To receive notifications about new stories from The Sports Report, subscribe for free