12th Portage Invitational – Portage West MS, Portage MI – Oct. 6, 2012

by SteveU

SteveU meet story: Portage Record-Chasing: Meet the Bos | More Portage Invite photos at runmichigan.com

HIGHLIGHTS
(state rankings, unless otherwise noted, are from Michigancrosscountry.com)

Afternoon
GIRLS D2: Unbeaten US#5 Grand Rapids Christian sr Julia Bos hammered to a course record 17:19.1, beating not only her own meet mark from 2011 (17:32.5), but also former Foot Locker Finalist Sharon Van Tuyl’s long-standing CR (17:31.0) from 1995. She topped Cedar Springs soph Kenzie Weiler, whose 17:47.3 was the second-best mark of the day from any race. The team battle saw #3 Forest Hills Eastern – led by 5th-place Clara Cullen and with all of it’s scorers in the top 28 – score 97 for the win. The beat both top-ranked East Grand Rapids (4th with 177) and Bos’s #2 GRC (which have combined for 7 of the last 9 titles). #5 Spring Lake was 2nd with 123.

GIRLS D1: US#21 Saline (Marc Bloom’s 9/27 Super 25), the D1 #3, dominated with 41 points to defend their 2011 crown and win for the third time here. Lauren Green (18:22.0), Elianna Shwayder (18:30.6) and Gillian Walter (18:35.0) finished 3-4-5 for Saline, which put all seven under 19:00. They were 100 points ahead of D1#5 Rockford (141) with Traverse City Central 3rd with 145. Hartland sr Avery Evenson, who finished 2nd, 3rd and 2nd her first three years here, finally got the victory with an 18:03.0. Jenison jr Ellie Leonard was 2nd in 18:16.7.

BOYS D1: In a race loaded with six top-10-ranked Michigan teams, it was an Ohio team which took the title as Hilliard Davidson prevailed with 106 points. They are the third Ohio school to win here (but first since 2005) and were followed by #5 Saline (129), #4 Rockford (160), and #6 Grand Blanc (174). Defending champ Hartland was 7th. Individually, Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills sr Jeff Bajema hammered the last half mile to win in 15:15.8, the best time of the day. Hartland sr Sean Pengelly (15:23.9), Ann Arbor Pioneer jr Costa Willets (15:30.1), and another Hartland runner – junior Jareb Duggan (15:35.8) – followed.

BOYS D2: Cedar Springs sr Connor Mora ran away from the field in the middle of the race, forging the day’s biggest margin for the boys with his 15:18.8. Ludington sr Luke Johnson was next at 15:40.4. Mora’s the fastest D2 winner since Dan Roberts set the mark of 15:05 back in 2004. #2 St. Clair tallied 89 to defeat #1 St. Joseph (106), #9 Linden (128, with a 4-5 start), and #3 Cedar Springs (137), and gain their first Portage title.

Morning
GIRLS D4: A terrific individual battle saw Charyl Stockwell Academy sr Lauren Benstead outrun Breckenridge jr Kirsten Olling, 17:52.6 to 17:59.6. They were more than a minute ahead of the rest of the field. Benstead topped the D4 meet record of 17:59.4 set by Marissa Treece in 2006. #9 Harbor Springs won its first title here, edging #3 Bear Lake, 103-104, as its 3-4-5 scorers finished within three seconds to overcome an early deficit. #1 North Muskegon was third at 143 and two-time defending champ Hesperia was 6th.

BOYS D3: #2 Marlette, led by individual champ Andy Bowman (15:30.7), scored the biggest triumph in school history by winning with 143 points. Bowman’s brother, Jacob, was 6th and Marlette put four in the first 25 to top #8 Freeland (150), #9 Jackson Lumen Christi (151) and 3-time defending champ and #1 Grandville Calvin Christian (161). GCC had two of the top four, including runner-up Zac Nowicki (15:31.7) and Andrew Rylaarsdam (15:41.9). Hanover-Horton sr Bryce Stroede was also under 15:40 in third at 15:37.3. Bowman is the third fastest D3 champ in meet history.

GIRLS D3: Grandville Calvin Christian, also ranked #1, did get a title in the girls race, scoring 122 to #2 and defending champ Benzie Central’s 130. GCC gained their margin on the final scorer, overcoming Benzie’s 1-2 punch. The individual crown went to Manistee soph Annie Fuller in 18:10.1, followed by Holland Black River soph Allison Vroon 18:18.6. Fuller was third as a freshman in 2011.

BOYS D4: #1 Concord, continuing its great tradition here, won both the team and individual titles. Sophomore Jesse Hersha ran 15:43.3 to cross the line first, followed by Fremont Providence sr Nick Vanderkooi (15:54.0) and Saugatuck sr Sean Kelly (15:59.1). With four of the top 11, including frosh Josiah Ottolini backing up Hersha with his 7th in 16:30.0, Concord easily took its third team title in four years with 59 points. The school has had three of the last four individual champs, too, including 2-time champ Kyle Stacks. The state’s next three ranked teams duked it out for second, with #4 Breckenridge (113) outscoring #2 Pewamo-Westphalia (114) and #3 Saugatuck (120).