Both the boys and girls cross country teams qualified for States at the Michigan International Speedway course. It was both teams’ last meet of the season and they had impressive results, the boys team finishing as runners-up behind East Grand Rapids and the girls placing 18th as a team, beating their projected placement of 20th, despite winds reaching up to 40 mph during the races. 

Connell Alford (‘24) came away as the state champion with a time of 15:12. The next runners for the boys were Bram Hartsuff (‘23) in 35th place with a time of 16:29, Zeb Swager (‘23) in 39th place with a time of 16:32.23, Nick Spruce (‘23) who crossed the line less than a second behind Zeb with a time of 16:32.46, Leo Swager (‘25) 78th place with a time of 17:00, Jackie Dell (‘24) in 125th place with a time of 17:27, and Beckett Boos (’26) in 220th place with a time of 18:39.

The top runner for the girls wasNatalia DeMea (‘25) who finished in 48th place with a time of 19:43. Next was Brooke Matusik (‘23) in 130th place and a time of 20:51, Lauren Thompson (‘25) with a 20:56 time and 138th place finish, Seren Angus (‘24) in 151st at 21:07, Sam Bieber (‘26) with 21:21 in 164th place, Trillian Krug (‘24) in 177th place at 21:37, and Julia Kause (‘23) with a time of 21:58 in 203rd.

Thompson has been to states a total of two times now and this year’s competition was harder than any she’d experienced. Although the opponents were stronger this season she thinks the team has improved to match them.

“The competition was a lot tougher than last year,” Thompson said. “Even though I’m consistently running a minute faster than last year, we’re still placing about the same, so everyone has gotten faster.”

Not only was the competition high for this meet but the weather conditions were less than ideal.

“This year’s state meet was super windy which definitely didn’t help with times, but I feel like running on a race car track with 40 mph gusts of wind is an experience that everyone needs to have at some point in their life,” Thompson said.

Expectations for the girls team were uncertain when they went into the meet but they still wanted to do their very best.

“My goals for the race were to run the best that I could, given the weather, and to just have fun,” Thompson said. “I’m really happy with my team’s performance, and I think it was a good end to a good season.”