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Michigan
International Speedway
Brooklyn, Michigan
11/3/01
By Dave
McCauley, RMDC
Top ranked and defending champion Middleville
Thornapple Kellog came into the 2001 finals knowing they
would be in for a tough race. Although they were the two
time defending champs, there were other strong teams out
there waiting to knock them off.
Lowell,
Richland Gull Lake and Birmingham Marian were just a few
of the top 10 teams coming into this year's state finals.
For the past two seasons, it was a two team battle between
Thornapple Kellogg and Flint Powers Catholic.
Powers
Catholic would not be a factor this year however as Middleville
Thornapple Kellogg, behind a top 10 finish from senior
Melissa Quisenberry and a strong showing farther back,
held on to take its third straight title.
The
race for second and third place was extremely close, as
only one point separated second place Stevensville Lakeshore
(205) and Birmingham Marian (206). Not far back in fourth
place was Mt. Pleasant with 221 points, followed by Lowell,
Petoskey and Richland Gull Lake.
In
the individual race, Rebecca Walter, after placing fifth
in the 2000 finals, seemed set on making this her year.
Walter, of Birmingham Groves, took the race out hard from
the start, crossing the mile mark all alone in 5:36. Only
Quisenberry of Thornapple Kellogg and Katie Erdman of
Cadillac were close.
By
the two mile, Walter had a commanding lead, coming through
in 11:48. Eventual fourth place finisher Megan Newton
of East Lansing took a brief turn at trying to track down
Walter by moving into second just after the two mile mark.
But, Walter was determined not to let anyone close, opening
up an even larger lead, and coming through all alone for
the 2001 D-2 Girl's State Championship in a time of 18:40.
Second
place went to Michelle Diverio of Battle Creek Lakeview
in 19:16 while Katie Prast of Bay City John Glenn moved
up for third, running 19:17. Newton dropped back to fourth
place overall with a time of 19:18 and Kathleen Smith
of Flint Powers took the fifth spot in 19:20. Quisenberry
ended up 10th, as Katie Erdmann settled for 18th place.
Walter
was extremely pleased with the way she finished off her
four years of cross country. "I wanted it really bad,
to go out with a bang my senior year," she said. Walter
knew that it would be tough, but knew what she had to
do. "I wanted to go out hard. There was good competition
in this race."
Walter,
the Groves senior will now set her sights on a great track
season, while Middleville Thornapple Kellogg will start
focusing on a fourth straight championship in 2002.
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Top
10 Teams:
1.Middleville
Thornapple Kellogg
2.Stevensville Lakeshore
3.Birmingham Marian
4.Mt. Pleasant
5.Lowell
6.Petoskey
7.Richland Gull Lake
8.Gaylord
9.Ludington
10.Chelsea
Top
10 Runners:
1.Rebecca
Walter
2.Michelle Diverio
3.Katie Prast
4.Megan Newton
5.Kathleen Smith
6.Jennifer Waters
7.Heidi Johnson
8.Carrie Davis
9.Amber Myers
10.Melissa Quisenberry
race
day photos and full results as available...
D4
Boys results
10:00 am
D3
Boys results
10:30 am
D4
Girls results
11:00 am
D3
Girls results
11:30 am
D1
Boys results
1:30 pm
D2
Boys results
2:00 pm
D1
Girls results
2:30 pm
D2
Girls results
3:00 pm
D4
Girls photos
D3 Girls photos
D4 Boys photos
D3 Boys photos
D1
Girls photos
D2 Girls photos
D1 Boys photos
D2 Boys photos
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