Michigan International Speedway
Brooklyn, Michigan

11/3/01

By Dave McCauley, RMDC

Coming into this year's lower peninsula cross country state finals at MIS, the Lawton boys team was ranked fifth. All year long, they had to look up at top ranked East Jordan and the rest of the teams that everyone else thought were better than they.

Well, as they say, that's why they run the race. And, that is why the rankings that matter most are the rankings on the final day of the a season. And when that list was compiled, that list of the top boys teams in Division 4, the Lawton boys team was on top.

Lawton, lead by Junior Daniel Orosco, took the team title with a total of 143 points. Runner up Bear Lake finished with 213, while third place went to Harbor Springs with 219 points. Central Lake finished in 4th place and Vandercook Lake, ranked 2nd coming into the finals, ended up 5th. East Jordan, who had a great regular season and was ranked #1 coming into the finals, ended up back in 11th place overall.

This was Lawton's first boy's team state title since 1967 when they won the combined Class C-D lower peninsula title.

Individually, the boy's division 4 race started off quickly with the leaders flying through the mile. Lead by New Buffalo's senior and 1999 individual champion Mike Putzke, the D-4 race leaders had their sites set not only on an individual state title, but also the division 4 MIS course record of 15:30, set by Central Lake great Ryan Shay in 1996.

At the two mile mark, Putzke was all alone as he crossed in 9:54, slowing down a bit after that opening mile, but still determined to run a great race. Even after a slower second mile, Putzke was still on pace to break Shay's record.

And, although he didn't quite end up coming close that record, Putzke held on in fine fashion to take the 2001 Boy's Division 1 state title in a time of 15:48. Frank Therrian of Holton came through to claim the runner up spot with a time of 16:11 and Stephan Shay of Central Lake continued on the tradition of the great Shay running family as he picked up third place overall in 16:24.

Rounding out the top 5 were Kyle Eisenga of McBain in a time of 16:29 and Keith Longuski of Ubly in 16:32.

Top 10 Teams:

1.Lawton
2.Bear Lake
3.Harbor Springs
4.Central Lake
5.Vandercook Lake 6.Brown City
7.Jonesville
8.A.A. Greenhills
9.Bath
10.Unionville Sebewaing

Top 10 Runners:

1.Mike Putzke
2.Frank Therrian
3.Stephan Shay
4.Kyle Eisenga
5.Keith Longuski
6.Jacob Kloss
7.Matt Kibby
8.Gregory Martus
9.Daniel Orozco
10.Joshua Simmons

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