International Speedway
Brooklyn, Michigan
November 1, 2003

reporting by Dave McCauley of RunMichigan.com with help from on course accounts of the races by Duane Raffin and additional assistance, interviews and photography by RMDC's Gary Schultz.

Update #4:
D2 Girls, Race Time: 3:00 p.m.

And the day's last race is the girl's division two event. Unlike the girl's D1 race, a much smaller lead pack has developed early in the race. Caitlyn Clifford of Bloomfield Hills Lahser is the leader early. Coming up to the mile mark, it is Clifford in the lead by about 70 yards. Early on in the team competition,

East Grand Rapids looks to be in the lead with Grand Rapids Christian and Petoskey also looking strong. At the two mile it was Caitlyn Clifford with the fastest split of the day of 11:19. Laura Malnor of top ranked East Grand Rapids is in second. Heading into the stadium, both the individual and team titles are going to be very close, but it looks like Malnor is your champion. ... full results

Update #4: Wittum of Rockford D1 Girl's Champion
D1 Girls, Race Time: 2:30 p.m.

Our second to last race on the day is the girl's division two event. Last year's champion, Rockford, is looking to defend. Rockford's biggest threat looks to be from Clarkston. Coming to the mile mark, a very large lead pack has developed.

Leading that pack early is Lindsey Gaudard of Lake Orion as she leads the pack through the mile at 5:46. Nikki Bohnsack, the three time defending champion, is looking to move up. Rockford as a team looks to be in the lead at this point. Bohnsack's winning time in 2002 was 17:43.

This looks to be another great team race as well as Clarkston High School seems to be making a strong move. Clarkston, last year's team runner up is looking to deny Rockford's fifth straight title. As this pack nears the two mile mark, it is still Rockford and Clarkston going head to head for the team title. Individually, our leader looks to be Rachel Wittum of Rockford who crosses two miles in 11:42.

Bohnsack of Rockford is back in 9th and will have to do a lot of work in order to retain her title. Bohnsack, slowed by a recent injury, can not get back into the hunt, but the individual title does go to her teammate Rachel Wittum. Wittum's time was unofficially 17:55. ... full results

Update #4: Walker Takes Title
D2 Boys, Race Time: 2:00 p.m.

The boy's D2 race is just about set to get underway. Dexter is the returning team champion, while second ranked Bloomfield Hills Lahser and Grand Rapids Christian, ranked 4th, look to ruin Dexter's day. Individually, the 2002 champion Riley Klingel of Fremont is back and ready to defend his title.

At the beginning of the race, it looks like Dexter is letting its presence known as they have a strong group of runners up front early on. A strong pack of about 10 runners are out front. That lead pack crosses the mile in 4:49. That pack is being led by Tony Nalli of Dexter. Coming to the mile and a half it's still Nalli of Dexter in the lead. Roberts of Vicksburg and Klingel of Fremont are also among that pack, together with a strong group of runners from Flint Powers Catholic. However, defending champion Dexter looks to be the strongest at this point of the race with 5 runners in the top 35.

The lead pack now nears the two mile mark with Tony Nalli of Dexter still leading the way. Coming up to share the lead with Nalli is Luke Walker of Flint Powers Catholic. Dexter has now moved 5 runners into the top 40 in its hopes to repeat. This looks to be the closest team race of the day. And as the leader hits the finish, it's Luke Walker of Powers Catholic High School in first with a time of 15:13. ... full results

Update #4: Voss of Saline Wins in 14:55
D1 Boys, Race Time: 1:30 p.m.

The afternoon session of races begins with the division one boys race. A few of the top ranked boys teams in D1 are Milford, Rockford, Grand Ledge and Saline. Out on the course at the half mile mark, the large D1 field tries to thin itself out. The early leader is Tim Dalton of Northville. Just before the mile mark the a pack of about 12 runners is headed by Mark Moore of Novi. Novi is looking strong with 3 runners in the top 5. As the lead pack reaches the mile in 4:42, Ann Arbor Huron is showing its strength as they have 5 runners in the top 25.

As the lead pack reaches the mile in 4:42, Ann Arbor Huron is showing its strength as they have 5 runners in the top 25. Northville has two runners in the top 15, but this team race is up for grabs as Milford also looks to be in serious contention for the team title.

Coming to the two mile point of this D1 boys race we have a strong, large lead pack of about 12 runners. Heading up the hill to the 2 mile, our leader is now Ann Arbor Huron's Frank Tinney. The leaders hit the 2 mile in 9:45. The lead continues to change hands as they hit a mile to go. This D1 boys races is going to be a close one from both an individual and team perspective.

As the leaders head to the finish, Dustin Voss of Saline has pulled away considerable and he holds off the field for the 2003 boy's D1 state championship, finishing in a time of 14:55. ... full results

Update #3: Watson Wins
D3 Girls, Race Time: 11:30 a.m.

Our last race of the morning is Girl's division three. Nicole Bush of Wyoming Kellogsville is looking to make it four in a row. Bush could become one of a select few runners to win titles 4 straight years. She has gotten out very strong and now has an 8 second lead as they come to the mile mark in this D3 girl's race. Bush's time at the mile is 5:25. Jamie Watson of Allendale (pictured) is in second. Goodrich, led by Kaitlin and Kayla O'Mara is looking very strong in the team competition. As they go by the mile and a half mark, it's still Nicole Bush in the lead. Bush still leads at the two mile with a time of 11:25. Watson continues to run in second.

In girl's division 3, Goodrich was ranked number one and Hillsdale number two heading into this year's finals. As the D3 girls head into the stadium maintains her lead with Allendale's Jamie Watson in second. The O'Mara twins from Goodrich are still in the top 5. Goodrich and Hillsdale continue to battle for the team title. And a change has occurred in the lead as Nicole Bush has dropped off and Jamie Watson of Allendale has taken over the lead. This major change in the lead took place after the two mile point.

And it is Watson that takes the title as Bush runs into trouble sometime after the two mile mark, but does manage to finish. ... full results

Update #3: Laura Rolf Repeats
D4 Girls, Race Time: 11:00 a.m.

The first girl's race of the day, division 4, is set to begin. Last year's champion, Laura Rolf of Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, is back and ready to defend her title. Rolf won the 2002 race as a sophomore. Traverse City St. Francis, Bear Lake and Suttons Bay are three of the top teams coming into this year's D4 girls finals. Ann Arbor Greenhillls is the defending D4 girl's team champion.

At the half mile mark Laura Rolf of Lutheran Northwest is in the lead. Cassidy Edwards is in second. As they approach the mile, it is still Rolf in the lead. Her time at the mile is 5:44. Lutheran Northwest has 2 in the top 5, but Greenhills looks strong as well in the team race. Rolf's lead starts to grow. Katie Olson of Greenhills is in second. Ubly is also looking good in the team race.

Rolf heads up the slight hill to the two mile point with an 18 second lead. Her time at mile two is just under 12:00. Rolf, a junior, who won the 2002 D4 girl's race in a time of 18:16.4, could be our first repeat champion on the day.

Here comes Rolf crossing the 3 mile mark with an approximate time of 17:45 with a commanding lead. And once again, Laura Rolf of Lutheran Northwest is the girl's division 4 champion. ... full results

Update #2: Hillsdale's Perrin is D3 Champion
D3 Boys, Race Time: 10:30 a.m.

Our second race of this year's finals is the Boy's Division 3 race. Coming into today's event, some top ranked D3 boys team were Grand Rapids West Catholic, Williamston, Shepherd and Hillsdale. The 2002 boy's D3 champion was David Bills of Williamston. Coming into the finals, the fastest D3 boys time of the season (15:14) was posted by Josh Perrin of Hillsdale. At the 1/2 mile mark of the D3 boys race it is Perrin leading the way.

Coming into the mile, it is still Josh Perrin of Hillsdale leading the way. In 2002, Perrin barely cracked the top 100 at the state meet, but now he comes through the mile in 4:48 and in first place. David Bills is in second place. Murphy from Corunna is in third. Those top three have put a big gap between themselves and the rest of the field. In the team race, Williamston, Hillsdale and West Catholic are looking strong.

At the two mile mark, Josh Perrin's lead has gotten even larger. Coming through 2 miles, it's Perrin in first with a 70 yard lead and a time of 9:42, the fastest two mile split so far on the day. Bills of Williamston is in second and attempts to gain some ground back on Josh Perrin. It looks like the finish may be tight. Bills at the two mile was 12 seconds behind Perrin and the lead is getting smaller.

Into the stadium area they come, with Perrin still leading the way, but Bills is closing. Josh Perrin now heads past the three mile mark and begins to pull away from Bills. Perrin looks like he may hold off the strong finish by Bills. And Perrin does just that as he is your 2003 D3 boy's champion. Bills holds on strong for second place. Perrin's unofficial time is 15:17. ... full results

Update #1: Shay of Central Lake is D4 Boys Champ.
D4 Boys, Race Time: 10:00 a.m.

Welcome to the Brooklyn, Michigan and to the Michigan International Speedway for the 2003 MHSAA Lower Peninsula XC Finals. The first race of the day is set to begin. Weather for the start of today's events is good, with slightly overcast skies and temperatures around the 50 degree mark.

Heading into the D4 Boy's final, the top ranked teams included 2002 champion, Harbor Springs & also Bath High School.

Our first race of the 2003 finals, the Division 4 Boy's race is now underway. The D4 boys field heads past the 1/2 mile mark with Stephan Shay of Central Lake in first. 2002 champion Boylan-Pett is in third. Boylan-Pett is the defending D4 boy's champion.

As they approach the mile mark, it is Shay of Central Lake in first with a time of 4:48. Adam Sprangel of Vandercook Lake has moved into third. Boylan Pett is in second. Stephan Shay and Liam Boylann Pett continue first and second past the mile and a half mark. In the team race, Harbor Springs and Jonesville both look strong with 3 each in the top 25.

As the leaders head toward the mile and a half mark, Shay is trying to pull away. As they head up a slight incline toward the two mile point, it is still Shay and Boylan-Pett. Shay now has a 15 yard lead over Boylan-Pett as they approach two miles. Shay's time is roughly 9:50 at 2 miles. Adam Sprangel has dropped off slightly to 4th place.

The leaders now head toward the stadium. Shay has opened up his lead even more. In the team competition, Harbor Springs still looks strong, with two in the top 5. As the leaders come to the finish, it looks like Stephen Shay is going to win. Boylan-Pett is still in second. And your 2003 D4 champion is Stephen Shay with a time of approximately 15:35. - more to come. ... full results