The Sentinels traveled downstate to Michigan State University in East Lansing for the MSU Spartan Invitational on Sept. 13, then headed west to the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, Minnesota, for the Roy Griak Invitational on Friday.

Here are details from each meet:

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MSHS 3rd, 4th downstate

This is a mass start of the girls race at one of the meets attended by the Marquette Senior High School over the past several weeks. (Photo courtesy Derek Marr)

The Marquette boys competed against three of the Lower Peninsula’s top MHSAA Division 1 schools, outracing No. 3 Brighton to finish in third place behind No. 1 Northville and No. 2 Jenison, with the Sentinels almost beating Jenison.

MSHS head coach Derek Marr considered this a championship for the entire state, since the Upper Peninsula and Lower Peninsula are separated for their respective MHSAA finals.

At MSU, Marr noted that Marquette also raced past Lower Peninsula Division 1 No. 10 Grand Haven and Division 2 No. 7 East Grand Rapids, along with two top Ohio schools, No. 10 Dublin Jerome and No. 13 Centerville.

Seppi Camilli was the Sentinels’ top boys finisher in seventh place, also placing fifth among Michigan runners.

Teammate Rorik Holmquist was also noted for running a personal record time and medaling in 24th place in 16 minutes, 25 seconds as Marquette had a half-dozen runners finish in 16:46 or faster.

The Sentinels’ girls weren’t able to defend their title, but did finish fourth — and runner-up among Michigan teams — as Ella Fure led her team with an 11th-place finish to qualify for a top-30 medal.

Marr also noted that hot weather and a challenging course meant times were slowed compared to other meets his team competes in.

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Marquette

This is an even bigger event held at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in the Twin Cities, drawing schools from nine states. Marr noted that non-Minnesota teams had to have a top-10 ranking in their state to be eligible to compete, with those states including Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Missouri, North Carolina and Colorado.

In the boys meet, there were a half-dozen defending state champion teams from their state’s largest enrollment division, along with several that were nationally ranked.

The Sentinels’ Camilli finished 14th in this national-class field, earning a medal for being in the top 20.

Marquette finished fourth of 44 teams, trailing only Iowa defending champ Dowling Catholic (36th nationally ranked), South Dakota champ Sioux Falls Lincoln and Wisconsin champion Stevens Point.

Among the teams Marquette finished ahead of were Wayzata, Minnesota, ranked No. 24 nationally; state champion Rock Bridge, Missouri; the entire top-12 ranked teams in Minnesota; No. 6 Arkeny, No. 11 Johnston and No. 12 Liberty from Iowa; No. 6 Arapaho and No. 5 Summit from the second division in Colorado; No. 5 Davies of North Dakota; No. 2 Brandon Valley of South Dakota; and No. 8 Cardinal Gibbons of North Carolina.

In the girls meet, with illness affecting some runners, Marquette placed 44th.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.