Marquette's Ella Fure leads and eventually would win the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals in Division 1 girls cross country at Pictured Rocks Golf Course in Munising on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MUNISING — A few months ago, Ella Fure wasn’t sure she’d be able to run cross country this fall.

The Marquette Senior High School senior had mononucleosis this summer and missed a lot of time from training and a few early season meets.

She made up for lost time and regained her MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 1 title here Saturday by covering the 3.1 miles on the Pictured Rocks Golf Course in 18 minutes, 53.3 seconds — the fourth-fastest time in U.P. Division 1 Finals history.

“That was my goal,” she said. “I ran in God’s name more than in my own, and that’s why I think I was successful. It was also my goal to run as hard as I can.

“This was my last high school cross country meet. I just left it all on the course.”

This marked the fourth straight team title for Marquette, which scored 39 points. The Sentinels were followed by Sault Ste. Marie with 53 and Houghton with 63.

Negaunee was fourth with 99, then came Calumet with 130, Kingsford 145 and Westwood 195.

“I’m really excited,” Fure said. “I’m going to the MITCA (Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association) meet in Mount Pleasant in two weeks and will be going downstate for indoor meets.

“I’m proud of all the girls. They really showed up (Saturday). I’m really proud of (teammate) Emma (Ziegler), who’s a freshman. We worked so hard for this.”

Kingsford sophomore Maria Murvich placed second in 20:25.5, followed by Negaunee junior Keira Waterman setting a personal record in 20:33 and Houghton sophomores Holly Cooke in 20:39.4 and Sela Niska in 20:41.1.

“I tried to keep Ella within my sight,” Murvich said. “I’m so proud of her. She has come a long way. I’m very happy with my season. I have something to build on. It was a little warm out there, but a good day for a run. This is awesome.”

Houghton senior Tessa Rautiola, who was crowned champion two of the past three years, ran for the first time in six weeks due to a stress fracture. She placed 18th this time in 22:05.8.

Marquette had another five runners crack the top 20, and only needed four of them to score. Clustered together were Ziegler seventh in 21:12.5, sophomore Evelyn Grant eighth in 21:18.1 and senior Esme Ulland-Joy ninth in 21:22.3.

Junior teammate Eryn Veverka was 15th in 21:52.0, while freshman Ava Cantway was 20th in 22:22.5.

Miners freshman Brynn Wiecich was 17th in 22:03.1, while senior teammate Nori Korsman was 19th in 22:22.1.

Westwood’s leading runner was senior Addy Hallum, 34th in 23:37.8.

Division 2

Rudyard edged four-time reigning champion Hancock by four points, 28 to 32, for its first title in 14 years. Third-place Ironwood scored 67 as the only other school fielding a full team as Munising, Manistique and Gwinn also had runners entered.

“The girls worked their tails off all year,” Rudyard coach Mike Kirschner said. “We have a group of girls who worked all summer long. They (Hancock) were injury-riddled this season, but really poured it on toward the end.

“We have a young group. I’m just so proud of the way they performed. We should be stronger next year.”

Rudyard freshman Melissa Kirschner won in 21:56.6. She was followed less than two seconds later by Munising sophomore Addie Bowerman in 21:58.4.

Hancock senior Jill Berg was third in 22:05.1, followed by Jeffers sophomore Remi Coponen in 22:37.7 and Hancock senior Lydia Pelli in 22:49.3.

Mustangs senior Olivia Cotey was 10th in 23:54.4, while sophomore teammate Zoey Kidd was 21st in 26:08.1. Manistique’s top finisher was freshman Keira Hart, 28th in 31:29.3, while the Modeltowners’ lone finisher was freshman Wanda Lucius in 33rd in 38:45.3.

“I just wanted to get out there and run my race and have a big kick,” Kirschner said. “It really helps having everyone on different parts of the course and cheering me on. It was nice having somebody at the mile mark calling out my time. This is a big motivator to keep me running and pushing hard.”

Division 3

This marked what is believed to be the first U.P. Finals team title for L’Anse, which scored 51 points. The Purple Hornets were followed by last year’s champion, Ewen-Trout Creek, with 99 and Stephenson at 112.

Newberry was a close fourth with 118, while Superior Central came in ninth with 195.

Pickford senior Tayla Schreiber claimed the Division 3 individual race in 18:31.6, followed by a trio of Newberry runners, senior Samantha Taylor in 18:48.7, junior Abby Taylor in 20:29.3 and freshman Molly McNamara (20:52.5).

The Purple Hornets had two more runners place in the top 10, sophomore Lily Froese fifth in 21:02.1 and sophomore Kwynn Voskuhl eighth in 21:36.8, and another two in the second 10, sophomore Princess Pierre 14th in 22:20.0 and sophomore Aaliyah Maki 15th in 22:20.3.

Ishpeming, which didn’t field a full team, was paced by freshman Sophie Mahoski taking ninth in 21:39.2. Baraga, also not with a full contingent to score, had sophomore Aybri Sorensen take 25th in 23:47.8.

SC was paced by sophomore Kendra Pederson in 29th in 24:07.0, and Republic-Michigamme’s top runner was junior Zoe Blubaugh 47th in 25:43.1.

Schreiber had broken 18 minutes twice this season. She ran a 17:46 at downstate Shepherd on Sept. 27 and 17:54 in the final leg of the Eastern U.P. Conference jamboree at her home course Monday.

“I felt really good (Monday),” she said. “That may have taken a little out of me for today, but it’s pretty amazing. I will probably run in some indoor meets this winter. I’m hoping track season will be pretty good.”

John Vrancic covered the U.P. Finals in cross country for the Michigan High School Athletic Association website, mhsaa.com. He also writes for the Daily Press of Escanaba.