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Prusi in the top 10: Negaunee grad, ex-NMU runner near front of Marquette Marathon

Negaunee grad, ex-NMU runner near front of Marquette Marathon

By Steve Brownlee 9 min read

MARQUETTE -- A graduate of Negaunee High School who also competed for several teams at Northern Michigan University through the 2023-24 school year was the lone top-10 finisher from the area in the 26.1-mile marathon held during the Marquette Marathon on Saturday.

Talon Prusi came in seventh place in the women's race while also winning the women's 20-29-year-old age division in 3 hours, 13 minutes and 21.6 seconds. She was on the cross country and also the track and field teams at NMU.

The times given here are listed as the "chip time" rather than the "gun time" from results available at the Superior Timing website at www.superiortiming.com. The chip time looks to be from tenths of a second to up to 30 seconds faster than the gun time on marathon results. In addition, where there were larger discrepancies that would've made for differing places, with the website apparently using the chip time to determine those places.

Prusi was one of a record number of racers numbering nearly 1,700 this year, according to an NMU Sports Information news release announcing the results. That included 246 women and 404 men in the full marathon.

It certainly didn't hurt that weather conditions were ideal with temperatures in the low 70s and mostly sunny skies.

Racers also had and still have a chance to take care of early registration for the 2027 Marquette Marathon, which opened shortly after this year's races ended. It allowed runners to get '26 prices and is available at the NMU Tickets website at tickets.nmu.edu.

Here are some overall top finishers and other top area finishers in each event. Times weren't listed for the one-mile children's Pebble Fun Run:

Marathon

Among the five events held, the 26.1-mile full marathon that Prusi competed in was the longest, starting in Ishpeming and working its way along the Iron Ore Heritage Trail through Negaunee and into Marquette as all five races ended at the university's Superior Dome.

Prusi was about 12 1/2 minutes behind women's race winner Erin Kunst of Grand Rapids, who just missed breaking the three-hour barrier in 3:00:45.4.

"The goal was to come in and try and win, so that felt really good," Kunst said in the NMU SI release. "I knew there were a couple of women who were going to give me a run for my money, but it ended up being me for the day, so that was pretty special.

"I planned to run this race in 2020 when it was canceled, which was the last time it was on my birthday, so I found when the next time it was going to land on my birthday and I said 'I'm going to be there.'"

Prusi was only about half the time margin behind runner-up Natalie Crowley, also of Grand Rapids, with Kunst winning by almost exactly six minutes as Crowley timed 3:06:44.6. Gabrielle Lindbloom of Ludington was third in 3:07:10.1.

One other Upper Peninsula runner also cracked the women's top 10 -- Brita Northey of Houghton was ninth in 3:15:11.6.

The rest of the top 10 were Amy Wing of Grand Rapids, fourth in 3:07:24.1; Gianna Redeemer of Spring Lake, North Carolina, fifth in 3:11:24.1; Julie Ketterson of Minneapolis, sixth in 3:13:18.4; Megan Donohue of Arden, North Carolina, eighth 3:14:26.1; and Jen Skibba of Madison, Wisconsin, 10th in 3:15:25.1.

The standings also noted Boston Marathon qualifiers, which are based on both times and age group. However, each of the first 27 women's finishers did get the "BQ" designation next to their name.

In all, 101 runners qualified for Boston between men's and women's racers.

In the men's marathon, the highest-finishing area runner was Samuel Fischer of Marquette, who raced in the 20-29 age division and came in 20th overall in 2:52:22.8.

That missed the winning time by not quite 21 minutes. Connor Vachon of Grand Rapids won in 2:31:24.4, winning by not quite seven minutes in front of runner-up Ethan Forsell of Oswego, Illinois, in 2:38:10.4.

"I didn't expect to come here and win, I just came to run and have a good time, and today just turned out to be the right day," said Vachon, who recently finished his collegiate career at downstate Hope College. "It's really great to hear the loud crowd (at the finish line), and it's really great that the community comes out to support these athletes who work their butts off. (The crowd at the finish line) is really energizing, and to hear your hard work pay off in real time, it's better than any electrolytes you could ever drink."

The rest of the top 10 were Matthew Gatti of Detroit, third in 2:38:49.8; Elliot Whitney of Imlay City, fourth in 2:42:11.3; Griffin Barriss of Washington, D.C., fifth in 2:43:52.4; Ari Lee of Brooklyn, New York, sixth in 2:45:07.3; Maguire Alden of Alexandria, Virginia, seventh in 2:46:01.9; Isaac Wilson of Andover, Kansas, eighth in 2:47:02.0; Brad Vaara of Hurley, Wisconsin, ninth in 2:47:18.7; and Micah Benson of Lexington, Massachusetts, 10th in 2:48:32.5.

Back in the women's marathon, two more area runners, both in the 20-29 age group, finished in the second 10. Samantha Borzick of Marquette was 15th in 3:18:35.0, while Jenna Matson of Munising was 16th in 3:18:53.5.

A couple more from the area were in the next 20, with Leah Vizena of Marquette 26th in 3:24:07.1 and Alyssa Palomaki of Ishpeming 32nd in 3:28:14.3.

One more runner also cracked the top 50 before there was a bigger dropoff among other area runners. Leslie O'Dell of Champion was 42nd in 3:33:56.7. Each of these area runners were all noted with a "BQ."

In the men's marathon, each of the first 31 finishers was a Boston Marathon qualifier, and placing in that coveted 31st place was Joseph Vizena of Marquette in 2:55.08.4.

The next two area runners were back to back, Forrest Gilfoy of Marquette in 59th in 3:04:22.8 and Jake Phillips of Marquette 60th in 3:04:38.1.

While no other area runner cracked the men's top 100, Ethan Varvick of Marquette was close in 102nd in 3:20:45.4.

Half marathon

This event of about 13 miles that started in Negaunee Township included one men's and one women's top-10 area finisher. In all, 372 women and 225 men participated.

For the women, Sophia Potter of Marquette was third in 1:17:39.4, missing first place by just over two minutes.

Among the men, Ethan Eckloff of Marquette was seventh in 1:15:22.1, missing the winning time by around 10 1/2 minutes.

And who were those winners? Just the wife-and-husband team of Kameron Torchia and Ian Torchia of Ann Arbor, both former Wildcats standouts, the former Kameron Burmeister in cross country along with track and field, while Ian was on the nordic ski team. Both were multiple All-Americans for their Northern teams.

In fact, Kameron was inducted into the NMU Sports Hall of Fame in 2023, while Ian was a national champion in the 20-kilometer freestyle at the 2018 NCAA Championships in men's nordic skiing.

"I felt really great today," Kameron said in the NMU SI release after she won this race for the second straight year. "It's such a great course on that downhill, so you feel like a million bucks."

Ian Torchia set the half-marathon course record in 2025 and has now won this title three straight times.

"It's always a good day in Marquette, and we love it here," Ian said. "Coming back here year after year has become a thing of ours that we love to do. It's really special.

"We're counting down the years until we can move back here full-time.... We love this community, love this town, and love the U.P."

Kameron Torchia won by just over 75 seconds in 1:15:33.5, with runner-up Katie Swor of Wyandotte runner-up in 1:16:48.9.

Ian Torchia took the men's title by a bit more than three minutes in 1:04:51.0 as John Judge of Madison, Wisconsin, was second in 1:08:04.0.

The rest of the women's top 10 was Emily Noone of Glenview, Illinois, fourth in 1:19:13.5; Jamie Lyberg of Ada, fifth in 1:23:48.7; Katie Healey of Chicago, sixth in 1:25:43.5; Elizabeth Jarocki of Duluth, Minnesota, seventh in 1:26:28.5; Jennifer Umanzor of Washington, D.C., eighth in 1:26:45.2; Julia Rabin of Chicago, ninth in 1:27:07.1; and Callie Smith of Traverse City, 10th in 1:27:35.6.

From the area, Paige Du Bois of Marquette was 27th in 1:39:11.4, Kyle James of Marquette 32nd in 1:41:37.5, Nora Raisanen of Marquette 33rd in 1:42:22.8 and Stella Rector of Marquette 34th in 1:42:51.4.

Four more area women also broke into the top 50 -- Mykka Marana of Negaunee was 41st in 1:44:57.7, Ayla Miller of Pelkie 42nd in 1:45:33.8, Brooke Logan of Marquette 45th in 1:46:14.0 and Layne Korpi of Ishpeming 49th in 1:48:25.0.

Among the men, the remaining top 10 were Alex Guy of Hancock, third in 1:09:18.3; Oliver Smith of Chicago, fourth in 1:10:28.3; Erik Duethman of Madison, Wisconsin, fifth in 1:14:14.3; Cameron Johnson of Madison, Wisconsin, sixth in 1:14:40.8; Jeffrey Quednow of Ogema, Wisconsin, eighth in 1:15:30.0; Tyler Dew of Canton, ninth in 1:16:45.8; and Victor Hart of Washburn, Wisconsin, 10th in 1:17:37.5.

For area men, Tracy Lokken of Marquette was 18th in 1:24:00.0, as he was also winner of the men's 60-69 age group.

Also from the area, River Jannette of Marquette was 21st in 1:25:45.5, Matthew McNamara of McMillan 22nd in 1:26:31.0, Jackson Speaker of Negaunee 29th in 1:31:42.8, Sam Billman of Marquette 32nd in 1:34:37.7, Caleb Lacosse of Marquette 43rd in 1:38:39.1, Nicholas Christensen of Champion 44th in 1:38:46.9, Levi Nicholls of Ishpeming 45th in 1:39:02.4 and Doug Lindblom of Negaunee 48th in 1:39:44.4.

Wildcat 5K

With 72 women and 49 men competing, three area runners earned top-three podium finishes between the two genders.

Haley Kreft of Marquette won the women's race of about 3.1 miles in 21:01.5, a slightly more than 30-second win over runner-up Madeline Stage of Grayslake, Illinois, in 21:36.3.

Kelly Menge of Negaunee was third in 21:39.2, with Pamela Malmsten of Ishpeming seventh in 24:18.6 and Sarah Busscher of Marquette eighth in 24:42.0. Malmsten was noted as winner of the 60-69 age group.

For the men, John Rector of Marquette was third in 19:20.8, a little over two minutes after winner Eddie Stage of Grayslake, Illinois, in 17:04.6. Andrew Waisanen of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, was second in 18:02.6.

Four more Marquette runners also crashed the top 10 -- Lincoln Sager was sixth in 20:53.7, Mark Olver seventh in 20:59.4, James Conlin eighth in 21:15.7 and Micah Milan 10th in 22:22.2.

Relay

The marathon relay was listed with 10 teams, seven that were coed. Winning that division was the Ruuskas of Duluth, Minnesota, with Julie Ruuska, Andrew Ruuska and Naiya Ruuska, and clocking 3:57:16.1.

A Marquette-based trio did win between the two women's teams. Single Track Health Ladies in Running clocked 3:55:21.9 with Sara Stevens, Jorrie Houle and Mackenzie Kuhl.

Story contents based on a Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the event and an examination of the Superior Timing website at www.superiortiming.com. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

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