Local Sports

SC’s Burdett, L’Anse girls win U.P. Finals

HOUGHTON -- Area girls starred in Division 3 at the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals in high school cross country held at the Michigan Tech Ski Trails near Houghton on Saturday.

Superior Central freshman Edye Burdett won the individual title by close to a minute, while L'Anse carted off the team crown by a wide margin of 36 points.

In the boys meet, Cedarville was dominant, winning a fairly close team competition as senior Ethan Snyder posted an individual triumph of more than a minute.

Here are more details from the meets:

Girls

Burdett broke the 20-minute barrier in 19 minutes, 55.0 seconds, a better than 50-second victory over runner-up and junior Bree Besonen of Ewen-Trout Creek in 20:46.7.

L'Anse scored just 38 points, placing its first five runners in the top 15, while E-TC was second with 74 as Rapid River had 82.

SC was a close fourth with 86 points, while Forest Park had 102 and St. Ignace 122. A number of other schools didn't field full teams, and thus didn't have a team score.

They included Baraga, Republic-Michigamme, Chassell, Dollar Bay, Engadine, Mid Peninsula, Cedarville, Pickford, Stephenson, Escanaba Holy Name and Calumet Copper Island Academy.

Forest Park freshman Ellie Zaupa was third in 21:59.0, Rapid River sophomore Evonna LaCosse fourth in 22:01.1 and Dollar Bay freshman Lily Halkola fifth in 22:19.9.

The Purple Hornets' winning team effort was led by junior Kwynn Voskuhl in ninth in 22:50.5, junior Princess Pierre 10th in 23:11.2 and senior Tessa Thor 13th in 23:34.0.

Also for L'Anse, junior Aaliyah Maki was 17th in 23:59.0, junior Sylvia Allen 26th in 24:57.2 and junior Breyelle Bowers 41st.

After Burdett, the Cougars' next finisher was junior Kendra Peterson in 14th in 23:37.6, while junior Meredith Kempker was 30th in 25:26.2, senior Remington Johnson 32nd, junior Emma Stoliecki 54th and junior Aiyana Taskey 61st.

Baraga's lone finisher, eighth-grader Arianna Jahfetson, was 20th in 24:02.8, while senior Zoe Blubaugh led Republic-Michigamme in 52nd as Hawks freshman Lyla Piche was 59th and senior Olivia Mattila 60th.

Boys

The area highlight was Superior Central freshman Jaxon Klyk finishing ninth in 18:52.2, while the Cougars were eighth in the team standings with 150.

Cedarville's Snyder finished the race in 16:51.4, well over 60 seconds ahead of runner-up and junior Nate Stielstra of Engadine in 17:58.2.

Another Cedarville runner, freshman Liam Bohn, was third in 18:02.4, while Pickford senior Jacob Mitchell was fourth in 18:11.7 and St. Ignace junior Wyatt Hugh fifth in 18:13.4.

Cedarville totaled 78 points, with three teams within 10. St. Ignace and Rapid River tied for second with 86, the Saints winning the tiebreaker, while Mid Pen was a close fourth with 87.

Forest Park followed with 108, Stephenson 132 and Pickford 137.

SC was eighth with 150 while Carney-Nadeau had 196.

L'Anse, missing a team score by one runner, was led by junior Kaydan Davidson in 18th in 19:22.0, while junior teammate Talan Larson was 32nd, senior Josue Calderon 40th and Ryan Brogan 63rd.

After Klyk for SC, junior Gavin Stebelton was 38th, sophomore Scott Losee 48th, freshman Matthias Shigwadja 53rd and senior Zander Mullins 73rd.

Baraga eighth-grader Dawson Holm was 66th and freshman Brayson Smith 70th.

R-M was paced by freshman Zack Sylvester in 72nd, sophomore Grady Blubaugh 76th and freshman Colton Glisson 84th.

Story contents based on an examination of the Superior Timing website at www.superiortiming.com. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.