The high school teams raced at the Northern Michigan Cross Country Championship on Saturday, October 21 in Gaylord. Schools were divided into two divisions, large school for Division 1 and 2 schools, and small school for Division 3 and 4. Kalkaska was in the small school races. Top 25 in each varsity race earned a medal, and the winner of each division took home a trophy.

Brynne Schulte of Elk Rapids won the girls small school race with a time of 19:50. The ER team placed first with 23 points. Kalkaska girls placed second with 47 points, 8 points ahead of North Trails who finished third. Myah Little led the Blazers, placing 7th in 20:58.6, just over a second away from her personal record of 20:57.5. Anna Martin placed 13th in 22:17, Courtney Borden was 20th, 23:49, Kara Olds placed 23rd in 24:33, even after losing her shoes about a mile and a half into the race. Ava Ivkovich ran a new season record, placing 28th in 24:55.6, Abby Minion was 31st in 25:34, and Keria Curneal was 32nd in 25:40. Due to a seven runner limit in the varsity race, Jenna Rabourn ran in the JV race, finishing 35th in 28:38, just 28 seconds behind the PR she set in East Jordan last week, and on a hillier course. Great end to the season Jenna!

The Blazer boys won their small school division race with 46 points, 4 points ahead of North Trails, and 20 ahead of Elk Rapids who placed third. Logan Detloff and Trent Taratata of North Trail, a homeschool team, were first and second in the race, running 16:43 and 16:44. Gavin Guggemos led the Blazers, placing third in 16:57. Adam Williams was 6th in 17:50, Camden Moore was 8th in 17:59, and Jackson Shetler set a new PR, finishing 15th in 18:27. Coltrane Paryani ws 16th in 18:30, Tripp Wagner was 28th in 19:27, and Ephraim Conway was 30th in 19:31. Four Blazers competed in the JV race. Cade Ponstein ran 21:58 for 39th place, Dylan Hunt was 41st in 22:21, Issaic Fischer was 46th in 23:05, a new PR, and Mason Doehring finished his season in 54th, running 25:42.

The Blazers will run again next week, on Saturday,

The middle school teams finished their season at the Middle School Regional Zone 7 race at Veterans Park in Cadillac. The overall final results were not in at the time of publication, because runners still need to be divided into smaller groups, but 229 runners finished the race. Eliza Schwss of OJ DeJonge won the race in 11:47. Izzy Wegener led the Blazers, taking 26th in 13:24. Aaliyah Hillier was 39th, 13:40, Kylee Jenkins was 75th, 14:39, Payton Bonofiglio was 86th, with a PR of 14:58, Brynn Foerster was 105th, 15:19, a PR, Andrea Banken was 171st, 17:18, a PR, Aila Stayla was 19th, 18:08, and Violet Susinko was 227th in 24:14.

Johnathan Elsea of West Intermediate, Mt. Pleasant won the boys race of 241 runners in 10:59. Owen McGlone led the Kalkaska runners, taking 27th in 12:16. Kaden Fischer was 55th, 12:54, Kellen TenHopen was 79th, 13:20, a PR, Griffin Anderson was 129th, 14:28, Joe Morris was 131, 14:30, Asher guggemos was 139th, 14:41, Seth Storm was 154th, 14:58, Owen Shetler was 164th, 15:14, James Martin was 186th, 15:56, Afton Staley was 199th, 16:37, a PR, William Morris was 224th, 18:18, Brandon Martin was 227th, 18:57, a PR, and Audric Butler was 237th, 22:37.

This has been an amazing season for Kalkaska Middle School. Congratulations to Coach King and all of the middle school runners!

Here are also some pictures from Senior Night! Thanks to our Seniors for all your hard work, and to your families for years of support.