Bill Khan
Sports Scene
When a cross country team finishes second in the state by a mere 14 points, it’s natural for a coach to agonize over ways the gap could’ve been closed.
Not Linden boys’ coach Clint Lawhorne.
Lawhorne could not have imagined a more perfect race by his Eagles in the state Division 2 meet on November 3 at Michigan International Speedway.
Linden finished second to St. Clair by a 114-128 margin.
“We were 14 points behind first but, honestly, I don’t know how any one of our kids could’ve been any better than they were today,” said Lawhorne, who was chosen the state Division 2 coach of the year. “St. Clair was great today. They certainly deserved the state championship. Our kids are excited.”
It’s the third state runner-up finish in the program’s history, to go with a 2008 state Division 2 title. The 1972 and 1973 teams took second in Class B. Linden has been in the top nine in six of the last seven years.
“It was an exceptional day for us,” Lawhorne said. “Our goal at the beginning of the season was to finish in the top five. We didn’t talk about winning the league or winning the regional or anything else. We said that we thought we could be a top-five team. The kids have worked hard.”
It was a remarkable day for the Linden program. In addition to the state runner-up finish by the boys’ team, the school’s boys’ and girls’ individual records were shattered.
Senior Roger Phillips finished in 15:35.3, breaking the school record of 15:42.9 set by Jacob Hord during the 2008 state championship race at MIS. Phillips was sixth overall.
“I feel pretty fantastic,” Phillips said. “I was planning on trying to do it all year. I almost got it at Portage, but I’m really glad I got it today.
“I ran with Jacob Hord when I was a freshman. I think Jacob’s going to be upset, but it’s okay.”
Junior Sydney Elmer became the first Linden girl to ever break 19 minutes, going well under that barrier with a time of 18:29.5. The previous school mark of 19:00 was set by Rachel Gutierrez in the 2002 regional at Harbor Beach.
Senior Graham Elliott, senior Zach LeMieux, and junior Dave Doyle also put their names on Linden’s boys’ all-time list. Elliott was 16th overall in 15:51.8, a time that puts him seventh on Linden’s all-time list. LeMieux was 23rd in 15:54.1, putting him 10th on the school’s list. Doyle was 43rd in 16:16.5, ranking 18th in school history.
“The conditions were perfect,” Lawhorne said. “I don’t know how, when they get to a race, they’re able to race above their training. We train hard, but when they race they just find something else. Whether it’s courage, guts, mental fortitude, whatever you want to call it, these kids have it. I love to watch it. It’s an inspiration.”
Linden freshman McKayla Guy took 39th in 19:04.8, putting her third on Linden’s all-time girls’ list. The Eagles placed 17th as a team.
Also breaking a school record while making All-State was Flushing sophomore Addie May in Division 1. May was 13th overall in 18:18.5, breaking her own school mark of 18:28.28.
Other All-Staters from Genesee County were Fenton’s Max Kryza (14th in Division 1, 15:36.1) and Clio’s Chris Koon (eighth in Division 2 in 15:35.8).