Kirsten Olling made it four straight state titles and she set a state record when she covered the Michigan International Speedway course in 17:44.9 for first place in the Division 4 meet on Nov. 2.
She also helped Breckenridge get second place as a team with 136 points, behind first place Beal City.
During her race, Olling “was crying because it was my last year,” she said. “This is over, this is it; I have to give it my all.”
Dominique Adams finished 19th in 20:22.6, Rachel Reiber 23rd in 20:39.1, Lindsay Hoard 26th in 20:43.3, Ayanna Williams 67th in 21:34.8, Carly Jenkins 78th in 21:51.1 and Kaitlin Fleming 113th in 23:13.6.
“We had some freshmen that matched up well for us, said Breckenridge coach Royce Humm, referring to Ayanna Williams. “We knew we were gong to be in a hunt for the title and would be this close. We were going after that.”
It’s the highest finish school history.
Olling became the seventh female runner in state history to win four straight titles.
“That’s amazing,” she said. “So few have done it.”
Entering her high school career, “I was expecting all-state or something like that, but not four state championships,” she smiled.
Olling beat Tessa Fornari of Our Lady of the Lakes by almost a minute. Fornari had a second place time of 18:41.7. Olling’s time set a new Division 4 record.
“She’s been running well all season,” Humm said. “Dominique Adams ran well and ia a solid leader for our program.”
Olling “helps set a benchmark for everyone,” Humm said. “She knows you have to go out there and work hard. She’s out there running every day. That sets the benchmark for the rest of the girls. They see that and know that’s what makes her better.”
Adams, Hoard, and Olling will graduate in the spring, but “[w]e’ve got some underclassmen that are shining really well,” Humm said. “We’ll reload next year.”
The only remaining unknown for Olling is for what team she run her next cross country race.
“I’m looking forward to going to college,” said Olling, who said after her race that she hasn’t yet made up her mind where she is going, but that she is intrigued by Michigan State University.
Meanwhile, it’s been a unique recruiting process for Olling. “It’s been kind of weird,” she smiled. “I feel the coach and athlete relationship should be where you can trust your coaches. That’s what I look for, finding the right coach and the right teammates.”
She’s made an unofficial visit to MSU. “I really, really liked it,” she said. “I’m very comfortable with the coaches. It’s fun knowing I have all these options open and there’s no limit. I don’t want to get so far away that I can’t visit home. But I don’t want to be too close that it doesn’t feel like I ever left.”