Cedar Springs showcased its cross country program at the Lower Peninsula state finals by having the individual winner in both the girls’ and boys’ races Nov. 2 at Michigan International Speedway.
Kenzie Weiler won the girls’ race in 17:55.1 in dramatic fashion, while Austin Sargeant took the boys’ race with a few more seconds to spare.
Weiler, locked in second place most of the race, sprinted to pass Jackie Bredenberg of Detroit Country Day in the final yards of the girls’ race. Weiler’s time was 17:55.1, while Bredenberg came in at 17:55.9.
“I have goals, but I don’t have strategies because when things go wrong…my strategy was to listen to my heart and then make up my mind to take over,” Weiler said. “I was tired. Never did I give up.”
After the frontrunners had separated from the pack, Weiler was as far as 20 yards behind Bredenberg at one stage of the race.
“I was happy,” she said. “I wouldn’t have been upset with a second-place finish. I definitely am happier with a first-place finish.”
It’s her first state title after two straight runner-up finishes.
“One of my really good friends won the boys’ race. So it’s been a good day for our school,” Weiler smiled. “My teammates had PRs.”
Cedar Springs finished 15th as a team. In the team standings. Kelsie Webber was 71st in 20:26.4, Maddie Pekrul 90th in 20:46.4, Ellie Ovokaitys 91st in 20:46.4. and Shayne Mann 103rd in 20:55.6. Of the top five runners for Cedar Springs, only Pekrul graduates.
In the boys’ race, Sargeant timed a 15:42.7 to beat second-place runner Mason Van Dyke of Mason in 15:48.5.
Sargeant was 27th in the Division 2 final race in 2012. He hasn’t lost a race all season and was confident that he could keep that streak going at the final. He was confident of victory at the 2 1/2-mile mark.
“It’s been a lot of hard work in the off-season and staying with the pack for pretty much the whole race until I can keep it down,” Sargeant said.
His finishes have usually been strong, he added.
Winning the same year that Weiler did made it even more special, Sargeant noted.
“That was our goal this year,” he said.