John Raffel
Sports Scene
Kirsten Olling couldn’t have asked for a better performance at the 2011 Division 4 cross county meet at Michigan International Speedway.
For the Breckenridge sophomore, that’s usually the case.
Olling’s second straight state title came in 18:02.7 in the first race of the eight-event state finals. She easily outdistanced second place Nicole Zeinstra of Black River High School, who finished in 18:40.3. Teammate Dominique Adams was 22nd in 19:55.5. Breckenridge was seventh as a team.
“My performance today was pretty good,” Olling said. “I kind of would have liked a better time. I enjoyed it. It was a fun experience to get out there.”
Olling said she was more nervous this year, despite the extra year of experience. “I had this target on my back; won it last year so everyone’s going to be after me,” she said. “I was more nervous. Last year, I remember nothing from the race. It kind of upset me. This year I made a goal to actually remember the race. I don’t remember anything last year; I don’t remember the course at all. I felt more confident [this year].”
During the race, “I felt confident pretty much the whole way,” Olling said. “If someone was by me and I was nervous about it and I would have gone faster, then great. But if not, oh well. I led the whole way.”
Olling said she accomplished a “lot more” than she wanted to this season.
“I wanted to get a 17:30 and I got a 17:17 for a personal record,” she said. “Another thing I accomplished is that I learned a lot more about racing. Our first meet of the year, I raced Kenzie [Weiler of Cedar Springs]. I realized my method doesn’t work with everybody, and I need to be a better racer. She beat me at Carson City for a scrimmage meet. That taught me…it’s the only race [she’s lost]. I would always go out real fast. I learned not to do that anymore. I learned to try to hit a fast time but kept it as consistent as possible.”
Olling planned to start training for the Foot Locker event after the state finals, then focus on indoor and outdoor track.
“I want to get better and better,” she said. “Next year, I want to get into the 16s and potentially break my dad’s time.”
Her dad, Kevin, had a 16:36 as a junior for Breckenridge in his running days, the fourth best time for the boys at the school.
It was the first time Breckenridge’s girls had qualified for the state finals as a team since 1985.
ALSO IN DIVISION 4
Taylor Smith of Montabella was fifth in 19:07.6, Taylor Bolinger of Fulton sixth in 19:09.4, and Emily Steffke of Beal City was 26th in 20:00.8.
DIVISION 3
Clare took ninth place in Division 3.
Raquel Serna of St. Louis was second in 18:23.1, Kaylie Rhynard of Shepherd fifth in 18:33.8, Emma Frost of Lansing Catholic Central seventh 18:43.6, Jenny Frantz of Ovid-Elsie 13th in 19:08.6, Bethany Rogers of Valley Lutheran 24th in 19:18, and Emily Crowley of Clare 27th in 19:23.3.
“I’m very happy,” Crowley said after the awards ceremony. “I PRed today.”
Crowley indicated she kept her focus on the next runner ahead of her as the race progressed.
“I just wanted to keep going,” she said.
“In the final race of her career, Emily Crowley ran the race of her life. She ends her career as the sixth fastest girl in Clare history,” said Clare coach Kyle McKown.
DIVISION 2
Cedar Springs made a strong bid for first place but lost to Division 2 champion East Grand Rapids 153-176. The Weiler sisters led the way, with Kenzie taking second in 17:35.1 and Katie sixth in 18:21.1. Michaela Burnett was 85th in 19:56.2 and Maddie Pekrjl 86th in 19:57.2.
“I was extremely happy with how I did and how I contributed to our team’s runner-up,” Kenzie Weiler said. “We were all ecstatic.
It was among Weiler’s best times of the season.
The first-place finisher was Julia Boss of Grand Rapids Christian in 17:24.7. “She was a really good runner and it gives me something work for,” said Weiler, who is a freshman. “The state finals was probably my best performance [for the season].It wasn’t my best time, but it’s the race where I ran the hardest.
Megan O’Neil of Chippewa Hills was ninth in 18:29.2 and teammate Elsie Starck was 14th in 18:35.2.
Both Chippewa Hills runners were all-state.
“I didn’t exactly reach my goal time,” Starck said. “My first mile was slower than I wanted it to be. I’m happy with my time and place. My second mile was better than it has been this season.”
“Megan grew a lot this year,” said Chippewa Hills coach Alex Vanderveen. “She had goals early on. But early on, we realized we had to reset those goals. She was struggling.”
O’Neil was third in the state a year ago.
Vanderveen was also impressed with Starck’s performance.
“It was a great performance for a freshman. It was her second best time ever,” he said. “Emily has run really well in big meets. She has shown she can run well in big meets.”
Karrigan Smith of St. Johns was seventh in 18:23. Meg Darmofal of Mason was 22nd in 18:48.
DIVISION 1
Rockford finished fifth as a team. They were led by Taylor Manett, who finished second in 17:24.0, and Jane Hawks, who was 22nd in 18:42.2. Grand Ledge waplaced 10th, led by Christy Snelgrove in 29th place with a time of 18:51.0.
Bailey Parmelee of Greenville was seventh in 18:10.1.