Dan Stickradt
Sports Scene
dan.Stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
HIGHLAND TWP. — Living in the shadows of its highly-successful boys’ program, the Milford girls cross country team finished another fine season in 2014 to add to its long list of accomplishments.
The Mavericks capped yet another solid campaign with a fine fourth-place finish at the Lower Peninsula Division 1 state finals at Michigan International Speedway near Brooklyn on Nov. 1.
“Our girls have qualified for the state finals over 25 times,” said veteran Milford coach Brian Saylers, a 1989 Milford graduate who has coached the cross country team for 19 years. “We were second in the state back in 1984 and again in 2000. This season we had another great year, finishing fourth. We have had 20 top-10 finishes over the years and a total of 10 top-10s. Not a lot of [girls’] programs in the state can say that.”
Milford, which placed second in the prestigious Oakland County Championships meet in late September, finished second to Brighton in its division of the KLAA. Milford lost to Brighton by a point in a dual meet and lost again at the KLAA North Division meet.
Then, Milford turned the tides at the St. Johns regional and captured the regional crown, soaring past Brighton and a host of other talented teams. The Mavericks, who had several top-five finishes at large invitational meets this season, validated the regional championship by scoring 169 points at the state finals to trail Birmingham Seaholm, Traverse City Central, and defending champion Northville in the 27-school standings.
“Our boys’ team has been so good for so long, but our girls’ team has also been really good,” said Saylers. “I know our boys’ team has won state titles with a couple of runners-up, but over the years, our girls’ team has been consistently good, too. Us and Brighton, our biggest rival in girls’ cross country, have been really good for many years.”
Milford’s boys’ team had won three state championships (2011-2013) but failed to qualify for the state finals this season, snapping a streak of 17 straight state meet appearances. Milford’s girls have made the cut in eight of the past 10 seasons, with four top 10s in that span. They have qualified in 17 of the past 20 seasons.
“We still had three All-State runners this season,” praised Saylers.
“Our girls’ team has been just as consistent as the boys’,” noted Saylers. “In the years we didn’t qualify, we were close. I think competing in Oakland County each year really helps prepare us, that and our league, which is always one of the top leagues in the state. The KLAA had Brighton, us, and Northville this year, along with a bunch of other good teams. Great competition prepares you for the end of the season.”
Even though fellow Oakland County schools Birmingham Seahom (2), Clarkson (3), Rochester (2), Rochester Adams (1), Troy (1), and Troy Athens (1) have won state titles over the years, Milford is still seeking that first elusive state crown. Milford’s boys have won five state titles in the past 20 years.
“I read about our boys’ team finishing second in the state in Class D in 1930. That was the first time the school ever had a cross country team. That kind of started our history,” noted Saylers. “Our girls started [in 1978] and had their first top 10 team in 1979 [fifth]. We have been blessed over the years with many great runners.”
With nine of the top 10 girls slated to return next year, along with a host of other talented athletes climbing the ranks in middle school and at the high school level, Milford should be a factor for years to come. “I think we should be good again,” said Saylers. “I think one of the things we take pride in is our depth every year, boys and girls. We always have a lot of good runners who work hard and push each other. That’s why certain schools are always up there. You know schools like Traverse City Central and Rockford and Saline are always up there. They have so many girls on the team that push each other. We have something similar at Milford. And we only have around 1,400 kids. A lot of these other schools have a much bigger enrollment base. That’s what I like. We seem to have the same success with a smaller school than a lot of these other big schools.”
Milford keeps pushing the limits, and one day could very well escalate to the top.
“We hope so,” laughed Saylers,” but you never know for sure. Back in 2000 we were state runners-up, and we had virtually the whole team coming back the next year. Then, at the end of the track season, we had one of our top girls tear her ACL on a trampoline and another top girl got hurt playing soccer over the summer. Just like that, we lost two of our best runners. We still finished seventh the next year and had a really good year. But you never know for sure. It takes a lot to win a state title.”
(Daniel Stickradt is a veteran sports journalist in the Detroit area for more than 20 years. He can be reached at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com or (248) 884-1051. Follow on Twitter @LocalSportsFans.)
