BY DAN STICKRADT
CORRESPONDENT
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
NOVI — Finish high at the annual Michigan State University Spartan Invitational, and it’s a good indication that you’ll complete the season amongst the state’s elite.
Novi is a team that hopes that is true.
The Wildcats captured the Spartan Invitational Elite Division title on Sept. 18 with 179 points, emerging from 40 schools in the multi-division cross-country spectacle. The team also captured the South Lyon Invitational and the New Boston Huron Ramblin’ Rock Invitational this season.
After finishing 10th in Division 1 in 2009, Novi experienced a drought of not making the state meet from 2010 through 2013. Last year, the Wildcats returned to the state championship and finished 15th overall.
This season they are title contenders.
“There’s a whole bunch of teams that are really close. It will be an interesting year,” said veteran coach Robert Smith. “We bring back several guys, and we have some depth. I would like to think that we’ll be one of the teams competing [for a title]. We’ve done well so far this season. Our next big test will be the Oakland County meet. There’s several really good teams there every year.”
With seven of its top 10 runners back this season, Novi is a key player in the state, taking the reigns in the final coaches association polls of September as the No. 1 ranked team. The Wildcats are aiming for their first title since winning back-to-back Class A crowns in 1998 and 1999. The program finished in the runner-up slot in 2000 in Division 1, the year the MHSAA switched to divisions.
“It’s been a few years since we have been up there in the [top five],” said Smith. “We won the state title two years in a row and then finished second in 2000. We had a great group of runners back then. Our guys have been working hard this season and hopefully, at the end of the season, we’ll be [iin the hunt].”
There is plenty of talent and depth on the Wildcats’ roster, led by senior Joost Plaetinck, who has already eclipsed 16 minutes. Junior Scott MacPherson, sophomore Gabriel Mudel, and junior John Landy are all running under 17 minutes. Senior Adam Ditri, junior Aric Landry, senior Scott Deaton, freshman John Mullins, and sophomore Alex Schafer have all run varsity races in the 17s. Senior Sagar Mahta, sophomore Nate Wood, and junior Chris Silva provide additional depth to a deep team with over 50 competitors.
NORTHVILLE ON HEELS
Northville has consistently emerged as a top-10 team in Division 1 in recent years, and it is another team eyeing a top-five finish in the state this year. The Mustangs are in the KLAA-Central Division with Novi and are one of several teams in the KLAA that boast formidable squads.
Northville carried a No. 3 ranking at the end of September, aided by its runner-up finish at the at the MSU Spartan-Elite race, only 12 points behind top-ranked Novi.
Junior Ben Cracraft and senior Conor Naughton give Northville a fine 1-2 punch. Seniors Kenny Goolsby, Thomas Smither, and Christian Freiburger, along with freshman prospect Nicholas Couyoumjian, are also in the team’s top pack and are aiming high for success down the stretch.
LAKELAND BACK IN TOP 10
Lakeland has always been a factor, and this season it appears that the Eagles are still flying high.
Lakeland never defeated KLAA-North rival Waterford Mott last season until the state final, where Lakeland finished second and Mott third.
Lakeland returns several key runners from last season and should be a top-five team at the Oakland County Championships in October, an event that boasts around 50 schools each year.
The Eagles finished second to No. 5 Lake Orion at the recent Holly Nike Duane Raffin Invitational Division 1 race. Lake Orion is another team that should be a key factor at the county and at the Division 1 state meets.
Jackson Grzymkowski, who won the Holly Invitational, and Zack Werth lead Lakeland’s pack.
ON THE RISE
Powerhouse Pinckney is on the rise, along with Milford and Walled Lake Central. Central is ranked 15th and both Milford and Pinckney are honorable mention. All three hope to emerge from rugged regionals that feature numerous top-20 programs.
Hartland is another team in a crowded pack of quality programs that has fared well in 2015. The Eagles finished second at the Ramblin’ Rock Invitational, behind Novi, by landing five runners in the top 41.
Seniors Josh Nickerson and Noah Kramer make up Hartland’s 1-2 punch.
Detroit Catholic Central, which won the Division 1 state title in 2010, is ranked in the state and is yet another school in this talent-laden area that is routinely finishing high at invitationals.
REGIONAL GROUPS
Unfortunately, many of these schools are lumped in the same three regions, meaning several area schools will be left out in the cold in terms of qualifying for the state final in Brooklyn in November.
Pinckney, Hartland, Brighton, Dexter, Okemos, and the three Ann Arbor schools will be among the deep field at the Huron Meadows Metro Park regional Oct. 31 in Brighton.
Novi, Northville, and Detroit Catholic Central are all ranked programs that willl participate in the Willow Metropark regional, hosted by Livonia Stevenson. Also participating will be South Lyon and the three Plymouth-Canton high schools.
Milford, Lakeland, Walled Lake Central, Mott, and Birmingham Seaholm will form a tight front pack at the Mott-hosted Hess Hathaway regional.
The top three teams and the top 15 individuals in each lower peninsula regional advance to the state finals.
INTO THE FOLD
Charyl Stockwell Preparatory Academy in Brighton launched sports a decade ago. Now, with 154 students in grades 9-12, the independent Sentinels will compete in MHSAA state tournaments this school year in either Class D or Division 4.
Charyl Stockwell’s cross country program will head to Vandercook Lake for its Division 4 regional this autumn.