By John Vrancic
The Engadine boys were very much in contention at the Superior Central Invitational on Saturday, finishing runner-up to Stephenson at the meet.
Stephenson scored 89 points, followed by Engadine with 95 and Crystal Falls Forest Park 99, Escanaba 131, Manistique and Superior Central 148, Gwinn 161, Rapid River 197, Manistique 198, Norway 248 and Ewen-Trout Creek 249.
Stephenson junior Canon Kuntze won the 3.2-mile race in 18:03.15 on this sunny, breezy and warm morning. He was followed by Engadine senior Dakota Taylor at 18:20.05 and North Central’s Ben Knauf (18:21.47).
“It was a good race and a good day for it,” Taylor said. “I tried to keep up with Canon and PR’d today. I’m really happy with that. We’re trying to catch Rudyard, and I think it’ll be close. We brought five guys over here. I’m happy with our score. This is a beautiful course which is reasonably flat. I tripped at about two miles and lost a little momentum. Thankfully, I regained it.”
Engadine junior Duane Krenek placed ninth at 19:17.82, followed by freshmen Nate Stielstra in 19th (20:27), Eddie Franckowiak 31st (21:53.51) and Birch Bitely 34th (22:09.7).
Esky senior Alisha Mabie took the girls’ race at 20:38.38, followed by Engadine eighth-grader Molly McNamara (21:14.53) and Stephenson junior Faith Cappaert (22:09.74).
“She pulled away about halfway through the race,” McNamara said. “I’m happy with my race, although it could be better. I need to work on my pacing. I started a little fast, but that’s the way I usually start out.”
Eagles’ junior Claire Oven also medaled, taking 11th in 24:46.24.
The E-TC girls were crowned champions with 44 points. They were followed by Esky 100, North Central 112, Stephenson 118, Rapid River 128, Engadine 139, Norway 157, Manistique 160, Escanaba Holy Name 161 and Rock Mid Peninsula 172.
Gwinn and Superior Central had no girls team scores.
McNamara was also runner-up to Mabie in similar conditions in Wednesday’s Manistique Emeralds Invite.
Mabie finished in a personal-best 20:31.8 and McNamara was clocked at 20:55.7.
Sault Ste. Marie freshman Isabelle McCord placed third (22:14.3) and Oven took 13th (24:48.6).
“I mostly tried to attack (catch) people one by one,” Oven said. “I wanted to make sure my footing was okay. I’m trying to get back into the 22s.”
The Sault girls took the title with 47 points, followed by Munising 59, Esky 67, Manistique 104, Rudyard 107 and Rapid River 108.
Holy Name, Engadine, Norway and St. Ignace didn’t field complete girls teams.
Sault boys won with 25 points. They were followed by Munising 58, Rudyard 85, Engadine 101, Esky 116 and Manistique 124.
Forest Park, Rapid River, St. Ignace and Holy Name had no boys team scores.
Munising senior Dan Goss took top individual honors in 17:05.4. He was followed by Sault junior Gabe Litzne (17:23.9) and Munising senior Trevor Nolan (17:31.5).
Taylor placed 10th at 18:51.4 and Krenek was 21st in 19:53.2 on the Stony Point Golf Course.
“This is a good course,” Taylor said. “Running on a golf course prepares you for (U.P. Division 3) Finals. We ended up going four miles at Cedarville (Sept. 9). They had a big loop and a small loop, and we got pointed the wrong way. Although, it made for good conditioning.”
Krenek was followed by Stielstra in 29th place (20:58.2), junior Landon Gould 32nd (21:26.8), Franckowiak (21:42.6) and Bitely 43rd (23:53.4).
“It wasn’t a great race,” Krenek said. “I haven’t been feeling the best, but I’m getting better. This wasn’t my best time. I’m still trying to balance things out. I know I’ll be alright.”
The Eagles, who ran in Monday’s Newberry Invitational, resume in Saturday’s Rapid River Invite.
“Molly is doing a fantastic job, and Dakota has changed so much,” Eagles’ coach Tracy Germain said. “He has improved a lot from last year.”
