Inside This Issue

• XC Roundup

• Double Hall of Famers: Geena Gall & Quentin Brelsford!

• Other Things

XC Roundup

Home School Nationals (11/2): The same weekend as the MHSAA finals, our homeschoolers got a chance to show their stuff at the HXN meet in the Hermitage, Tennessee. Luke Long of West Michigan Homeschool placed 5th in 16:02, while 6th-placer Brendan O’Donohue (16:16) led the GRTC Peregrines to the team win. In fact, the Peregrines swept all the high school and middle school team races. Stephanie DiPiazza of the Peregrines won the girls race by more than a minute in 17:19. Teammate Sinead Noonan was 2nd in 18:43.

MITCA Meet of Champions (11/9): As usual on the Shepherd course, lots of people ran FAST. Kamari Ronfeldt won the boys race in 14:59.6 to Aiden Pengally’s 14:59.7. Ava Schafer (17:05.3) topped Jessie Jazwinski (17:15.2) on the girls side.

Mideast Meet of Champions (11/16): In a jaw-dropping team performance, the Michigan senior girls crushed their competition, with the top 7 finishers! Jessie Jazwinski (17:48.2) led, followed by Lucy Cook (18:06.2), Annie Alkema (18:08.8), Kyah Hoffman (18:11.0), Emma Drnek (18:17.6), Elizabeth Bush (18:17.9), and Kaelin Hughes (18:22.2). Team scores—Michigan 15, Ohio 70, Indiana 77. The boys weren’t as fortunate, finishing 3rd with 68 points behind Indiana (31) and Ohio (34). Top runner was Will Engbers in 6th (15:49.3).

NXR Midwest, Terre Haute (11/17): TJ Hansen finished 5th in 14:57.5, with Kamari Ronfeldt 11th in 15:12.2. Victoria Garces stormed to the win in 16:53.0, with Helen Sachs 3rd in 17:04.4 and Natasza Dudek 8th (17:26.7). Future prospects for Michigan look good, with Alexandra Scappaticci winning the 3K in 10:29.7. And in a wonderful sign of the loosening of MHSAA rules, Romeo’s girls placed 2nd by a mere point and are expected to compete this weekend at nationals. Live webcast link here.

Footlocker Midwest, Kenosha (11/30): Victoria Garces made it a sweep, winning in Kenosha by more than 10 seconds in 17:14.6, and Jessie Jazwinski placed 2nd in 17:25.0. Ava Schafer was 15th in 17:56.4. Top MI boys finisher was Kyle O’Rourke in 15:42.1. No one pays a lot of attention to the state team scores, but the Michigan girls won, 53 points to the 76 of Indiana. On the boys side Michigan was 7th in the 9-state field with 223 points.

NCAA D1 Championships (11/23): MSU’s Rachel Forsyth led Michigan HS alumni with her 16th place on the 6K course in 19:49.1. Other Michiganders in the top 100: 66. Zofia Dudek (Stanford) 20:21.7; 77. Adelyn Fairley (Liberty) 20:26.0; 79. Kaitlyn Hynes (MSU) 20:26.5. In the men’s 10K, our top alumni were—60. Corey Gorgas (Northern Arizona) 29:36.5; 76. Alex Comerford (Syracuse) 29:43.7; 80. Riley Hough (MSU) 29:47.2; 91. Benne Anderson (Syracuse) 29:51.6.

NCAA D2 Championship (11/23): Lauren Kiley came through in the biggest of ways, taking the win for Grand Valley in 20:28.5. Teammate Allie Arnsman was 16th in 21:02.7). In the men’s race, the top MIHS alum was Koby Fraaza of Grand Valley, 27th in 30:15.0.

NCAA D3 Championship (11/23): Paige Anderson of Kalamazoo College finished 11th in 21:17.1. Calvin’s Luke Witvliet placed 80th over 8K in 25:02.9.

NAIA Championships (11/22): Paul Moore (SCAD) placed 23rd in 24:29.8 (8K). Rose Paoletti of Madonna placed 44th (22:01.4).

Hall of Fame: Geena Gall, Grand Blanc’s First Olympian

Geena Gall was a national champion and state record holder while at Grand Blanc High School. As a Michigan Wolverine under the coaching of Mike McGuire, she became one of the nation’s finest, setting collegiate records and winning NCAA titles. She later made the 2012 Olympic team. Not a bad set of accomplishments for a longtime basketball player who had her eyes set on being a sprinter.

Career Highlights:

2003: After a torn ACL in basketball kept her from competing in track as a 9th-grader, she focused on the 400 as a sophomore and placed 6^th in the D1 Finals (58.31). Her best 800 time was 2:15.6.

2004: Won the MITS Indoor 800 (2:13.64) and then captured the Nike Indoor 800 (2:12.20). Outdoors, she won the D1 800 (2:10.45) and placed 2^nd at adidas Nationals (2:08.59). That fall, in her first year of running cross country, she faded from 20^th on the final stretch at MIS to finish 42^nd in D1.

2005: Won the MITS Indoor in 2:08.77 and also the Nike Indoor Nationals (2:10.62). Outdoors, she won the D1 Finals (2:09.60), the Midwest Meet (2:07.45), and the Nike Outdoor Nationals (2:05.05 state record). At 1600, she won her regional in 4:45.7 and then placed 2^nd in D1 at 4:51.44.

2006: As a Wolverine frosh, she took 2^nd in the Big 10 Indoor (2:09.76) then won the Big 10 outdoors in a PR 2:02.73. Placed 4^th in the NCAA (2:04.35).

2007: Big 10 Indoor champion (2:06.22). Helped Michigan set Collegiate Records in the 4 x 800 (8:18.78) and 4 x 1500 (17:52.62) at the Penn Relays. Placed 3^rd in Big 10 outdoor (2:06.89), 5^th in NCAA (2:02.24 PR) and 6^th at the USATF (2:02.31). At 1500, ran PR 4:19.45 for 6^th at the Big 10.

2008: Big 10 Indoor champ (2:05.99), 4^th at NCAA Indoor (2:05.79). Second in Big 10 outdoor (2:06.87). Won NCAA 800 (2:03.91), 7^th in the Olympic Trials (2:02.35). Placed 3^rd in Big 10 1500 (4:23.77).

2009: Won Big 10 Indoor (2:04.76) and placed 6^th at NCAA Indoor (2:05.39). Outdoors, won Big 10 (2:04.06), Won NCAA 800 (2:00.80 PR). Placed 2^nd at USATF (2:01.01) to make the national team. Ran PR 2:00.44 in Italy. At the World Champs in Berlin, finishing 6^th in her semifinal (2:01.30).

2010: Injured in her first season as a pro, she ran a best of 2:02.16 and didn’t make the USATF final.

2011: She broke 2:00 for the first time, running 1:59.76 at the Prefontaine Classic. She matched that time in placing 5^th at USATF. She improved to 1:59.62 in Italy. At 1500, improved to 4:12.23.

2012: Ran PR 1:59.28 at Pre Classic. Second at the Olympic Trials in a PR 1:59.24. At the Olympic Games, she finished 7^th in her semi (2:05.76), running with an injured calf muscle.

Talking to a local reporter in 2012, Gall said, “It’s been a dream of mine to go to the Olympics since I saw the Olympics on TV. It’s an amazing opportunity to represent your country and it was a huge, huge relief to make the team. I’m very happy all my hard work paid off. It’s been an up and down path for me the past three years.”

2013: Had a best of 2:00.53 and placed 8^th at USATF. Improved her 1500 to 4:09.95.

2014: Helped the U.S. win gold at the World Relays Championships in the 4 x 800 (8:01.58 American Record). Season best of 2:01.10.

2015: Season best of 2:01.87.

2016: In her final season of competition at age 29, she ran 2:03.34 and competed in the heats of the Olympic Trials, a twisted ankle keeping her from more.

Gall’s legacy is substantial. A state record that lasted 19 years. Two NCAA titles. All-America honors 10 times. The Olympics. She tells the story of her first-ever race at age 6, when she was so scared by the noise of the starting gun that she finished in tears. “It was frightening to me.” Luckily, it only got better from there.

Hall of Fame: Quentin Brelsford, the Unlikely NCAA Champion

At the time of his graduation from Birmingham High School in 1938, Quentin Brelsford was already something of a legend. He was from a running family—his brothers Harry and Clayton were big names before him. Harry was a school record holder in the mile. Clayton was the Class B runner-up in 1932 and a Big 10 mile champion for Michigan. Quentin said he got his start in running by delivering papers: “As a kid I peddled newspapers and I found out on foot I could do the circuit in town quicker than on a bicycle because I could cut through empty yards and through hedges. That got me running.” He won the Class B title in the half mile three straight years, a feat no one else ever accomplished (not even in the D2 years). He set a state record of 1:55.4 that lasted for 23 years. Then, despite losing what might have been the best years of his running career to World War II, he returned to win the NCAA cross country title.

Career Highlights:

1936 – Won the Class B title as a sophomore in 2:06.1, after winning his regional in 2:05.8.

1937 – Won the Class B title in 2:03.0.

1938 – Set a meet record at Mansfield after a poor start, winning by 50 yards in 1:59.2. Won his third Class B title in a meet record 1:57.6. Two weeks later, at the Michigan AAU meet, he ran 1:55.4 to slice 1.8 off the state record. He led the nation’s high schoolers that year.

1939 - Brelsford was just 17 in his senior season of track, and because of his young age, did not graduate until January 1939, giving him, in effect, a gap season before he started at Michigan. He won the Michigan AAU title that spring.

1940 – As a Wolverine frosh, he again captured the Michigan AAU crown, this time in 1:56.5.

World War II – Enlisted in the Air Force, where he learned to repair aircraft engines. He served in Italy and Morocco. In 1944, in an Allied military meet in Rome, he placed 2^nd in the 800.

1946 – Competing for tiny Ohio Wesleyan, he placed 3^rd in the NCAA mile in 4:16.1. In the fall, he won the NCAA cross country race on the final stretch, covering the 4M course at MSU in 20:22.9, a victory that surprised many.

1947 – Placed 5^th in the NCAA mile. In the fall, he finished 3^rd in the NCAA cross country nationals. He had been running in the lead when he went down on the slippery, snow-covered course in the final quarter mile. It was the only cross country defeat in his OWU career.

1948 – Won the Michigan AAU Indoor 2M in 9:34.4. Placed 3^rd in the NCAA 5000 in 15:14.7. Attempted to make the Olympic team at 10,000, but blisters on both feet slowed him. In the 5000, he finished a disappointed 11^th .

Brelsford went to work for Ford after his running years were over, spending much of his time in Latin America as a mechanical engineer. After retirement, he was a track official in the Orlando area.

 At the age of 97, Brelsford did a long interview with Gary Cohen (http://www.garycohenrunning.com/Interviews/Brelsford.aspx).

Other Things

Tony Mifsud, RIP: My sophomore year in high school, “Mif” coached me, and we stayed in touch in the many years since. He generated more energy than anyone I have ever met. He had an irrepressibly positive personality, and it seemed like he knew absolutely everybody in the sport and was always happy to share his enthusiasm. He will be sorely missed.

Michelle Ruggero, RIP: At Utica Ford, she was an all-stater in D1 cross country and track. As a senior, she placed 5th in the 1998 Class A XC finals. She became an NAIA All-American at Siena Heights before she transferred to Eastern Michigan.

Anyla Robinson: The Cass Tech soph traveled with an AAU group to Bahrain to compete in the ISF Gymnasiade, a biennial international multi-sports event for youth ages 6-18. She placed 9th in the 1500 in 5:09.31. (Though she was a D1 all-stater in XC last fall, placing 16th, this year she did not compete in cross country.).

Pole Vault Catch-Up: While many of us are about to begin our indoor seasons, it’s worth noting that many of our pole vaulters have been working at it for months. Jerry Sessions at Landon Athletics has been hosting competitions at the Vault Barn. At the Disney Vault (9/30), Odin Gulledge topped the men at 14-0, and Kenzie Fedewa won at 12-0. At the Halloween Vault (10/29), Fedewa again won the women’s division at 12-0, the same height as men’s winner Brady Lewis. At the Turkey-Thon (11/18), Evie Mathis took the win at 12-0, with Isabel German 2nd also at 12-0. Brady Lewis won the men’s competition at 14-6.

Hall of Fame: Yes, two additions this week. Our original intent was to introduce a full class of 10 this fall, but we have fallen behind our hoped-for schedule. We still have five more coming in this class, so that’s going to stretch into the New Year. Some big names coming, along with a few that perhaps you’ve never heard of.

Office Changes: It was 10 years ago that I left teaching to write full-time from home. My office partner was a wonderful young puppy named Huckleberry. We had to say goodbye to him recently, and the office (and our home) just doesn’t feel the same. We’ll miss our goofy boy.