Submitted by contributing writer Barbara Read:
The Dexter’s Mens Cross Country team was good last year, but this year they are on fire! The top six varsity runners in Thursday’s SEC race all ran faster than Dexter’s fastest runner at last year’s SEC 1. This speaks well of the young men, their dedication, and for their upcoming season. Excluding freshmen who always have a PR in their first season, 26 of the 43 athletes in grades 10-12 have already recorded personal best times after only two races in the 2018 season.
Coach Drew Collette says of the team, “I am proud of the kids for their work this summer leading to early success, and there is much more to come this season from this team. The kids have set both personal and team goals that are lofty, but within reach. This will be one of Dexter’s best teams historically.”
Drilling down, thirteen of the fourteen juniors and seniors dropped time from last year at SEC 1. The average drop in time across the upperclassmen is an astonishing 42 seconds. Of particular note are senior Nick McKenzie (cut 1:10 off his 2017 time), Owen Huard (-1:17), and Seth Read (-1:18). Team leader Nathan Larson dropped to 16:08 which puts his as the 12th fastest junior to run for Dexter, and in the top 25 all-time Dexter runners of any grade according to Athletic.net. When Larson drops another two seconds, he will be in the top 20 Dexter mens team record holders.
Remarkable underclassman performances came from sophomore Sam Melvin who carved two minutes off last year’s SEC performance to score for the team. Nathan Gariepy improved by 3:11 and Chase Lutz by 4:27. Freshman Adam Hauser distinguished himself by racing nearly a minute faster this week and running under 19 minutes (18:19).
The next race will be the 51st Annual Holly / Duane Raffin Festival of Races at Springfield Oaks Park, a rather hilly and exciting course. They will run at 1:40pm on September 15th, just in time to finish, travel home, kick up their feet, and watch the Michigan game.
SEC #1 @ Willow Metropark Complete Results, SR=season best time / PR=all HS best time
Mens Varsity
Nathan Larson 16:08.3 PR
Owen Huard 16:33.1 PR
Lucas Betzoldt 16:41.4 SR
Nick McKenzie 16:46.3 PR
Sam Melvin 16:55.1 PR
Seth Read 16:57.1 PR
Noah Hayter 17:19.6 PR
Liam Buller 17:42.2
Ransom Duncan 17:55.9 SR
Rishabh Kothari 17:57.2
Mens Reserve
Finnegan Bell 17:49.0 PR
Conor Kolka 17:57.2 SR
Joseph Wagner 18:13.6 PR
Adam Hauser 18:19.4 PR
Seth Ockerman 18:36.8 SR
Nathan McConnell 18:55.4 PR
Wilson Kasischke 19:09.2 SR
John Harm 19:20.4 SR
Nathan Gariepy 19:28.5 PR
Noah Cobb 20:13.4
Michael Tyler 20:16.0 PR
Josh Lamb 20:23.0 PR
Zachary Sawin 20:25.8 PR
Jonathan Adamczyk 20:29.6 PR
Cameron O’Day 20:40.4 PR
Thomas DesRosiers 21:34.2 PR
Luke Petrinko 21:40.9 PR
Chase Lutz 21:56.8
Holden Hughes 21:59.5 PR
Trevor Aeschliman 22:19.3 SR
Griffin Bentley 22:45.0 PR
Will Collin 22:48.8
Josh Aker 23:24.9 PR
Andy Jordan 23:31.5
Evan Bursch 23:55.8 PR
Austin Zeglis 24:57.8 SR
Noah Schultz 25:06.5
Samuel Fitzpatrick 25:39.3
Gabriel Fitzpatrick 25:43.6 PR
Andrew Petik 25:57.0 PR
Thomas Bauer 27:25.2 PR
Brendan Balas 29:17.2
Quentin Hurdle 29:42.8 PR
Photos courtesy of Barbara Read
