By By ADAM FISHER / Niles Daily Star
While Niles' cross country teams didn't fare as well as they had hoped at Saturday's regional meet at Portage West Middle School, one Viking enjoyed individual success.
Niles' freshman Samantha Brawley, in her first regional meet ever, qualified for the state finals by finishing 10th in the Division 2 race with a time of 21:00.
The top three teams and top 15 individuals who are not on a top three team advance to the state championship, held Saturday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
VandenHeede said while Brawley didn't run her best time, she was consistent throughout the meet. She was 10th at the mile-mark, half-way mark and finish of the race.
Brawley was the only Niles' runner, boy or girl, to finish in the Top 15. The Vikings finished eighth in the boys' competition with a total of 198, and 11th in the the girls' race with a total of 305.
All season long VandenHeede and Niles boys' coach Rick Lott thought senior Viking runner Logan Todd would make state, but he failed to do so Saturday. He finished 31st in 18:02.7. VandenHeede said Todd had an off day because of illness.
In Division 2, Brandywine's Brian Wieger qualified for the state meet by finishing 16th in a time of 18:10.2. Wieger's performance came after finishing second at the Lakeland Conference championship meet Oct. 22.
St. Joseph won the Division 2 girls event with 51 points, followed by Vicksburg with 61 and Gull Lake with 96. Vicksburg's Molly Waterhouse won the race in 18:52.6.
It was the third regional crown in a row that the Bears have won.
In the boys' competition, it was Three Rivers (83), Gull Lake (88) and Vicksburg (102) advancing to the state finals. Another Vicksburg runner, Daniel Roberts, won the boys' race in 15:30, completing the sweep for the Bulldogs.
Austin Nielson was the top Niles runner, placing 28th in a time of 17:57.6.
In the Division 3 races, Buchanan finished 11th and 12th in the boys' and girls' events, respectively. The Bucks had no individuals qualify for the state meet.
Harper Sulier led the Bucks' boys, placing 32nd in a time of 19:05.5, while Lizzy Brown led the girls, taking 43rd place in 23:51.4.
Brandywine's boys finished 15th and its girls did not have enough runners to complete an official score. The Bobcats' Caylin Garrard finished 34th overall and missed qualifying for state by four places.
Edwardsburg's boys finished ninth overall in the Division 3 race, but the Eddies' James Greenfield finished second in a time of 17:03 to qualify for state. Greenfield also won the Lakeland Conference championship race Oct. 22.
The Eddies' Mike Penninger, who finished second in the conference, also qualified for state by taking fourth over all in 17:32.
A third Edwardsburg runner, Angie Bronicki, qualified for state. Bronicki finished 11 overall in the girls' race with a time of 21:34.
Constantine won the boys' race with a total of 105 points, followed by Bronson with 112 and Schoolcraft with 127. Bronson's Nick Tomsic won the event in 16:49.
In the Division 3 girls competition, Kalamazoo Christian won with 61 points, Delton Kellogg had 76 and Schoocraft had 120. Leah Reames of Kalamazoo Christian won the race in 19:56.
Qualifying for state in Division 4 were Lawrence (66), Hartford (106) and Centrevile (135) for the girls and Gobles (75), Marcellus (110) and Lawrence (115) for the boys.
Brawley's performance is the first time in at least 10 years that a Niles' runner has qualified for the state meet, VandenHeede said. He was impressed with Brawley's feat, especially since she is a part-time cross country runner. Basketball is her main sport.
The Dowagiac boys' and girls' cross country teams wrapped up their seasons on Saturday in the Division 2 regional meet.
Dowagiac finished 15th in the girls' race and 14th in the boys' race.
Dowagiac finished with 381 points.
Senior Amanda VanHusan led Dowagiac with a 43rd place finish and a time of 22:52.1.
Katie Hewitt placed 80th with a time of 26:00.1, while Lori Key was 86th with a time of 26:30.8.
Kayla Saviano placed 87th with a time of 26:34.3. Catherine Hamilton and Chelsey Preston were 96th and 98th with times of 28:35.6 and 28:57 respectively.
Jason Tabbert led Dowagiac with a 81st place finish and a time of 19:46.9.
Andrew Cuthbert finished 85th with a time of 19:59.8, while Mike Kasper finished 86th with a time of 20:01.3.
Division 2
Girls' team results
St. Joseph 51, Vicksburg 61, Gull Lake 96, Lakeshore 122, Mattawan 159, Otsego 192, Sturgis 194, Plainwell 214, Hamilton 250, Paw Paw 274, Niles 305, South Haven 322, Three Rivers 325, Comstock 363, Dowagiac 381
Top 15 Individuals
1. Molly Watershouse (VB) 18:52.6, 2. Jenna Matthews (OT) 19:37.0, 3. Anna Burch (SJ) 20:03.1, 4. Samantha Draney (AL) 20:06.6, 5. Sarah Zebell (SJ) 20:08.5, 6. Kaitlin Debruin (VB) 20:20.3, 7. Annie Magin (GL) 20:26.9, 8. Sarah Larsen (MA) 20:34.0, 9. Ruthie Sloan (ST) 20:45.2, 10. Samantha Brawley (NL) 21:00.8, 11. Hannah Darnton (SJ) 21:03.4, 12. Laura Portis (GL) 21:06.4, 13. Jenna Colver (GL) 21:08.8, 14. Elizabeth Slabaugh (LK) 21:11.1, 15. Becky Schmidt (SJ) 21:11.1
Boys' team results
Three Rivers 83, Gull Lake 88, Vicksburg 102, St. Joseph 113, Sturgis 128, South Haven 139, Mattawan 141, Niles 198, Plainwell 229, Otsego 244, Lakeshore 249, Paw Paw 335, Allegan 375, Dowagiac 428, Comstock 459, Benton Harbor 520.
Top 15 Individuals
1. Daniel Roberts (VK) 15:30.8, 2. Peter Wilson (GL) 16:36.2, 3. Andrew Lawrick (LK) 16:43.5, 4. Ryan Ellspermann (SJ) 16:52.3, 5. Mike Fish (MW) 17:05.7, 6. Nathan Martin (TR) 17:08.4, 7. Karl Armstrong (TR) 17:11.2, 8. Ryan Lucas (TR) 1712.9, 9. Patrick Hall (ST) 17:15.0, 10. Randy Lash (VK) 17:15.0, 11. Brian Ludwig (SJ) 17:18.9, 12. Duane Norwood (PL) 17:21.5, 13. Skyler Waaso (SH) 17:21.8, 14. Aaron Flower (SH) 17:22.4, 15. Tim Murray (ST) 17:24.3
Division 3
Girls' teams results
Kalamazoo Christian 61, Delton Kellogg 76, Schoolcraft 120, Kalamazoo Hackett 124, Edwardsburg 151, Bangor 157, Hopkins 167, Constatine 194, Berrien Springs 209, Battle Creek Pennfield 277, Parchment 280, Buchanan 296, Coloma 302
Top 15
1. Leah Reames (KC) 19:56.0, 2. Grace Escamilla (KH) 20:48.5, 3. Marissa Ingle (KL) 20:52.4, 4. Whitney Knollenberg (KL) 21:03.1, 5. Becky Miller (BS) 21:11.0, 6. Becky Romain (CN) 21:15.5, 7. Ashley Hess (SC) 21:19.8, 8. Kara Bensley (SC) 21:22.2, 9. Kerensa Bauman (HP) 21:32.2, 10. Ashley Denny (BG) 21:34.2, 11. Angie Bronocki (ED) 21:34.7, 12. Kristen Wilfinger (KL) 21:34.7, 13. Nicole Leep (KC) 21:39.8, 14. Rachel Bishop (KC) 21:44.5, 15. Charissa Hollett (KC) 21:46.0
Boys' team results
Constantine 105, Bronson 112, Schoolcraft 127, Kalamazoo Christian 131, Kalamazoo Hackett 138, Bangor 148, Delton Kellogg 151, Parchment 169, Edwardsburg 219, Hopkins 233, Berrien Springs 277, Buchanan 282, Coloma 310, Battle Creek Pennfield 323
Top 15
1. Nick Tomsic (BG) 16:46.7, 2. James Greenfield (ED) 17:03.5, 3. Nick Tecca (PA) 17:06.4, 4. Michael Penninger (ED) 17:32.8, 5. Paul DeWolf (SC) 17:36.0, 6. Brendan Barnes (KH) 17:36.8, 7. Jeff Nordquist (PA) 17:44.7, 8. Tom Vigen (KC) 17:49.7, 9. Nick Shaw (BR) 17:49.7, 10. Matt Plantenga (KC) 17:49.8, 11. Andrew Ouding (KL) 17:53.7, 12. Mike O'Brien (KH) 17:55.7, 13. Tom Ray (CN) 17:56.8, 14. Jase Burnett (WV) 18:05.7, 15. Dan Roberts (KL) 18:07.0.
Division 4
Girls' team results
Lawrence 66, Hartford 106, Centreville 135, Lake Michigan Catholic 137, Bridgman 142, Marcellus 144, Gobles 144, Lawton 165, Climax-Scotts 183, River Valley 208, Howardsville Christian 270, New Buffalo 281, White Pigeon 322
Top 15
1.Katie Jonatzke (Har) 22:02.9, 2. Megan Kuhnlein (LMC) 22:17.6, 3. Narissa Kirby (Cen) 22:24.0, 4. Jessica Woods (C-S) 22:35.0, 5. Monica Chavez (Lawren) 22:49.1, 6. Dusti Kubiszak (Lawren) 22:49.1, 7. Krysten Carlson (Bridg) 22:53.8, 8. Devyn Seaman (LMC) 22:58.7, 9. Rachael Moreland (Lawton) 22:58.9, 10. Susan Marton (Lawren) 23:02.4, 11. Leanne Arthur (NB) 23:03.1, 12. Jessica Forker (Bridg) 23:04.0, 13. Megan Mitrovich (Bridg) 23:06.6, 14. Lindsey Kealy (Mar) 23:11.7, 15. Ashley Horbocks (Gob) 23:14.6
Boys' team results
Gobles 75, Marcellus 110, Lawrence 115, Lawton 130, Lake Michigan Catholic 134, Hartford 170, Bridgman 173, River Valley 212, White Pigeon 224, New Buffalo 231, Climax-Scotts 273, Eau Claire 296, Cassopolis 319, Howardsville Christian 344, Bloomingdale 381, Centreville 38
Top 15
1. Justin Todd (C-S) 16:45.4, 2. Kenny Hugenell (Dec) 17:51.1, 3. Jason Clement (Gob) 17:55.5, 4. Devon Burger (Mar) 18:05.7, 5. Andy Waite (Lawton) 18:26.4, 6. Jeremy Jackson (Gob) 18:27.5, 7. Andrian Nunez Mateo (Bri) 18:30.3, 8. Jake Johnson (Gob) 18:30.7, 9. Richard Dorstewitz (Lawren) 18:36.1, 10. Justin Sutton (LMC) 18:44.7, 11. Travis Copenhaver (WP) 18:46.3, 12. Keith Zabel (RV) 18:47.5, 13. Matt Haag (Mar) 18:48.3, 14. Fernando Rodriguez (Har) 18:50.6, 15. Anthony Baushke (Dec) 18:52.9.