‘Go-Go’ Goethals Runs into History at State Meet

By Scott Sullivan BROOKLYN (11/7/09) -- Megan “Go-Go” Goethals blew through headwinds into history at the Michigan HIgh School Athletic Association Lower Peninsula Cross Country Finals at Michigan International Speedway this sunny day.

The Rochester senior broke 17 minutes -- the first time a prep girl has ever done that on the state meet’s 5K layout -- and destroyed her Division 1 competitors, clocking a 16:54.8 that was more than 1 minute, 15 seconds ahead of her nearest rival.

How good was Goethals? The top returnee from last year’s Foot Locker Nationals would have finished 11th in this year’s Division 4 state boys race and 25th, also good for all-state honors, among D3 males.

Temperatures rising by mid-afternoon to the mid-60s proved ideal for spectators but not runners, who for weeks had trained in more-seasonal cool conditions. Add homestretch headwinds gusting to 30 mph and most athletes labored to slower times than run last year.

Not Goethals, whose frame is as slender but strong as rails. Mile splits of 5:27 and 5:26 set her up to bore into the finishing winds alone. Pumping her arms high where lesser runners had crashed and burned, “Go-Go” reached her goal, obliterating the the 17:10.1 state record she set last year.

In 2000 Dathan Ritzenhein launched the decade posting a jaw-dropping 14:10.4 at MIS. No boy has come within 40 seconds of that time since then.

Goethals’ effort, even more dominant, served as bookend for a remarkable 10-year stretch.

Déjà Vu Again

The day opened with Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart senior Bridget Bennett doing her best Goethals imitation, crushing the D4 girls field for the second-straight year with an 18:35.9 time.

North Muskegon junior Lindsay Neal, state champion as a freshman, finished runner-up in 19:18.2.

Harbor Springs and Manton placed 1-2 in the team race, same as they did in 2008.

John Three-Peats

Allendale senior Devan John made her own claim on history, winning her third-straight D3 girls crown. John, so light-footed that the grass doesn’t feel her passing, finished in 18:30.6, besting Lansing Catholic junior Megan Heeder (19:05.3).

Hanover-Horton registered the lowest team score, 63 points, of the day’s eight races, with its top five runners claiming top-30 all-state honors. So dominant were the Comets that their sixth girl, 35th in a 250-runner field, had her score thrown out.

Their entire team returns next year.

Rejoice, We Concord

Phidippides, dispatched to run from the battlefield at Marathon to Athens to report on his army’s victory, covered the 26 (or so) mile distance, cried “Rejoice, we conquer!” and promptly died.

Concord High fared better at the Division 4 boys finals, claiming the team title over Bridgman thanks to the 1-2 finishes of senior Kyle Stacks (15:54.8) and sophomore Spencer Nousain (16:09.7).

No Moss on B.C.

Benzie Central, which won eight state titles under coach Eldon “Pete” Moss, has lost little since Asa and Traci Kelly took over last fall as coaches. The Huskies were D3 girls champs last year and boys kings this year.

Grandville Calvin Christian improved from sixth in D3 to boys runner-up this fall despite losing three of its top four runners from last year’s team.

Durand senior David Madrigal finished individual champ in 15:42.3, outkicking Harrison’s Blake Allison (15:45.9) and Albion’s Paul Lewis (15:49.8) during the wind-tunnel closing stretch.

Pioneers, Pogue Prevail

Winning state championships is nothing new for the Pioneers of East Grand Rapids. The girls claimed their second-straight D2 crown, and fourth since 2003, edging Hamilton, which climbed all the way from 10th place last season.

Goodrich senior Taylor Pogue bolted hard through a door left open when Jordan Tomecek was unable to defend her individual crown due to injury.

Pogue’s 5:38 first mile gave her a 12-second lead over a small chase pack. EGR senior Lauren Grunewald closed in the final mile but spent herself doing so; the Martian star surged again to prevail in 18:11.0.

Grunewald collapsed upon finishing second in 18:18.7, but recovered to celebrate a shared title with her team.

Saline’s Supreme

If Goethals left little doubt who the best D1 girl was, there was ample suspense over who’d claim the team title. No. 2-ranked Saline, led by seniors Alex Leptich (fifth overall) and Kate Carter (10th), bested top-ranked Rockford, 141 points to 192.

Hartland freshman Avery Evenson (18:10.3) ran down Livonia Churchill senior Sarah Kroll (18:10.7) at the finish to post the day’s second-fastest girls time.

Rise in Fall

Ionia, which had owned D2 boys foes until a late-season flu bug grounded it, rose to recovery. The Bulldogs, whose top six finished between 16:22.7 and 16:59.4, outscored runner-up Dexter, 92 to 184.

The Dreadnaughts, state champions from 2002 to 2006, pulled off their own resurrection, having not even qualified for the state meet last year.

Pontiac Notre Dame senior Christopher Burns (15:47.8) outsprinted Linden senior Jake Hord (15:50.2) for first among individuals.

From 2 to 1

Troy senior Mike Atchoo, second in the 2008 D1 boys race, used his 4:07-mile speed to run down last year’s D2 champion, Kenowa Hills senior Reed Kamyszek, in the day’s final competition.

Kamyszek, whose school changed divisions, went out hard and led through the final mile, then was passed by seven runners in the home stretch.

Atchoo crossed in in 15:28.5. Swartz Creek junior Jeremy Dickie (15:50.2) edged Detroit Catholic Central senior Richard Galindo (15:51.2) for second.

Galindo’s Shamrocks, ranked No. 2 behind defending champ Ann Arbor Pioneer, had the day’s last laugh, seeing its top five runners finish in 16:24 or better to tally 68 team points to Pioneer’s 96.

It was coach Anthony Magni’s fifth title with DCC since 1983.

Post-Partum

It was hard for teams crossing Michigan to and from the meet not to notice cars flying “S” (for Michigan State) and “M” (University of Michigan) flags, bound to and from home football games that day.

Some, perhaps noting smugly that “Our sport (running) is yours (football’s) punishment,” might have reflected on the effort that went into qualifying for the cross finals.

Runners’ own “S&M” flags may be just the thing next year.