TRI-CITY AREA — Week in and week out these athletes set the standard for excellence with their efforts out on the course.
Here is a look at who made the 2021 edition of the Tri-City Times All-Area boys’ cross country lineup and the credentials they generated along the way:
Aiden Fitchett, Dryden.
Fitchett produced a Tri-City best time of 17:26 for 36th Saturday, November 6 at the Division 4 state finals.
Michigan International Speedway, in Brooklyn, is where the meet was contested.
The sophomore placed second at the Linden Classic, Kingston-based North Central Thumb League Meet and Dryden Cardinal Invitational; took fourth during a Division 4 regional at Wagener County Park in Harbor Beach; obtained a fifth at the Bad Axe-based Hatchet Invitational; notched a seventh at the 53rd Holly Duane Raffin Festival of Races; collected an 11th at the Birch Run Fall Invitational; provided a 22nd at the Shepherd Bluejay Invitational; furnished a 28th at the Cass Benton Park-based Mustang Invitational; generated a 36th during the Division 4 state finals at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn; plus added a 42nd at the Oxford Invitational.
John Schoen, Capac.
Schoen supplied a 17.49.7 time en route to a seventh at a Harbor Beach-based Division 4 regional at Wagener County Park on Saturday, October 30.
The junior garnered a second at the Brown City Green Devil Invitational; collected a fifth at the Columbus County Park-based Get Your Toes Wet Invitational; obtained a seventh at a Wagener County Park-based Division 4 regional; notched a ninth at the Laker Invitational; furnished a 10th at the Greater Thumb Conference League Meet in Brown City; pulled up 12th at the North Branch-based Lapeer County Press Invitational; claimed 15ths at the Marysville Invitational and Caro-based Thumb Championship; placed 19th at the Brown City Invitational; plus tacked on a 67th during the Division 4 state meet at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
Zavier Logan, Imlay City.
Logan managed an 18:11.8 time for 16th Tuesday, October 19 at the Blue Water Area Conference League Meet.
North Branch High School is where the meet was contested.
The senior took third at the Columbus County Park-based Get Your Toes Wet Invitational; generated a fourth at the Dryden Cardinal Invitational; obtained a fifth at the Evan Gardner Invitational in Durand; placed 10th at the Freedom Hill-based Hanson’s Invitational; secured 12ths at the Goodells County Park-based Midseason Spectacular and a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Almont High School; supplied a 13th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree hosted by Richmond; furnished a 14th at the Clawson Watermelon Invitational; registered a 16th at the North Branch-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; collected a 17th at the Marysville Invitational; obtained a 19th at the Corunna Earlybird Invitational; supplied 25ths at the Algonac Classic Run and Birch Run Invitational; plus added a 32nd at the Goodrich-based Kayla O’Mara Memorial Invitational.
Steven Butler, Almont.
Butler supplied an 18:40.4 clocking en route to a 22nd at the Algonac Classic Run on Saturday, September 11.
The junior registered a fifth at the Clawson Watermelon Invitational; took sixth at the Brown City Green Devil Invitational; obtained an eighth at an Algonac-based Division 3 regional; provided a 12th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Richmond; collected a 15th at the Dave Patterson Invitational in Mayville; provided 18th sat an Almont-based Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet and Ubly Invitational; placed 20th at the Blue Water Area Conference League Meet in North Branch; ranked 22nd at the Mariner Invitational and Algonac Classic Run; garnered a 23rd at the Autumn Classic; managed a 33rd at the Pete Moss Benzie Invitational; plus tacked on a 185th during the Division 3 state finals at Michigan International Speedway n Brooklyn.
Dean Aune, Imlay City.
Aune posted an 18:50.3 time for 27th at the Algonac Classic Run on September 11.
The senior took eighths at the Durand-based Evan Gardner Invitational, Columbus County Park-based Get Your Toes Wet Invitational and Dryden Cardinal Invitational; contributed 15ths at the Corunna Earlybird Invitational and Freedom Hill-based Hanson’s Invitational; furnished a 16th at an Almont-based Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet; notched a 20th at the Clawson Watermelon Invitational; provided a 22nd at the North Branch-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; generated a 24th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Richmond; ranked 31st at the Birch Run Fall Invitational; placed 34th at the Goodrich-based Kayla O’Mara Memorial Invitational; contributed a 38th at an Algonac-based Division 2 regional; plus added a 43rd at the Marysville Invitational.
Dominic Pirrone, Almont.
Pirrone registered a 19:00.6 time for 202nd Saturday, November 6 at the Division 3 state meet.
Michigan International Speedway, in Brooklyn, is where the meet was contested.
The senior claimed a 10th at the Brown City Green Devil Invitational; took 13th at an Algonac-based Division 3 regional; managed a 13th at the Clawson Watermelon Invitational; furnished a 19th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Richmond; obtained a 21st at an Almont-based Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet; managed a 31st at the Dave Patterson Invite in Mayville; collected a 34th at the Algonac Classic Run; provided a 41st at the North Branch-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; managed a 60th at the Autumn Classic; pulled up 64th at the Pete Moss Benzie Invitational; placed 90th at the Mariner Invitational; plus added a 202nd during the Division 3 state finals at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
Elliot Whitney, Imlay City.
Whitney logged a 19:06.1 clocking for 25th at an Algonac-based Division 2 regional on Saturday, October 30.
The sophomore obtained a ninth at the Dryden Cardinal Invitational; furnished a 21st at the Columbus County Park-based Get Your Toes Wet Invitational; generated a 24th at the North Branch-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; notched a 26th at the Freedom Hill-based Hanson’s Invitational; contributed a 25th at an Algonac-based Division 2 regional; wound up 28th at the Marysville Invitational; took 33rds at the Birch Run Invitational and Clawson Watermelon Invitational; managed a 38th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Richmond; supplied a 42nd at an Almont-based Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet; garnered a 44th at the Goodrich-based Kayla O’Mara Memorial Invitational; provided a 58th at the Algonac Classic Run; plus added a 60th at the Corunna Earlybird Invitational.
Honorable mention- Conner Wildie, Imlay City; and Noah Hall, Dryden.
Coach of the Year- For directing Imlay City to thirds at the Durand-based Evan Gardner Invitational, Columbus County Park-based Get Your Toes Wet Invitational and Dryden Cardinal Invitational, Sara O’Brien earns Tri-City Times All-Area Coach of the Year accolades.
Kevin Kissane
Kevin Kissane has been covering high school sports for the Tri-City Times since 1985. When not standing on a field or court with his camera and notepad, he enjoys golf, travel and family. Kevin is a 1980 graduate of Capac High School, and is also a grad of St. Clair Community College and earned a degree in journalism from Central Michigan University.
