TRI-CITY AREA — From start to finish, these athletes could be counted on to deliver solid performances each time out.
Here is a look at who made the 2022 edition of The Tri-City Times All-Area boys’ cross country lineup and the credentials they generated along the way:
Imlay City’s Elliot Whitney (#674) breaks from the starting-line at the Div. 2 state finals at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
Elliot Whitney, Imlay City.
Best effort: Whitney registered a Tri-City Area best clocking of 16:55.1 en route to a seventh at the Division 2 regional at Goodells County Park on Saturday, October 29.
Top finishes: The junior provided a first at the Fall Fest Invitational in Dryden; collected fourths at the Genesee Invitational, an Imlay City-based Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet and a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Cros-Lex; obtained sevenths at the Ubly Invitational and a Division 2 regional at Goodells County Park; took eighths at the Algonac-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet and Thumb Championship in Caro; claimed a ninth at the Holly Duane Raffin Festival of Races; furnished an 11th at the Mariner Invitational; registered a 15th at the Birch Run Invitational; generated a 22nd at the Corunna Earlybird Invitational; plus added a 143rd at the Brooklyn-based Division 2 state finals.
Aiden Fitchett, Dryden.
Best effort: Fitchett supplied a 16:57.4 time for a fifth Saturday, October 1 at the Wagener Park Invite in Harbor Beach.
Top finishes: The junior obtained firsts at the North Park Invitational and Dryden Invitational; took seconds at the Kingston-based North Central Thumb League Meet, Breckenridge Windmill Invitational, Dryden Fall Fest Invitational and at a Wagener County Park-based Division 4 regional; registered a third at The Races at SVSU; placed sixth at the Autumn Classic Invitational; furnished a 23rd at the Division 4 state finals (earning All-State accolades for his performance); and tacked on a 27th at the Mustang Invitational.
John Schoen, Capac
Best effort: Schoen registered a 17:05.4 clocking for third at a Division 4 regional on Saturday, October 29.
Wagener Park, in Harbor Beach, is where the meet was contested.
Top finishes: The senior pulled up second at the Brown City-based Green Devil Invitational and Greater Thumb Conference East League Meet in Ubly; claimed thirds at the Reese Invitational, Dryden-based Fall Fest Invitational and a Division 4 regional at Harbor Beach’s Wagener Park; supplied fifths at the Ubly Invitational and Marysville Invitational; furnished a fourth at the Brown City Invitational; provided a ninth at the Wagener Park Invitational in Harbor Beach; placed 10th at the Caro-based Thumb Championships; registered a 13th at the Algonac Classic Run; plus added a 34th at the Division 4 state finals hosted by Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
Steven Butler, Almont.
Best effort: Butler generated a 17:46.6 time for 11th Saturday, October 29 at a Dewitt-based Division 3 regional.
Top finishes: The senior obtained a fourth at the Dryden-based Fall Fest Invitational; wound up fifth at the Green Devil Invitational in Brown City and Dryden Invitational; furnished eighths at the Cass City Invitational and Ubly Invitational; registered an 11th at Dewitt-based Division 3 regional; provided 13ths at an Imlay City-based Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet and Blue Water Area Conference League Meet in Algonac; contributed a 14th at the Dewitt Invitational; placed 15th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Cros-Lex; wound up 57th at the Autumn Classic; plus tacked on a 183rd during the Division 3 state finals at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
Noah Hall, Dryden.
Best effort: Hall supplied an 18:26.6 time for 19th at a Division 4 regional on Saturday, October 29.
Wagener County Park, in Harbor Beach, is where the meet was contested.
Top finishes: The sophomore garnered a fifth at the Dryden-based Fall Fest Invitational; placed sixth a the USA Invitational; collected an 11th at the Kingston-based North Central Thumb League Meet; furnished a 13th at the North Park Invitational; supplied a 14th at the Breckenridge Windmill Invitational; secured a 15th at the Dryden Invitational; claimed a 19th at a Division 4 regional held at Wagener County Park in Harbor Beach; contributed a 28th at The Races at SVSU; took 29th at the Wagener Park Invitational; placed 60th at the Mustang Invitational; plus added a 76th at the Autumn Classic.
Gavin Campbell, Almont.
Best effort: Campbell provided an 18:57.2 en route to a 24th at the Dewitt Invitational on Saturday, October 1.
Top finishes: The sophomore pulled up sixth at the Dryden-based Fall Fest Invitational; registered a 12th at the Cass City Invitational; took 16th at the Dryden Invitational; obtained a 24th at the Dewitt Invitational; garnered a 25th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Imlay City; collected a 26th at the Brown City-based Green Devil Invitational; generated a 27th at the Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Cros-Lex; supplied a 37th at the Ubly Invitational; wound up 38h at the Algonac-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; placed 44th at a Division 3 regional in Dewitt; plus added a 95th at the Autumn Classic.
Conner Wildie, Imlay City.
Best effort: Wildie logged an 18:57.7 time for 23rd Tuesday, October 18 at the Algonac-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet.
Top finishes: The junior took ninth at the Dryden-based Fall Fest Invitational; ranked 14th at the Genesee Invitational; claimed a 20th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Cros-Lex; contributed a 22nd at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Imlay City; generated a 23rd at the Algonac-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; placed 34th at the Thumb Championships in Caro; provided a 35th at the Ubly Invitational; generated a 43rd at the Mariner Invitational; collected a 47th at the Birch Run Invitational; furnished a 49th during a Division 2 regional contested at Goodells County Park; plus registered 50ths at the Corunna Earlybird Invitational and Holly Duane Raffin Festival of Races.
Jackson Spencer, Dryden.
Best effort: Spencer posted a 19:02.8 clocking en route to a 29th at a Division 4 regional on Saturday, October 29.
Wagener County Park, in Harbor Beach, is where the meet was contested.
Top finishes: The senior obtained a ninth at the Kingston-based North Central Thumb League Meet; secured 10ths at the Fall Fest Invitational in Dryden and USA Invitational; generated a 17th at the Breckenridge Windmill Invitational; furnished a 20th at the North Park Invitational; supplied a 29th at a Harbor Beach-based Division 4 regional; provided a 48th at The Races at SVSU; contributed a 52nd at the Wagener County Park Invitational in Harbor Beach; notched a 132nd at the Autumn Classic Invitational; plus added a 147th at the Mustang Invitational.
Austin Beier, Capac.
Best effort: Beier furnished a 19:07.2 time for 31st Saturday, October 29 at a Division 4 regional hosted by Wagener County Park in Harbor Beach.
Top finishes: The senior took 12th at the Kingston Invitational; placed 22nd at the Ubly-based Greater Thumb Conference East League Meet; pulled up 24th at the Reese Invitational and Brown City-based Green Devil Invitational; provided a 31st during a Division 4 regional at Wagener County Park in Harbor Beach; managed a 43rd at the Brown City Invitational; supplied a 45th at the Ubly Invitational; generated a 52nd at the Caro-based Thumb Championships; collected a 63rd at the Algonac Classic Run; plus pulled up 74th at the Wagener County Park Invitational in Harbor Beach.
Second team- Jaden Giles, Imlay City; William Sale, Dryden; Connor Wolff, Dryden; Wade Szydlowski, Almont; and Tyler McKenney, Capac.
Coach of the Year- For directing Dryden to top finishes at the USA Invitational, Breckenridge Windmill Invitational and Dryden-based Fall Fest Invitational; a second at the Kingston-based North Central Thumb League Meet; fourths at the North Park Invitational, Races at SVSU and Dryden Invitational; as well as a fifth at the Harbor Beach-based Wagener County Park Invitational Cardinal Coach Kory Lohrmann earns Tri-City Times All-Area Coach of the Year accolades.
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.
