Source: The Observer/Eccentric
Author: Dan O'Meara
Farmington Hills Mercy senior Allysen Eads is the 2014 Catholic League champion in girls cross country.
Eads, a four-year standout for the Marlins, won the seven-school race in the A-B Division meet Oct. 18 at Kensington Metropark.
Eads ran a time of 20:17 on the Possum Hollow course and finished 12 seconds ahead of Warren Regina junior and runner-up Teresa Diehl.
“She won all three jamborees, but we didn’t know what to expect from those three wild cards,” Mercy coach Gary Servais said, regarding three additional teams in the race.
“We thought there might be a kid from each team that would step up. Other than that, we knew there might be one or two Regina kids that might challenge her.
“Allysen led from start to finish, and she’s done an outstanding job for us all year.”
In addition to the other three all-girls schools (Regina, Ladywood and Marian), Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard and Dearborn Divine Child competed in the A-B Division meet.
Servais was hopeful Eads would qualify for the Division 1 state meet with a good race Saturday in the regional at Willow Metropark in New Boston.
“Going into it, she’s seeded 12th, but that doesn’t mean a whole lot because you don’t know where these people ran their times,” Servais said. “She did well there at the River Rat (Invitational). Hopefully, she can run as well or better Saturday.”
Mercy sophomore Lauren Lytle also earned all-Catholic recognition based on her 12th-place finish. She ran 21:42 to get into the top 15 and earn the honor.
Freshmen Sophia Lamphier (22:50), Erin Haapala (23:15) and Kyle Ritchie (24:02) figured in the Mercy scoring. They were 24th, 30th and 40th, respectively.
Sophomore Mallory Demeter was 42nd (24:20) for the Marlins, who were fifth in the team tally with 107 points.
Regina won the meet by 28 points over Divine Child, 35-63. Notre Dame edged Gabriel Richard for third place, 92-97. Ladywood had 112 points and Marian 183.
Catholic Central won the boys A-B Division championship with 49 points. The Shamrocks were followed by St. Mary’s (67) and Brother Rice (103).
DeLaSalle senior Mickey Davey crossed the line first in 16:13, and Brother Rice’s John Penington was second at 16:43. Rice teammate Dan Goralczyk placed 11th in 17:36 and also earned all-Catholic honors.
Rice’s other finishers were Trevor Pilzner (25th), Kyle Chisholm (32nd), Grant Davey (33rd), Camden Boston (34th) and Robert Penington (55th).
Royal Oak Shrine is the boys and girls C-D Division champion. The Knights (43) edged Riverview Gabriel Richard (44) and Allen Park Cabrini (45) in the boys race.
Shriner was paced by senior Kyle Pawloski, who took fourth in 19:50.5. Sophomore Matt Guirey was fifth (20:03), junior Conor O’Hara eighth (20:10) and senior Alec Moylan 14th (21:08).
In the girls meet, Shrine won with 70 points while Wixom St. Catherine0of Siena took second with 74 and Riverview Gabriel Richard third with 83.
“Our girls were favored to win but didn’t have a particularly good day across the board,” Shrine coach Wright Wilson said. “But we got the job done.”
Shrine’s top runner was senior Gabby Schmidt, who was fifth overall in 22:03. Freshman Halie Robinson was 10th (22:44) and junior Clara Lichtenberg 12th (22:52).