Lyon and Delong repeat Pursuit winners at HS Championships

Mon, Feb  20, 2017 - By Mike Muha

The two-day Michigan High School Cross Country Ski Championships was held on Friday and Saturday, February 17-18, 2017 on the Vasa Trail in Traverse City, Michigan under unusually warm conditions. The championships featured a Pursuit (classic race followed by a freestyle race the next day, for a combined total) and a sprint race. The Pursuit race is covered in this article.

Mary Lyon finishing the classic race. (Photo: Angela Kay Lyon)

Traverse City's Mary Lyon and Mitchell Delong from Copper Country each won the pursuit. Lyon finished first in both the classic (21:09) and freestyle (16:20) events, giving her the fastest combined time of 37:29. Marquette's Ericka Asmus took second overall in 38:22. Asmus had the second fastest classic race (21:43) and was third in the freestyle (16:38.8). Rounding out the girls podium was Copper Country's Anabel Needham. Needham overall time of 38:41 was a result of the third fastest classic time (22:16) and second fastest skate (16:25.1)

Lyon is now a repeat winner of the Pursuit, having won in 2016 was well.

Start of girls freestyle pursuit. Skiers start based on their classic finish time. Mary Lyon (bib 101), Anabel Needham (102), Bethany Wright (104), Abigail Jean (115). (Photo: Ray Dean) 

Mitchell Delong and Petoskey's Reid Goble fought it out for the Boys Pursuit Championship. Delong won the classic event in 16:39, 20 seconds ahead of Goble. In the skate event, however, Goble turned on the afterburners to win the race in 13:41.4. It was not enough: Delong finished in 13:45.7, only foud seconds behind,  for a lower combined time to 30:25 vs. 30:40.

Copper Country's Matthew Chard finished third in both races (17:40 for the classic, 14:24 for the skate) for the third fastest Pursuit time of 32:04.

Delong was a dual champion at least year's Championships, winning both the Pursuit and Sprint championships.

Start of boys freestyle pursuit: Matthew Chard (3), Jacob Dean (4), Isaac Coulter (5), Nat Garwood (6), Nikolai Huotari (7). (Photo: Ray Dean)

Girls Classic Pursuit
Place	Bib	Name	Team name	Age	Time	Difference
1	68	Mary Lyon	TC Central/West	17	21:09	-
2	64	Ericka Asmus	Marquette	14	21:43	+0:34
3	61	Anabel Needham	Copper Country	15	22:16	+1:07
4	73	Emma Schwab	Vasa Ski Club	15	22:24	+1:15
5	72	Kelly Klettner	TC St Francis	16	23:40	+2:31
6	74	Kora Johnson	Copper Country	13	23:48	+2:39
7	65	Isabel Carr	Marquette	16	23:52	+2:43
8	62	Bethany Wright	Marquette	18	23:55	+2:46
9	66	Arielle Jean	Vasa Ski Club	13	24:20	+3:11
10	63	Dana Pflughoeft	TC Central/West	18	25:00	+3:51
11	71	Kaysen Mortensen-Chown	TC Central/West	16	25:40	+4:31
12	67	Kathryn Clulo	TC St Francis	17	25:46	+4:37
13	78	Grace Argeropoulos	Marquette	15	25:59	+4:50
14	80	Maria Velat	Copper Country	12	26:12	+5:03
15	76	Abigail Jean	TC Central/West	15	26:17	+5:08
16	69	Katie Erhardt	TC St Francis	17	26:18	+5:09
17	82	Maya Dean	TC Central/West	14	26:47	+5:38
18	97	Angie Grunert	Copper Country	12	27:32	+6:23
19	81	Emma Stahl	Marquette	15	27:59	+6:50
20	96	Maggie Cooney	TC Central/West	14	28:04	+6:55
21	98	Audrey Braund	TC Central/West	14	29:15	+8:06
22	77	Athena Gillespie	TC St Francis	14	29:18	+8:09
23	79	Libby Gorman	TC St Francis	14	29:40	+8:31
24	86	Aili Simpson	TC Central/West	16	30:12	+9:03
25	94	Madelaine Parker	TC Central/West	16	30:27	+9:18
26	99	Sidney Carrigan	TC Central/West	14	30:32	+9:23
27	88	Brianna Argeropoulos	Marquette	17	30:45	+9:36
28	90	Leandra Bruggink	Marquette	14	31:09	+10:00
29	91	Lena Gerstle	TC Central/West	16	31:16	+10:07
30	95	Camilla Kiessel	TC St Francis	14	31:32	+10:23
31	75	Talon Prusi	Ishpeming Ski Club	15	31:53	+10:44
32	89	Helena Leoni Averdung	TC Central/West	16	32:37	+11:28
33	93	Macy Fouch	TC Central/West	17	32:46	+11:37
34	70	Kayla Decker	Petoskey	15	34:15	+13:06
35	92	Mackenzie Campbell	TC Central/West	16	38:06	+16:57
-	83	Abby Puckett	TC Central/West	16	DNS	-
-	84	Lucy Stiebel	TC Central/West	14	DNS	-
-	85	Maddie Webster	Petoskey	14	DNS	-
-	87	Amelia Burke	TC Central/West	16	DNS	-
Girls Freestyle Pursuit
Place	Bib	Name	Team name	Age	Time	Difference
1	101	Mary Lyon	TC Central/West	17	16:19.8	-
2	103	Anabel Needham	Copper Country	15	16:25.1	+0:05.3
3	102	Ericka Asmus	Marquette	14	16:38.8	+0:19.0
4	108	Bethany Wright	Marquette	18	17:17.3	+0:57.5
5	107	Isabel Carr	Marquette	16	17:25.9	+1:06.1
6	105	Kelly Klettner	TC St Francis	16	17:36.5	+1:16.7
7	106	Kora Johnson	Copper Country	13	17:49.8	+1:30.0
8	104	Emma Schwab	Vasa Ski Club	15	17:49.9	+1:30.1
9	114	Maria Velat	Copper Country	12	18:25.7	+2:05.9
10	109	Arielle Jean	Vasa Ski Club	13	18:47.2	+2:27.4
11	116	Katie Erhardt	TC St Francis	17	19:07.5	+2:47.7
12	115	Abigail Jean	TC Central/West	15	19:07.8	+2:48.0
13	111	Kaysen Mortensen-Chown	TC Central/West	16	19:12.1	+2:52.3
14	110	Dana Pflughoeft	TC Central/West	18	19:21.5	+3:01.7
15	113	Grace Argeropoulos	Marquette	15	20:06.3	+3:46.5
16	119	Emma Stahl	Marquette	15	20:23.4	+4:03.6
17	112	Kathryn Clulo	TC St Francis	17	20:29.1	+4:09.3
18	123	Libby Gorman	TC St Francis	14	20:41.0	+4:21.2
19	117	Maya Dean	TC Central/West	14	21:05.4	+4:45.6
20	118	Angie Grunert	Copper Country	12	21:15.7	+4:55.9
21	127	Brianna Argeropoulos	Marquette	17	22:12.6	+5:52.8
22	126	Sidney Carrigan	TC Central/West	14	22:44.2	+6:24.4
23	129	Lena Gerstle	TC Central/West	16	23:31.9	+7:12.1
24	134	Kayla Decker	Petoskey	15	23:32.6	+7:12.8
25	121	Maggie Cooney	TC Central/West	14	24:09.1	+7:49.3
26	124	Aili Simpson	TC Central/West	16	24:14.4	+7:54.6
27	131	Talon Prusi	Ishpeming Ski Club	15	24:50.1	+8:30.3
28	132	Helena Leoni Averdung	TC Central/West	16	24:51.3	+8:31.5
29	136	Lucy Stiebel	TC Central/West	14	28:56.4	+12:36.6
30	130	Camilla Kiessel	TC St Francis	14	29:17.5	+12:57.7
31	122	Athena Gillespie	TC St Francis	14	30:58.1	+14:38.3
32	137	Mady Webster	Petoskey	16	43:48.1	+27:28.3
-	120	Audrey Braund	TC Central/West	14	DNS	-
-	125	Madelaine Parker	TC Central/West	16	DNS	-
-	128	Leandra Bruggink	Marquette	14	DNS	-
-	133	Macy Fouch	TC Central/West	17	DNS	-

Girls Pursuit Overall
Place	Name	Team name	Race 1	Race 2	Total time
1	Mary Lyon	TC Central/West	21:09	16:20	37:29
2	Ericka Asmus	Marquette	21:43	16:39	38:22
3	Anabel Needham	Copper Country	22:16	16:25	38:41
4	Emma Schwab	Vasa Ski Club	22:24	17:50	40:14
5	Bethany Wright	Marquette	23:55	17:17	41:12
6	Kelly Klettner	TC St Francis	23:40	17:36	41:16
7	Isabel Carr	Marquette	23:52	17:26	41:18
8	Kora Johnson	Copper Country	23:48	17:50	41:38
9	Arielle Jean	Vasa Ski Club	24:20	18:47	43:07
10	Dana Pflughoeft	TC Central/West	25:00	19:22	44:22
11	Maria Velat	Copper Country	26:12	18:26	44:38
12	Kaysen Mortensen-Chown	TC Central/West	25:40	19:12	44:52
13	Abigail Jean	TC Central/West	26:17	19:08	45:25
14	Katie Erhardt	TC St Francis	26:18	19:08	45:26
15	Grace Argeropoulos	Marquette	25:59	20:06	46:05
16	Kathryn Clulo	TC St Francis	25:46	20:29	46:15
17	Maya Dean	TC Central/West	26:47	21:05	47:52
18	Emma Stahl	Marquette	27:59	20:23	48:22
19	Angie Grunert	Copper Country	27:32	21:16	48:48
20	Libby Gorman	TC St Francis	29:40	20:41	50:21
21	Maggie Cooney	TC Central/West	28:04	24:09	52:13
22	Brianna Argeropoulos	Marquette	30:45	22:13	52:58
23	Sidney Carrigan	TC Central/West	30:32	22:44	53:16
24	Aili Simpson	TC Central/West	30:12	24:14	54:26
25	Lena Gerstle	TC Central/West	31:16	23:32	54:48
26	Talon Prusi	Ishpeming Ski Club	31:53	24:50	56:43
27	Helena Leoni Averdung	TC Central/West	32:37	24:51	57:28
28	Kayla Decker	Petoskey	34:15	23:33	57:48
29	Athena Gillespie	TC St Francis	29:18	30:58	1:00:16
30	Camilla Kiessel	TC St Francis	31:32	29:18	1:00:50
-	Lucy Stiebel	TC Central/West	-	28:56	-1 race
-	Audrey Braund	TC Central/West	29:15	-	-1 race
-	Madelaine Parker	TC Central/West	30:27	-	-1 race
-	Leandra Bruggink	Marquette	31:09	-	-1 race
-	Macy Fouch	TC Central/West	32:46	-	-1 race
-	Mackenzie Campbell	TC Central/West	38:06	-	-1 race
-	Mady Webster	Petoskey	-	43:48	-1 race

Boys Classic Pursuit
Place	Bib	Name	Team name	Age	Time	Difference
1	152	Mitchell Delong	Copper Country	17	16:39	-
2	155	Reid Goble	Petoskey	17	16:59	+0:20
3	151	Matthew Chard	Copper Country	18	17:40	+1:01
4	148	Jacob Dean	TC Central/West	17	17:49	+1:10
5	147	Isaac Coulter	TC Central/West	16	18:33	+1:54
6	143	Nate Garwood	Marquette	16	19:10	+2:31
7	153	Nikolai Huotari	Copper Country	16	19:41	+3:02
8	168	Mathurin Gagnon	Marquette	15	19:57	+3:18
9	158	Aleut Hatfield	Marquette	15	19:58	+3:19
10	156	Ted Roe	TC Central/West	15	20:10	+3:31
11	165	Ilhan Onder	Copper Country	16	20:12	+3:33
12	149	Julien Malherbe	Marquette	15	20:15	+3:36
13	157	Thomas Ziegler	Ishpeming Ski Club	18	20:19	+3:40
14	160	Joseph Wood	Copper Country	15	20:22	+3:43
15	180	Eli Wiitala	Marquette	14	20:42	+4:03
16	193	Moses Waite	Marquette	14	20:44	+4:05
17	184	Galen Resh Chimner	Copper Country	15	20:54	+4:15
18	170	Dan Groeneveld	Copper Country	16	21:03	+4:24
19	154	Ethan Hall	Marquette	17	21:19	+4:40
20	167	Martin Chown	TC Central/West	17	21:36	+4:57
21	144	Elliot Prusi	Ishpeming Ski Club	16	21:44	+5:05
22	164	Elliott Smith	TC Central/West	16	22:03	+5:24
23	173	Timothy Ziegler	Ishpeming Ski Club	14	22:27	+5:48
24	146	Grady Kerst	Ishpeming Ski Club	17	22:38	+5:59
25	163	Colton Yesney	Ishpeming Ski Club	17	22:43	+6:04
25	196	Thomas Lyle	Copper Country	16	22:43	+6:04
27	195	Jack Myers 2	TC Central/West	14	22:46	+6:07
28	192	Mike Fraley	Copper Country	13	22:59	+6:20
29	141	Joseph Thuente	TC St Francis	14	23:14	+6:35
30	190	Mathew Janowski	Marquette	14	23:29	+6:50
31	159	Andrew Amato	TC Central/West	16	23:35	+6:56
32	150	Luke Rasper	Petoskey	15	23:45	+7:06
33	182	Evan Ampe	Marquette	14	23:47	+7:08
34	175	Matt Milado	Marquette	18	23:51	+7:12
35	145	Gavin Dyer	Petoskey	14	23:57	+7:18
36	179	Clay Myers	TC Central/West	18	24:24	+7:45
37	172	Spencer Tallman	Petoskey	16	24:35	+7:56
38	194	Seth Potts	Marquette	16	24:50	+8:11
39	171	Seth Jordan	Petoskey	16	24:51	+8:12
40	166	KJ Pruett	Ishpeming Ski Club	17	24:54	+8:15
41	161	Anton Epskamp	Petoskey	16	25:04	+8:25
42	142	Anthony Greenaugh	Petoskey	15	25:13	+8:34
43	174	Jack Myers	TC Central/West	16	25:32	+8:53
44	178	Carson Needham	TC Central/West	15	25:45	+9:06
45	181	Eric Steve	Ishpeming Ski Club	17	25:47	+9:08
46	187	Henry Urbain	TC Central/West	14	26:46	+10:07
47	191	Matt Cooper	Petoskey	15	27:48	+11:09
48	177	Alex Gilliam	Marquette	15	28:12	+11:33
49	176	Alec Prusi	Ishpeming Ski Club	14	28:30	+11:51
50	183	Matt Penrose	Ishpeming Ski Club	17	29:54	+13:15
51	189	Jared Steve	Ishpeming Ski Club	15	30:19	+13:40
52	185	Greg Koontz	Petoskey	14	33:22	+16:43
53	186	Griffin Pepin	Ishpeming Ski Club	18	36:58	+20:19
-	162	Ben Mason	Petoskey	15	DNF	-
-	169	Matt Pillifant	Marquette	15	DNF	-
-	188	Jack Doerr	TC Central/West	14	DNF	-
Boys Freestyle Pursuit
Place	Bib	Name	Team name	Age	Time	Difference
1	2	Reid Goble	Petoskey	17	13:41.4	-
2	1	Mitchell Delong	Copper Country	17	13:45.7	+0:04.3
3	3	Matthew Chard	Copper Country	18	14:24.3	+0:42.9
4	4	Jacob Dean	TC Central/West	17	14:41.7	+1:00.3
5	7	Nikolai Huotari	Copper Country	16	15:11.2	+1:29.8
6	14	Joseph Wood	Copper Country	15	15:25.1	+1:43.7
7	13	Thomas Ziegler	Ishpeming Ski Club	18	15:28.8	+1:47.4
8	5	Isaac Coulter	TC Central/West	16	15:28.9	+1:47.5
9	17	Galen Resh Chimner	Copper Country	15	15:59.9	+2:18.5
10	11	Ilhan Onder	Copper Country	16	16:01.6	+2:20.2
11	18	Dan Groeneveld	Copper Country	16	16:01.8	+2:20.4
12	12	Julien Malherbe	Marquette	15	16:15.6	+2:34.2
13	9	Aleut Hatfield	Marquette	15	16:19.3	+2:37.9
14	6	Nate Garwood	Marquette	16	16:20.1	+2:38.7
15	19	Ethan Hall	Marquette	17	16:43.5	+3:02.1
16	8	Mathurin Gagnon	Marquette	15	16:54.1	+3:12.7
17	10	Ted Roe	TC Central/West	15	17:11.0	+3:29.6
18	22	Elliott Smith	TC Central/West	16	17:12.2	+3:30.8
19	31	Andrew Amato	TC Central/West	16	17:12.3	+3:30.9
20	24	Grady Kerst	Ishpeming Ski Club	17	17:17.6	+3:36.2
21	15	Eli Wiitala	Marquette	14	17:25.1	+3:43.7
22	21	Elliot Prusi	Ishpeming Ski Club	16	17:26.1	+3:44.7
23	33	Evan Ampe	Marquette	14	17:36.9	+3:55.5
24	32	Luke Rasper	Petoskey	15	17:42.4	+4:01.0
25	29	Joseph Thuente	TC St Francis	14	17:43.7	+4:02.3
26	16	Moses Waite	Marquette	14	17:44.4	+4:03.0
27	20	Martin Chown	TC Central/West	17	17:44.8	+4:03.4
28	23	Timothy Ziegler	Ishpeming Ski Club	14	18:03.4	+4:22.0
29	28	Mike Fraley	Copper Country	13	18:12.4	+4:31.0
30	38	Seth Potts	Marquette	16	18:31.4	+4:50.0
31	25	Colton Yesney	Ishpeming Ski Club	17	18:33.4	+4:52.0
32	30	Mathew Janowski	Marquette	14	18:36.9	+4:55.5
33	35	Gavin Dyer	Petoskey	14	18:42.9	+5:01.5
34	26	Thomas Lyle	Copper Country	16	19:00.2	+5:18.8
35	42	Anthony Greenaugh	Petoskey	15	19:03.5	+5:22.1
36	36	Clay Myers	TC Central/West	18	19:05.5	+5:24.1
37	37	Spencer Tallman	Petoskey	16	19:09.8	+5:28.4
38	43	Jack Myers	TC Central/West	16	19:27.4	+5:46.0
39	39	Seth Jordan	Petoskey	16	19:42.0	+6:00.6
40	44	Carson Needham	TC Central/West	15	19:48.2	+6:06.8
41	34	Matt Milado	Marquette	18	19:52.9	+6:11.5
42	41	Anton Epskamp	Petoskey	16	20:03.9	+6:22.5
43	40	KJ Pruett	Ishpeming Ski Club	17	20:16.9	+6:35.5
44	27	Jack Myers 2	TC Central/West	14	20:46.8	+7:05.4
45	48	Alex Gilliam	Marquette	15	21:33.2	+7:51.8
46	46	Henry Urbain	TC Central/West	14	21:53.2	+8:11.8
47	50	Matt Penrose	Ishpeming Ski Club	17	22:07.7	+8:26.3
48	47	Matt Cooper	Petoskey	15	22:56.5	+9:15.1
49	52	Greg Koontz	Petoskey	14	23:18.9	+9:37.5
50	49	Alec Prusi	Ishpeming Ski Club	14	23:22.7	+9:41.3
51	45	Eric Steve	Ishpeming Ski Club	17	25:25.3	+11:43.9
52	51	Jared Steve	Ishpeming Ski Club	15	26:16.6	+12:35.2
53	53	Griffin Pepin	Ishpeming Ski Club	18	39:26.2	+25:44.8

Boys Pursuit Overall
Place	Name	Team name	Race 1	Race 2	Total time
1	Mitchell Delong	Copper Country	16:39	13:46	30:25
2	Reid Goble	Petoskey	16:59	13:41	30:40
3	Matthew Chard	Copper Country	17:40	14:24	32:04
4	Jacob Dean	TC Central/West	17:49	14:42	32:31
5	Isaac Coulter	TC Central/West	18:33	15:29	34:02
6	Nikolai Huotari	Copper Country	19:41	15:11	34:52
7	Nate Garwood	Marquette	19:10	16:20	35:30
8	Joseph Wood	Copper Country	20:22	15:25	35:47
9	Thomas Ziegler	Ishpeming Ski Club	20:19	15:29	35:48
10	Ilhan Onder	Copper Country	20:12	16:02	36:14
11	Aleut Hatfield	Marquette	19:58	16:19	36:17
12	Julien Malherbe	Marquette	20:15	16:16	36:31
13	Mathurin Gagnon	Marquette	19:57	16:54	36:51
14	Galen Resh Chimner	Copper Country	20:54	16:00	36:54
15	Dan Groeneveld	Copper Country	21:03	16:02	37:05
16	Ted Roe	TC Central/West	20:10	17:11	37:21
17	Ethan Hall	Marquette	21:19	16:44	38:02
18	Eli Wiitala	Marquette	20:42	17:25	38:07
19	Moses Waite	Marquette	20:44	17:44	38:28
20	Elliot Prusi	Ishpeming Ski Club	21:44	17:26	39:10
21	Elliott Smith	TC Central/West	22:03	17:12	39:15
22	Martin Chown	TC Central/West	21:36	17:45	39:21
23	Grady Kerst	Ishpeming Ski Club	22:38	17:18	39:56
24	Timothy Ziegler	Ishpeming Ski Club	22:27	18:03	40:30
25	Andrew Amato	TC Central/West	23:35	17:12	40:47
26	Joseph Thuente	TC St Francis	23:14	17:44	40:58
27	Mike Fraley	Copper Country	22:59	18:12	41:11
28	Colton Yesney	Ishpeming Ski Club	22:43	18:33	41:16
29	Evan Ampe	Marquette	23:47	17:37	41:24
30	Luke Rasper	Petoskey	23:45	17:42	41:27
31	Thomas Lyle	Copper Country	22:43	19:00	41:43
32	Mathew Janowski	Marquette	23:29	18:37	42:06
33	Gavin Dyer	Petoskey	23:57	18:43	42:40
34	Seth Potts	Marquette	24:50	18:31	43:21
35	Clay Myers	TC Central/West	24:24	19:06	43:30
36	Jack Myers 2	TC Central/West	22:46	20:47	43:33
37	Matt Milado	Marquette	23:51	19:53	43:44
38	Spencer Tallman	Petoskey	24:35	19:10	43:45
39	Anthony Greenaugh	Petoskey	25:13	19:04	44:16
40	Seth Jordan	Petoskey	24:51	19:42	44:33
41	Jack Myers	TC Central/West	25:32	19:27	44:59
42	Anton Epskamp	Petoskey	25:04	20:04	45:08
43	KJ Pruett	Ishpeming Ski Club	24:54	20:17	45:11
44	Carson Needham	TC Central/West	25:45	19:48	45:33
45	Henry Urbain	TC Central/West	26:46	21:53	48:39
46	Alex Gilliam	Marquette	28:12	21:33	49:45
47	Matt Cooper	Petoskey	27:48	22:56	50:44
48	Eric Steve	Ishpeming Ski Club	25:47	25:25	51:12
49	Alec Prusi	Ishpeming Ski Club	28:30	23:23	51:53
50	Matt Penrose	Ishpeming Ski Club	29:54	22:08	52:02
51	Jared Steve	Ishpeming Ski Club	30:19	26:17	56:36
52	Greg Koontz	Petoskey	33:22	23:19	56:41
53	Griffin Pepin	Ishpeming Ski Club	36:58	39:26	1:16:24