Leading the pack: Milford, Finn among favorites in XC

The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) boys and girls cross-country regional meets will take place on Friday, Oct. 26 and Saturday, Oct. 27, with some lakes area athletes among the favorites.

On the boys side, Huron Valley Milford, the defending Division 1 state team champion, will run at Huron Meadows Metropark on Friday.

Last year, the Mavs claimed the Division 1 boys’ state title at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., with a team total time of 79:48 (128 points).

The Mavericks’ runners that year included Brian Kettle, Cody Snavely, Paul Ausum, Chris Housel, Matt Graves, Steven Sloboda, and Shawn Welch.

This season, Milford claimed the championships of the Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA) North Division and Lakes Conference thanks to the efforts of Kettle and Snavely, who finished in first- and second-place, respectively, at the Lakes Conference meet on Thursday, Oct. 18.

Meanwhile, Hess-Hathaway Park in Waterford Township will host a number of lakes area teams on Saturday, including Huron Valley Lakeland, Walled Lake Central, Northern and Western, Waterford Mott and Kettering, and West Bloomfield.

Waterford Mott’s boys team won the KLAA North Division before finishing second to Milford in the Lakes Conference meet.

On the girls’ side, all eyes will be on West Bloomfield senior Erin Finn, the defending Division 1 state champion who claimed her third straight Oakland Activities Association White Jamboree title on Friday, Oct. 19.

Also, Mott’s girls team won the KLAA North Division title this season while coming in second to Brighton in the Lakes Conference.