Milford, Finn shine at regional XC meets last week

The lakes area’s best boys cross country team and best female runner gained momentum in their quests for back-to-back state titles this past week.

Huron Valley Milford’s boys team won a Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Division 1 regional title at Huron Meadows Metropark on Friday, Oct. 26 and can win a second straight Division 1 state title on Saturday, Nov. 3 at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich.

Meanwhile, West Bloomfield’s Erin Finn was the champion of the Division 1 girls regional meet at Hess-Hathaway Park in Waterford Township on Saturday, Oct. 27 with a time of 17:50.80.

Finn is also seeking her second straight Division 1 individual title this weekend in Brooklyn.

The Mavs’ boys team finished with a total combined time of 1:19:01, which bested Hartland’s time of 1:21:21. Milford’s Brian Kettle led the way for his team by winning the meet with a first-place time of 15:21.68, finishing ahead of Hartland’s Jareb Duggan (15:33:.13).

Cody Snavely came in third for Milford (15:38.67), while Kevin Black, Chris Housel and Matt Graves came in sixth-, seventh- and eighth-place, respectively. Clinton Caddell took 10th and Jeffery Field came in 13th.

On the girls’ side, Milford finished as the runner-up with a time of 1:36.39, while Brighton took the title with a time of 1:35.10.

Rachel Barrett had the Mavs’ best time with a fifth-place finish of 18:51.86.

Meanwhile, Waterford Mott’s boys team also won a Division 1 regional title at Hess-Hathaway Park on Saturday, Oct. 27.

The Corsairs’ first-place time of 1:21.30 was better than Northville’s (1:23.34) and Walled Lake Northern’s (1:24.11).

Mott’s Nathan Burnand took first-place at the meet with a time of 15:52.50, finishing ahead of Northville’s Dan Sims (16:00.80).

Mott’s Ryan Robinson and Sam Albaugh took third- and fourth-place, respectively, while Dane Falberg finished seventh.

The Knights’ top finishers were Devin Kimberlin and Tyler Brinks in ninth- and 10th-place, while Walled Lake Western’s Mitchell Dennis came in 11th and Huron Valley Lakeland’s Grayson Thomas came in 12th.

Meanwhile on the girls’ side, Finn bested Birmingham Seaholm’s Audrey Belf’s second-place time of 18:34.40.

Waterford Mott had the third best team time of the girls meet with 1:39.32, finishing behind Northville (1:37.54) and regional champion Seaholm (1:35.06).

Mott’s Daya Wegh took third-place with a time of 18:52.40.

Walled Lake Northern took fourth-place, while Huron Valley Lakeland came in fifth.