Old habits die hard.
That is certainly the case for the Goodrich varsity girls cross country team, who captured their third straight Division 3 state girls cross country championship Saturday, Nov. 5 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
The Martians compiled a team score of 118 to defeat second-place Jackson Lumen Christi (147) and third-place Hillsdale (150).
Goodrich coach Jennifer Sweet said she was anxious about the meet’s outcome right up until the results were announced.
‘We didn’t know where we stood point-wise when we were finished,? she said. ‘I was so nervous for the girls. When they announced we had won, I jumped so high in the air and I could see people below me. This was one of the best victories I have ever experienced.?
In addition to the team competition, the state meet also included individual runners whose schools did not qualify for states, but who placed in the top 15 at their respective regional meets, thus qualifying them for the meet.
Team scores are calculated by totaling the finishes of the top five runners from each team competing in the meet. (See accompanying chart for Goodrich scoring breakdown).
Sweet said the Martians stayed positive the whole week before the state meet, even though they had to contend with junior Kayla O’Mara’s foot injury.
‘We took a lighthearted approach to practices,? he said. ‘The girls were in real good spirits.?
Goodrich helped their cause by placing three runners in the top 10 among teams competing in the finals. Junior Kaitlin O’Mara led the Martians by finishing third overall with a time of 18:44.35.
Junior Kelsey Meyers was two spots behind, finishing sixth (18:51.25), while junior Kelsey Krych notched a eighth place finish (18:58.55). Sophomore Mary Haiderer (31st, 19:50.10) and senior Sam Minkler (69th, 20:39.50) rounded out the Goodrich scoring.
Kayla O’Mara (81st, 20:56.50) and senior Laura Haiderer (88th, 21:02.65) also competed for the Martians.
Sweet said the efforts of Mary Haiderer and Minkler, the fourth and fifth finishers for Goodrich, helped clinch the state title for the Martians.
‘They started picking off (passing other teams?) runners toward the end of the meet,? she said. ‘They were a major determining factor.?
Sweet also said Kayla O’Mara showed a tremendous amount of courage in running the race despite the pain she was suffering from her injury.
She relayed a story of how O’Mara was with her father after the race, in tears because of the pain she endured to compete for the Martians. After the race results were announced, O’Mara’s emotions changed for the better.
‘This was the first time I saw someone with tears of pain turn into tears of joy,? Sweet said. ‘If I had a purple heart of courage, I’d give it to her.?
The Martians may be crying more tears of joy at future state meets. Although Goodrich will lose Laura Haiderer and Minkler to graduation, Sweet said the returning runners, along with an influx of new talent, should make the Martians a formidable team once again next season.
‘We’re picking up some kids from the middle school,? she said.