They set their goal, and they achieved it.
Clarkston’s girls cross country team came in first at the Division I state meet Saturday, Nov. 1.
The Wolves finished as a team with 102 points, easily distancing themselves from perennial state champ Rockford’s 131.
Clarkston placed second behind the Rams at last year’s state meet, and breaking into the number one place was a goal cited by coach Jamie LaBrosse earlier this season. A step toward that goal was achieved Sept. 19 when the Wolves outran Rockford at the Michigan State University Invitational, and LaBrosse said there was confidence going into the state meet.
“I knew if everyone ran well and did their job and nobody dropped out that we would win the state title,” LaBrosse said.
The meet took place on the grounds of Michigan International Speedway near Jackson. While the date was Nov. 1, it was a day which the coach said offered “perfect running conditions.”
With more than 300 regional qualifiers in the race, the Clarkston girls followed a good strategy by running in close formation for much of the race.
“Our girls ran to keep everyone in sight,” LaBrosse said. “That way they could run along together.”
The relatively tight finishes showed the strategy worked. Lyndsay Smith led the Wolves by finishing ninth overall with a time of 18:36.35. Gillian Nordquist finished 23rd at 18:49.60.
Other finishers were Liz Mengyan, 27th, 18:51.60; Mo Kuhta, 29th, 18:53.25; Jenna Leach, 36th, 19:11.60; Anne Oltman, 37th, 19:11.90; and Beth Hoekstra, 98th, 19:56.40.