LocalSportsJournal.com

BENZIE – The Spring Lake Lakers claimed the top spot in Friday’s Division 2 regional cross country meet.

The Lakers finished atop the team leaderboard with 79 points, two ahead of runner-up Ludington with 81. Both teams, plus Cadillac, qualified for next weekend’s state finals at Michigan International Speedway.

Alexis Kotkowicz led the Lakers with a sixth-place finish. Kaleigh Clark was eighth.

Ludington’s Annabelle Lowman claimed a second-place finish and teammate Nadia Grierson was seventh.

Fruitport finished seventh with 179, Fremont was eighth with 182 and Whitehall was 11th with 224.

Three other area athletes qualified for the state meet based on their solid performances at regionals. Fremont’s Linnea Page came in ninth, Whitehall senior Adalyn Britton finished 10th and Fruitport’s Valerie Pollock finished 15th.

TEAM SCORES
1, Spring Lake 79; 2, Ludington 81; 3, Cadillac 99; 4, Cedar Springs 140; 5, Petoskey 154; 6, Gladwin 159; 7, Fruitport 179; 8, Fremont 182; 9, Sparta 199; 10, Gaylord 205; 11, Whitehall 224; 12, Tri-County 318; 13, Big Rapids 413; 14, Ogemaw Heights 446.

SPRING LAKE: 6, Alexis Kotkowicz, 18:31.27; 8, Kaleigh Clark, 19:08.99; 16, Cora Parker, 19:34.82; 22, Lexie Ruffing, 19:41.26; 27, Meghan Guczwa, 20:01.87.

LUDINGTON: 2, Annabelle Lowman, 18:02.25; 7, Nadia Grierson, 18:33.48; 18, Summer Brower, 19:36.20; 25, Allison Brandt, 19:51.45; 29, Kylee Johnson, 20:16.09.

FRUITPORT: 15, Valerie Pollock, 19:31.61; 26, Peyhton Beardsley, 19:58.74; 37, Zoe German, 20:48.98; 48, Brynley Merkins, 21:23.79; 53, Treasure Fleese, 21:47.90.

FREMONT: 9, Linnea Page, 19:09.93; 19, Joelle Patten, 19:37.94; 41, Kira Manchip, 21:13.30; 50, Rachel Maddox, 21:31.65; 63, Rocquel Richards, 22:33.25; 81, Jessie Kendziorski, 24:04.78.

WHITEHALL: 10, Adalyn Britton, 19:14.93; 24, Cami Kraai, 19:49.55; 60, Samantha Mead, 22:17.56; 61, Corina Mitteer, 22:19.63; 69, Kassie Sapp, 22:55.90.