The Notre Dame Boys and Girls Cross Country teams completed their season with several outstanding performances the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division Two Finals on Saturday at the Michigan International Speedway (MIS). The finals included 250 of the best runners in the state from the best 28 programs in the state in both the boys and the girls divisions.
Eli Seitzinger, who was the lone individual qualifier from the boys team, ran the 5K course in 17:31 to place 130th overall.
The girls team was led by senior captain, Jenny Ohlsson, who ran perhaps the best race of her high school career finishing in ninth place overall with a time of 18:34, improving on last year’s finish of 18th and earning All-State Honors for the third straight year. Lexi Fraser, with a season best 21:12, Maddie Monaghan 21:18, Tess Censoni 21:52 (also a season best), Nicole Carson 22:53, Riley Williams 23:16 and Allie Dawiedczyk 23:20 rounded out the scoring for the Varsity team. Both Fraser and Dawiedczyk, who have been hampered by late season injuries turned in gutty performances to help the team.
The Irish finished in 24th place overall, edging out regional champion and rival, Marian, by five points. Both the boys and girls teams will be anchored by a strong core of juniors that are expected to return and compete well next season.