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GNC Champs! Escanaba Runners Are On Top Again
 ESCANABA---The Escanaba High School boys cross country team successfully defended its Great Northern Conference Championship Thursday by easily outdistancing the rest of the field at the Escanaba Country Club. Escanaba had 51 team points, eleven better than second-place Menominee's 62. Kingsford was third with 68 points, Marquette was fourth (70). Stephenson placed fifth with 113 points and Gladstone was in sixth place with 155. 
Stenberg catches his breath after the race.
"This was one of our goals to start the year: to win a conference championship. We accomplished that first goal, and we'll move on to the big show (U.P. Finals) next week." Kingsford's Dan Kulas won the race in 16 minutes, 50 seconds. Eskymo senior Andrew Stenberg was second, crossing the finish line in 16:57. "I think that he just had a little more energy than me at the end," Stenberg said. "I did my best. I'm kind of disappointed, but I gave my best." Stephenson's Connor Cappaert was third in 17:02, and Marquette's Lance Rambo finished fourth in 17:07. Menominee's top finisher was Davey Luplow (fifth in 17:19). Escanaba's depth is what led to the second-straight conference title. Eric Cousineau (17:22) finished sixth, Jordan Ogren seventh (17:33), and Brad Derouin battled the flu to take 11th place in 18:04. Escanaba's Gabe Ostrenga ended up in 15th place (18:29). Other Eskymo finishers: Tyler Hardwick (21st) in 18:48, and Danny Stacey (37th) in 19:31. Escanaba's junior varsity team also won the GNC championship Thursday.  Now all of the teams get ready for the Upper Peninsula Finals next Saturday. "I hope the boys are ready, because I know I am," Berlinski said. The U.P. Finals will be held at Pictured Rocks Golf Course in Munising. "I like that course," Stenberg said. "I have a lot of good memories there, so I'm excited for it." Click the thumbnails in the "ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS" box at the top of this page to see pictures and video highlights from the meet.  |
