PETOSKEY — Ava Pawlick has competed in three races so far in 2025, two coming in wet, soggy conditions.
You won’t find the Petoskey senior cross country athlete complaining anytime soon.
While she might have preferred dryer conditions during the 51st running of the annual Petoskey Kiwanis Cross Country Invite, which took place Saturday, Sept. 20, she was going to show up in any conditions.
“It’s the last race of my senior year on my home course and I knew I had to bring it in,” Pawlick said.
Coming off an overall victory in the Charlevoix Mud run just weeks back, Pawlick pulled in another overall victory on a rain-soaked Petoskey course.
Knowing how to handle the state of a wet course from Charlevoix, Pawlick wasn’t phased in the least.
“In my time probably, but in my competition and spirit, not in the slightest,” Pawlick said. “I was still going after it. Honestly, it just made it a little more, I don’t know, poetic I guess.”
Pawlick’s time of 20 minutes, 58.61 seconds was of course off from her season-best and career-best, though that would have been hard to achieve anyway on a Petoskey course that’s been challenging to many.
It’s a course, with few straightaways and flat ground, that even Pawlick has had a love-hate relationship with.
“We’ve done too many workouts up here, I’ve done too many workouts here during the summer,” she said with a laugh. “I know the ins and outs. I know the little divots that you need to avoid.”
It showed from the opening gun, as Pawlick took a commanding lead on Alpena’s Izzy Szymanski and Veronica Paga of Petoskey St. Michael and never relinquished ground.
She crossed the finish line seven seconds ahead of Paga, who came in at 21:05.24, for the second consecutive win.
The lone senior among Petoskey’s varsity lineup to run Saturday, Pawlick is leading by example and hung around near the finish line to greet and encourage other teammates as they crossed.
Sophomore Ellie Daniel was next across for PHS in 22:17.96, good for fourth in the girls D1/D2 standings, then Greta Meisel and Aya Pateman crossed in 22:48.21 and 23:02.18, respectively.
Petoskey isn’t quite the powerhouse of a team like they used to be, though Pawlick is seeing growth out of the group.
“I think we are,” she said on hitting her stride. “There have been a few injuries to overcome, but I think overall we’re forming really good and and we have really good teamwork. We’re becoming a really good team.”
Pawlick feels the same about her own ability. While there have been just three races run, she’s feeling good about where she’s at in the season.
There’s a big race ahead where she can go out and prove it as well, with the annual BlueJay Invite coming on Saturday, Sept. 27.
“Shepherd is next week and I know that’s a fast course and I’m hoping to get a PR there,” she said. “This course, I love it, but it’s a hard course. I definitely feel like I’m getting ready for conference and regionals and hopefully states.”
A year ago, Pawlick was actually the lone Northmen runner to qualify for the state finals, on either side.
It’s a big difference from when Petoskey pulled in a 2020 state championship on the girls side, then repeatedly had runners sign with Division I collegiate programs.
Those past runners are where Pawlick drew her motivation.
“I actually didn’t run by freshman year, but the girls I met in track that were juniors when I was a freshman, they’re the reason I’m doing cross country today,” Pawlick said. “They’re all doing amazing things now, running in college and they really formed who I am as a runner today. I really hope I get to earn my name next to theirs in our cross country history.”
If Pawlick keeps up the pace she’s on in 2025, she’s bound for a poetic ending.
Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Petoskey’s Pawlick pulls off ‘poetic’ ending on home course, sight set on finals
Reporting by Drew Kochanny, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
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