The cross country rankings have shown again how strong the Holland area is in distance running.
The past decade has been huge for the area with West Ottawa and Saugatuck claiming state titles and several schools finishing runner-up.
In the past 15 years, we have seen five individual state champions as well.
That momentum continues this year with several teams earning some recognition so far this season.
The Holland Christian girls are ranked No. 1 in Division 2.
The Maroons are led by Avery Engbers, who as a sophomore, is one of the top runners in the state. Eliana Stob, Layla Geurink, Ellery Lampen, Mackenzie Huizenga, Annika Stob, Olivia Hollebeek, Ava Knot, Kaitrin Miedema and Sophie Jones have put together strong races this year as well.
Saugatuck is ranked No. 2 in Division 3 for the girls. Kamryn Sixberry, Alina Martinson and Lyvia Curtis are back this year. Ellyse Heyser, Ryann Monroe and Hayden Birkholz have put together solid races, too.
In Division 1, West Ottawa’s girls team is ranked No. 3. The Panthers have finished in the top five in the state the past five years.
Ava Porras leads the Panthers. She won the Ottawa Hills invite on Friday. Teammate Collette Wierks was third. The Panthers are loaded again with Mary Dalbow, Lyla Dowling, Ella Wierks, Reese Haglund, Delilah Marquez and Addie Birkholz.
Holland isn’t in the rankings but the girls recently won the Division 2 Spartan Invite in East Lansing with Johanna Mulder winning the individual title.
There are several boys teams ranked as well.
Saugatuck is ranked No. 2 this week. The Trailblazers have been No. 1 earlier this year. Black River is No. 8.
Saugatuck is led by Marcus Silva, Grant Rehkopf, Ira Brown, Jackson Bowman, Sammy Gamboa, Isaac Cruz and Ashton Skinner.
In Division 4, Holland Calvary is ranked third.
The Crusaders are led by Christian Getz, Noah Schipper, Gibson White, Brody VanTuinen, Caleb Adkins, Owen Ledebuhr, Reagan Downing, Mason Williams, Elijah Laninga and Tyson Beardsley.
Holland Christian’s boys team is ranked No. 7 in Division 2.
Zeeland West’s boys are an honorable mention ranking in Division 1.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: High school cross country teams earn state ranking; Maroons No. 1, several in top 3
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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