Runners battle cold and wind at state finals

November 1, 2014November 1, 2014 Editor featured

4514-team — Huron state qualifying team members include (front from left) Sami Bober, Victoria Bullock, Alysse Hempel,(back) Amber Nowicki, Emily Malocha and Camryn Bullock. They surround coach Rob Kortman. (Photo by Richard Lamb)

A cold and windy track greeted the runners at the Michigan High School Athletic Association state finals Saturday. When Rogers City’s six runners hit the course, set around Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, temperatures were below freezing with winds gusting up to 40 miles per hour.

4514-sami — Sami Bober finds room to run near the one-mile mark at the Division 3 state finals. (Photo by Richard Lamb)

When the runners made it over the finish line used by both the cross country finals and NASCAR drivers two times a year at the speedway, the Hurons had registered times good enough for a 22^nd place in Division 4.

4514-emily — Sophomore Emily Malcha (1880) holds on to her positon at the two-mile mark in Saturday's state finals. (Photo by Richard Lamb)

Emily Malocha placed 35th overall with her time of 20:32.1 while Sami Bober placed 91^st at 21:37.2 while Victoria Bullock was 170^th at 23:04. 6. Amber Nowicki was 23:57.4, Camryn Bullock was 213^th at 24:39.9 and Alysse Hempel 24:40.2.

Onaway’s Joe Traynham finished 40^th at 17:29.5.