Jefferson's girls, Huron's boys winners in Huron League jamboree (2024)

MONROE – October isn’t known as a month for swimming in Michigan.

But temperatures reached the low 80s on Tuesday and there wasn’t much shade to be found on the course for the second Huron League cross country jamboree of the season.

“It was brutally hot and very sunny,” said Jefferson senior Jenna Pilachowski. “About the only shade we got was in the woods.”

Luckily the event was run at Sterling State Park, which is located on the banks of Lake Erie.

After winning the race, Pilachowski and runner-up Cecilia Ortega of Airport waded out into the cool water.

Jefferson coach Phil Speare knew the conditions would be tough.

“I was out setting up the course earlier today and thought, ‘Holy cow,’” he said. “The heat was going to bake anyone who went out fast.”

Pilachowski didn’t challenge her fastest time, but her strategy was flawless.

She ran with most of the race with Ortega and Avery Turk of New Boston Huron, but left those two behind at the end. She ran 19:49.41 to win by more than 34 seconds over Ortega (20:24.33) and 45 over Turk (20:35.3).

“She raced really well,” Speare said. “I told her not to go out too fast, but to go for it if she sensed an opportunity.”

Pilachowski won her fifth league jamboree in a row over the past two seasons.

“I just thought of the team,” she said. “That always gives me a little bit of energy.”

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Pilachowski’s win led to a win for Jefferson’s team.

The Bears finished with 49 points to easily outdistance runner-up St. Mary Catholic Central with 72. Grosse Ile was third with 76, followed by Airport with 89, Huron with 106, Riverview with 128 and Milan with 165.

The boys crown went to Huron with 60 points. It was a tight battle for second between Flat Rock (76) and Jefferson (78). Riverview finished fourth with 93 trailed by Airport with 111, Grosse Ile with 131, SMCC with 134 and Milan with 215.

Jefferson had good balance behind Pilachowski as Riley Peer took sixth, Kim Miller ninth, Alyssa Masserant 15th and Mia Schroeder 22nd.

Speare praised the toughness of Miller.

“She used to be right up there with Jenna, but she had a hip displacement,” he said. “She went to five or six different doctors before they figured it out this summer. Then, she fell on her knee at Mason (the early season Frank Connolly Relays). She only runs four days a week and rides the bike the other days. She doesn’t like that.”

SMCC’s earned its runner-up slot by running with a pack mentality. Samantha LaFountain, Juleigh Husby and Claire Lisker finished 10-11-12 while Leona Knudsen ran 19th and Macy Carlton 25th.

Supporting Orega’s runner-up finish for Airport were Brenna Baker in 18th, Emily Sell in 21st, Courtney Bovair in 24th and Madison Kemp in 29th.

Turk had Huron teammates Falyn Doss and Kayla Christesen finish eighth and 26th, respectively.

Flat Rock did not have a full team, but Megan Woelkers claimed fourth and Kayle Babowicz 27th. Milan’s top finisher was Amerie Wilson in 16th.

Huron’s boys ran a tactical race.

Lucas Kuhn, Luke Dulecki, Abdul Ghennewa, Kyle Biller, Lucas Worrell and Cameron Crane finished 3-4-6-20-27-28.

“We ran really well,” Huron coach Cassy Roupe said. “There is always pressure on (runners) four and five to bring up the gap.

“Flat Rock was the closest team to us, so they always were looking to pass Flat Rock runners.”

Flat Rock was led by Jacob Staislawski, who was the runner-up to champion Logan Ruffner of Riverview.

The Rams also placed fifth with Nathan Vargo, ninth with Lucas Taraszkiewicz, 25th with Nicholas Dropiewski and 36th with Adam Brodie.

William Steinhour’s 11th-place finish led Jefferson. The rest of the Bears ran as a pack with Xander Hartunian, Ben Merkel, Andrew Hintz and Nolan West going 15-16-17-19.

Airport’s Callum Bell took seventh with teammates William Dobbertin and Adrian Dawes going 14-23.

Max Foldvary was 13th, Henry Wickenheiser 21st and Zachary Perkins 29th for SMCC.

Parker Prior led Milan in 34th.

Jefferson’s girls and Huron’s boys have won the first two jamborees, giving them a big edge heading into the league championship meet at Willow MetroPark Oct. 19.

“We don’t want to relax too much,” Roupe said. “We’ve got guys who battle.”