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PREP ROUNDUP: Alpena High qualifies 4 for XC finals; Hillman football team wins in OT

By The Alpena News 2 min read
News Photo by James Andersen The 2021 Alpena High cross country team includes, from left to right, back row: Grace Mitchell, Hayden Allen, Jacob Kochanski, Madi Szymanski, Clark Sexton, Matthew Guest, Cam Young, Owen Mendell, and coach Tim Allen; middle row: Veronica Zaborney, Cailyn Burrone, Samantha Zolnierek, Kennan Knight, Thurston Imhoff, Austin Reinhart, Hunter Hitzelberger, Elijah Allen and Tyler VanCleve; front row: Clair Mitchell, Allison Borowski, Elizabeth Barnhill, Abigail Zaborney, Kylee Gagnon, Emma Dickens, Kaelyn Heath, Amelia Roznowski, and Hayden Baccus. Missing are Quinn Kelly, Tom Sheridan, Arlene Dai, Karlin Decker, and Tilly Williams.

UNIVERSITY CENTER -- The Alpena High School cross country program will have several runners competing in next weekend's cross country finals.

The Wildcats qualified four runners during Saturday's regional at Delta College -- Madi Szymanski, Emma Dickins, Kaelyn Heath and Hayden Allen. The quartet will race Saturday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

Szymanski finished second (19:31) and will make her third appearance at the state finals. Dickins finished 15th (20:44) and Heath was 24th (21:36). Other Alpena finishers included Samantha Zolnierek (37th, 22:10); Amelia Roznowski (65th, 23:57); Alison Borowski (69th, 24:11) and Cailyn Burrone (24:24).

Allen finished 12th in the boys race (17:24) and was followed by teammates Elijah Allen (17th, 17:37); Hunter Hitzelberger (22nd, 17:56); Quinn Kelly (35th, 18:24); Cam Young (51st, 19:01); Kenan Knight (57th, 19:17) and Jacob Kochanski (58th, 19:22).

Szymanski, Dickins and Allen all were named to the all-region teams.

At a Division 4 regional in East Jordan, Alcona runners Carter Upper and Sara Decker both qualified for the finals.

Upper was 14th in the boys race (18:35) and Decker was 13th in the girls race (22:13).

FOOTBALL

Hillman 32, Mio 26, OT

HILLMAN -- A 10-yard touchdown pass from AJ Jones to Trenton Taratuta helped the Hillman football team top Mio 32-26 in overtime on Friday in Hillman.

Hillman (7-3) advances to a regional final matchup against Marion (9-1) on the road Friday at 7 p.m.

Mio led 26-20 late, but a 15-yard pass and catch from Sean Henigan and Taratuta gave the Tigers the score they needed to tie the game with 17 seconds left in regulation.

On defense, Jordan Benac had key sack in overtime to push Mio back, which led to a defensive stop.

Taratuta finished the game with five catches for 79 yards and three scores.

Henigan led the way on the ground with 20 carries for 116 yards and one touchdown. AJ Jones was 7-of-15 passing for 71 yards and two touchdowns. 

London Achatz led Hillman's defense with 12 tackles.

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