PINCKNEY, Mich. – The Father Gabriel Richard girls cross country team captured its second consecutive MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Region 16 championship on Saturday (Oct. 31), edging host Pinckney by three points, 49-52, at Pinckney High School. Farmington Hills Mercy finished third with 68 points.
Bridget Fidkowski ’27 led the Irish with a second-place finish, recording a time of 19:21.9. Mary Hickey ’30 followed in sixth place with a time of 20:12.1, while Ava Pfaffenbach ’27 finished 10th in 20:58.1. Rose Buonerba ’27 rounded out FGR’s top 15 finishers, placing 14th with a time of 21:25.3. All four runners earned All-Region honors.
Megan Welch ’27 (21:39.3) completed the Irish’s five scoring runners with a 17th-place finish. Alexis Adelman ’27 (21:57.7) and Sofia Dussan ’27 (22:20.4) finished 20th and 22nd, respectively.
“It is very exciting to see six seniors on the varsity team that qualified for the state meet,” said head coach James Spencer. “I am very grateful for all that they have contributed both on the course and as leaders on the team.”
FGR will compete in the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Cross Country State Finals on Saturday (Nov. 7) at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. The Division 2 girls race is scheduled to begin at 2:50 pm.
Full FGR Results
| Place | Grade | Athlete Name | Time | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 12 | Bridget Fidkowski | 19:21.9 | 2 |
| 6 | 9 | Mary Hickey | 20:12.1 | 6 |
| 10 | 12 | Ava Pfaffenbach | 20:58.1 | 10 |
| 14 | 12 | Rose Buonerba | 21:25.3 | 14 |
| 17 | 12 | Megan Welch | 21:39.3 | 17 |
| Team Score | 49 | |||
| 20 | 12 | Alexis Adelman | 21:57.7 | (20) |
| 22 | 12 | Sofia Dussan | 22:20.4 | (22) |
Team Standings – MHSAA LP Region 16-2
| Place | School | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard | 49 |
| 2 | Pinckney | 52 |
| 3 | Farmington Hills Mercy | 68 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 111 |
| 5 | Dearborn Divine Child | 122 |
| 6 | Grosse Pointe North | 138 |
| 7 | Detroit Country Day | 156 |
| – | Ferndale (1 runner) | NTS |
| – | Center Line (1 runner) | NTS |
| – | Garden City (4 runners) | NTS |
| – | Detroit Voyageur (1 runner) | NTS |
| – | Warren Fitzgerald (1 runner) | NTS |
| – | Detroit Southeastern Tech (2 runners) | NTS |
| – | Detroit Cody (2 runners) | NTS |
| – | Detroit Henry Ford (1 runner) | NTS |
For scores and information on how to follow the MHSAA State Finals, click here.