Sports

'Team Intensity' Qualifies for National AAU Championship

Athletes from Saline, Ann Arbor and Bedford teamed in Michigan Amateur Athletic Union qualifying meet.

Athletes from Saline Area Schools competing as members of “Team Intensity” qualified at a Saturday meet for the Amatuer Athletic Union’s national cross country championship in Fort Gordon, GA on Dec. 7.

Team Intensity is made up from athletes from Saline, Ann Arbor and Bedford, according to a news release. They ran in Saturday’s Michigan AAU Cross Country District Qualifier in Albion. The youths were competing in the division for 13- and 14-year-olds and compete as a team to better their chances of advancing.

Team Intensity won both the boys’ and girls’ races at the Michigan district qualifying race.

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The top 25 runners in each division were awarded medals and each of member of Team Intensity received a medal. Michael Greeley of Bedford won the boys’ race.

They will run against the best teams in the nation in the 4-kilometer (approximately 2.5 miles) race in December. The distance is a bit longer than the 2-mile race that most of these middle school athletes are used to running at competition; however, Coach Derek Stern thinks their success at the state meet proved they are ready for the challenge.

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“The Michigan AAU race in Albion showed the hard work these runners have done throughout the cross country season,” Stern said. “We are proud to represent the Saline, Ann Arbor, and Bedford communities and our state.These students are talented athletes, and we look forward to their success at the national meet in Georgia in December.”

Also qualifying for the national race in the division for 11- and 12-year-olds was Alexa Stern, who  turned in her season best time of 13:16 minutes in the 3-kilometer course.


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