MUNISING — The podium was a hard place to reach for most area cross country runners here Saturday as only four boys placed in the top 15 at the Upper Peninsula Finals.

Rock Mid Peninsula freshman Ashdeyn Gerow placed the highest, taking third in Division 3.

Rapid River junior Jon Denkins took 10th and Mid Pen freshman Eli Stiglitz was 15th.

Manistique sophomore Kavin Jackson placed 12th in D-2.

Gerow covered the 3.1 miles on the Pictured Rocks Golf Course in a personal-best 17:55.

“This is a PR (personal record) by 25 seconds,” he said. “I just sprinted as much as I could. I didn’t think I’d get in the 17s. It hurt mentally, but I got the job done.”

Denkins was clocked at 18:58.8 and Stiglitz completed the course in 19:19.3 on this sunny and warm afternoon.

“I think if we work together and practice hard enough we’ll be able to move up next year,” Stiglitz said.

Cedarville-DeTour junior Ethan Snyder was the individual winner in 17:32 with Ishpeming junior Kemper Gearhart taking the runner-up spot at 17:51.7.

Crystal Falls Forest Park was crowned champion for the first time with 58 points, followed by St. Ignace 71 and last year’s champ Engadine 91.

“This is a very special day,” Forest Park coach D.J. Rasner said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the boys. They worked so hard all year. Having a full team put us in a better situation. We got our fifth runner halfway through the season and it gave us a lot of momentum. I think we’re also gaining some momentum in our school. More kids want to be a part of this.”

Denkins was happy about placing in the top 10.

“I think I did good,” he said. “I think the next couple years at Rapid are going to be good. The Mid Pen guys are already good. We’re going to push each other and they’re going to help me get better. We’re probably going to run together during the off-season. I thought it’d be shady and cool here today, but it didn’t go that way.”

Painesdale Jeffers won for a school-record fifth straight time with 23 points. The Jets, who placed all seven of their runners in the top 14, were followed by Rudyard 51, Munising 117 and Manistique and Pickford 126.

Jeffers senior Cameron Anderson gained top honors at 16:41.1, followed by classmate Landon Larson (17:33.4) and Rudyard senior Steven Kirschner (17:51).

Jackson, the area’s pacesetter in D-2, was timed at 19:24.

Sault Ste. Marie senior Gabe Litzner was crowned D-1 champion for the fourth consecutive year in 15:58.3. He was followed by Marquette seniors Rorik Holmquist (16:15.8) and Peter Argeropoulos (16:24.5).

“This feels great,” Litzner said. “It’s awesome to look back at all the memories and friends I made. It feels like the conditions were a lot better last year. It warmed up quickly today and I think it caught everybody off guard. He had quite a few colder races. The temperature had been in the 50s nearly everyday. The Marquette guys were definitely pushing me throughout the race. I used a lot of the same strategy as last year. I followed a conservative approach in the first mile, then I took off.”

Marquette won for the seventh straight time with 34 points, followed by Sault 43 and Houghton 84.

Escanaba senior Kingston Berube was the area’s leader in 22nd (18:51.9) and senior Grady Nelson paced Gladstone in 25th (19:10.4).

For the girls, Marquette senior Ella Fure won for the second time in three years at 18:53.3 while reaching the U.P’s all-time top 10 list.

“That was my goal,” she said. “I ran in God’s name more than in my own and that’s why I think I was successful. It was also my goal to run as hard as I could. This was my last high school cross country meet. I just left it all on the course.”

Kingsford sophomore Maria Murvich was runner-up in 20:25.5 with Negaunee junior Keira Waterman taking third (20:33).

“I tried to keep Ella within my sight,” Murvich said. “I’m so proud of her. She has come a long way. I’m very happy with my season. I have something to build on. It was a little warm out there, but a good day for a run. This is awesome.”

Marquette was crowned champion for the fourth consecutive time with 39 points, followed by Sault 52 and Houghton 63.

Gladstone senior Payton Takkunen led area finishers in 23rd (22:49.6) with classmate Lexi GIlbert 24th (22:51.7). Esky freshman Avah Akerley was 27th (23:03.6).

Rudyard won for the first time in 14 years, edging four-time defending champion Hancock 28-32 for the title. Third-place Ironwood had 67 points.

Freshman Melisssa Kirschner provided Rudyard with an individual title at 21:56.6. She was followed by Munising sophomore Addie Bowerman (21:58.4) and Hancock senior Jill Berg (22:05.1).

Manistique was led by freshman Keira Hart, who took 28th (31:29.3).

L’Anse hoisted the D-3 trophy for the first time with 51 points, followed by last year’s champion Ewen-Trout Creek at 99 and Stephenson 112.

Pickford senior Talya Schreiber became a three-time champion in 18:31.6, followed by Newberry senior Samantha Taylor (18:48.7) and junior Abby Taylor (20:29.3).

Big Bay de Noc freshman Evonna LaCosse was the area’s pacesetter in 18th (22:52.4), just ahead of Rapid River freshman Julia Poma (23:05.7).