Regina runner to manage ‘huge’ powder puff game, eyes strong senior season

Grace Zdankiewicz wants to play in the annual Regina-Marian powder puff football game.

“It’s huge,” she said of the rivalry game for seniors from the Catholic League schools.

But Zdankiewicz, a leader of the Regina cross country team who has high aspirations for her final prep season in the sport, is taking no chances with Saturday’s contest and the Saddlelites’ bid for a fifth consecutive victory.

“The priority for me is not getting hurt, I can’t risk that, so I am managing the powder puff team instead of playing,” she said.

As manager, Zdankiewicz will cheer, take photos and videos and do whatever else she can to contribute.

“I’m trying to support them and be as much a part of it without playing and getting hurt,” she said.

On Friday, there’s a pep rally for the Saddlelites.

Zdankiewicz won’t be there. Instead, she’ll be competing in the MSU Spartan Invitational, on the Forest Akers East Golf Course that is one of her favorite running spots.

“I’m missing the rally, so some sacrifice has already been made,” she said with a smile. “It’s what I have to do.”

Zdankiewicz added to her cross country laurels at the Algonac Muskrat Classic on Sept. 11.

She lowered her season-best time for the third time in as many attempts and won the 5,000-meter Division 2-3-4 race in 19 minutes. 9.7 seconds.

The performance helped the Saddlelites score 65 points and win the team championship on the course where later this season they’ll run in a Division 2 regional meet.

“Grace was outstanding,” coach Gregg Golden said. “She set a good pace and held it throughout the race.

“She’s rounding into the form where she wants to be when we get into the big races at the end of the year. It’s nice to see that progress.”

Zdankiewicz has been a consistent scorer for Regina since her freshman year.

She is a three-time First Team All-Macomb County runner, having never finished lower than fifth in the annual county championship meet.

Her goals for 2021 include a fourth First Team berth, winning a Catholic League championship and achieving all-state.

“I really want to get our school records,” she added.

In cross country, Cassie Bloch set the Regina record of 18:28.0 in 2013. Zdankiewicz’s career best is 18:33.5.

“Every meet, I’m going to treat it like I’m going to PR and keep chipping away at the times,” Zdankiewicz said.

Another Zdankiewicz goal is to help Regina qualify as a team for the state finals.

Kennedy Roskopp, a sophomore who finished eighth in 20:21.4, was the second Regina runner to cross the line at Algonac. Senior Jessica Jarski, senior Samantha Brown and ninth-grader Elizabeth Ambroggio also scored for the Saddlelites.

“I love it when kids have a goal that is about the whole team,” Golden said.

The coach said Zdankiewicz has been “tremendous” for the Regina program.

“As I think most coaches would say, when your best performer is also your hardest worker, it makes things a lot easier,” Golden said. “She has shown a lot of leadership. The other girls follow her and listen to her.

“She has set a very good structure. On and off the course, she’s been outstanding. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

The county championship meet is at Freedom Hill Park on Oct. 16. Regina’s schedule also includes a Catholic League jamboree on Sept. 30 and the Hanson’s Invitational on Oct. 2.

SWIMMIING

DAKOTA 120, ANCHOR BAY 65

200 medley relay: Dakota (McKenna Goike, Sydney Brandt, Natalie Nehra, Brayden Donahue) 2:00.17. 200 freestyle: Brandt, D, 2:02.51. 200 IM: Nehra, D, 2:20.66. 50 freestyle: Olivia Nadolski, D, 27.74. Diving: Zoe Wilson, D, 208.10. 100 butterfly: Hannah Fraeyman, AB, 1:06.57. 100 freestyle: Nehra, D, 58.04. 500 freestyle: Katelyn Threlkedl, D, 5:39.55. 200 free relay: Dakota (Nehra, Madison Johannes, Nadolski, Threlkeld) 1:53.34. 100 backstroke: Brandt, D, 1:04.76. 100 breaststroke: Madelynn Rose, D, 1:20.61. 400 freestyle relay: Dakota (Threlkeld, Andrea Robles, Johannes, Brandt) 4:06.65.

DAKOTA 137, CHIPPEWA VALLEY 45

200 medley relay: Dakota (McKenna Goike, Sydney Brandt, Katelyn Threlkeld, Brayden Donahue) 2:00.96. 200 freestyle: Natalie Nehra, D, 2:06.30. 200 IM: Threlkeld, D, 2:30.99. 50 freestyle: Brandt, D, 26.21. Diving: Zoe Wilson, D, 176.80. 100 butterfly: Threlkeld, D, 1:08.61. 100 freestyle: Brandt, D, 56.42. 500 freestyle: Nehra, D, 5:44.48. 200 free relay: Dakota (Brandt, Sunniva Trumper, Olivia Nadolski, Nehra) 1:51.70. 100 backstroke: Goike, D, 1:06.60. 100 breaststroke: Carina Maguire, CV, 1:17.74. 400 freestyle relay: Dakota (Nehra, Nadolski, Threlkeld, Goike) 4:06.27.