The Chelsea Bulldogs opened their 2026 season and SEC conference schedule Sept. 15 at the SEC Jamboree #1, hosted by Pinckney High School.
Chelsea traveled to Pinckney High School for the meet, which includes all SEC White Division teams (Adrian, Chelsea, Jackson, Pinckney, Tecumseh, Ypsilanti Lincoln and Ypsilanti Community) and Red Division teams (Ann Arbor Skyline, Ann Arbor Pioneer, Ann Arbor Huron, Dexter, Monroe, Saline and Temperance Bedford). Conditions were overcast and humid, 75 degrees with no wind, on a wooded, low-lying course with some uneven, spongy footing.
Boys Cross Country
The Bulldogs competed well despite the conditions, posting several personal bests. The varsity squad placed seventh out of 13 teams overall and third out of seven in the SEC White Division, which Pinckney (a top-10 ranked Division 2 team) won ahead of runner-up Adrian (ranked in the top 15).
League standings are tallied across three SEC Jamborees, with point values rising each meet. Chelsea earned four points in the opener.
Wyeth Angus led the varsity squad, placing seventh overall out of 115 runners in 16:52.7, followed by Sam Clifton (20th, 17:21.8) and Leo Alafita (35th, 17:38.2). Jonathan Love (55th, 18:16.1) and Owen Thorburn (57th, 18:27.4) rounded out the scoring five, while Preston Vasas (66th, 18:41.3) and George Fredenberg (71st, 18:50.1) both ran personal bests.
In the JV race, which combined divisions and drew 201 runners, Chelsea placed sixth out of 10 teams. Charles Fredenberg led the way in 28th (19:36.3), followed by Gabe Siler (43rd, 20:11.4, PB), Elliott Armstrong (48th, 20:18.2) and Koen Gentner (62nd, 20:57.8, PB). Landen Coder (71st, 21:16.8), Dawson Holm (76th, 21:23.8) and Brandon Mowrer (119th, 23:15.8, PB) also scored, with Braedyn Borener, Hunter Wyss and Thomas Means also competing — Means’ 39:33.0 marked his first official 5K.
The JV team races next at the Jackson JV Invitational at Ella Sharp(e) Park on Sept. 25; varsity competes in the Purple Division of the Jackson Invitational at the same venue on Sept. 26.
Girls Cross Country
The Chelsea girls competed in the SEC White and Red divisions together, a format that made for a competitive field. The Bulldogs, a small but talented squad, were led by senior Zora Ziolkowski out front, with a strong pack behind her paced by sophomore Kathryn Dunn in the Varsity race. Chelsea placed fourth out of five teams in the White Division with a score of 285. Adrian won with 142 points, followed by Pinckney with 158 and Tecumseh with 239.
The meet marked the first race of the season for eight of the team’s 11 members, and the first high school 5K for three runners: sophomore Jaclyn Guy, freshman Aya Kushner and sophomore exchange student Ester De Santana Gomez. All three posted strong times in their debut. Returning runners bested their times from this point last season, or on this course a year ago, pointing to continued progress ahead.
The Bulldogs are back in action Sept. 25-26 at the Jackson JV & Varsity Invitational at Ella Sharp Park, followed by their next SEC meet Sept. 29 at Heritage Park.
