Hello and welcome to The Blue Water Running Podcast! This podcast features and celebrates the achievements of high school and collegiate cross country and track athletes from the Blue Water Area of Michigan.

Today’s episode #17x2 is a bit different from our regular format. The eagerly anticipated Region 17 preview from Michigan XC Speed Ratings came out this week, and it has St. Clair and Yale once again at the forefront of the regional projections. This is a local matchup that never disappoints and features some of the Blue Water Area’s fastest runners each year. Both programs have a long tradition of excellence and building talent: in fact, St. Clair holds the D2 state record for the longest continuous streak of qualifiers, taking a team to the state finals every year since 2000. Yale has done the same for the better part of the last decade. In a close race last fall, Yale came out on top 37-46 at the 2023 D2 regional meet. The Bulldogs went 2, 3, 4, 11, and 17 for their top 5 with a team spread of 1:51, while the Saints went 5, 7, 9, 10, and 15 with a team spread of 1:01. Yale graduated their top 3 runners; St. Clair their top #1 and #4. As you can see, it’s shaping up to be another great rivalry.

We will be chatting with Jerry Westrick and Ethan Kreger of St. Clair, and then Ted Rutkofske and Wyatt Murtos of Yale. St. Clair’s Westrick (PR 17:10) is a senior and Kreger (PR 17:05) is a sophomore and they were both in the top 10 last year at regionals, returning as favorites in the area. Yale’s Rutkofske (PR 17:18) was 11th and Wyatt Murtos (PR 17:24) was 17th and both are seniors this year. To make this even more interesting, in the Speed Ratings regional projections, Kreger is rated first, Murtos fourth, Westrick fifth, and Rutkofske sixth, and all were within 25 places of each other at the state meet at MIS last fall. With the St. Clair guys in the first half of the pod episode and the Yale guys in the second half, we’ll get to chat with all four gentlemen about their team training, respective league competitions, goals, and expectations for the season, and the inevitable St. Clair vs. Yale showdown.

Ethan Kreger: “Always ask yourself if you want to be one of the greats.”

Jerry Westrick: “Float like a Cadillac, Sting like a Beemer” - Doc Hudson

Ted Rutkofske: "Get out there and show them what you guys can do." Coach Jared Shutko

Wyatt Murtos: "No one starts at the top; you have to work your way up." Muhammad Ali

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