1981 Girls Cross Country

DeWitt High School emerged as a top athletic program in the 1970s, raising four Class C State Championship banners. With two of the four state championships coming from the boys cross country and track programs, the 1981 girls cross country program was poised to add their own state championship banner. Returning three letter winners, the Panthers found themselves at the top of the first ever girls cross country rankings. Although a number one ranking was exciting, holding that ranking for the entire season would prove to be a difficult task as the team would have to overcome various injuries throughout the season. Fortunately, the young runners rose to the occasion and dominated the competition in the early part of the season. At the Clinton County Meet, the team earned a 23-34 victory over cross-town rival Bath, placing six runners in the top ten. That trend would continue in the Capital Circuit league as the Panthers ran to a perfect 5-0 record and secured back-to-back Capital Circuit Championships with a dominating 41-69 victory over Mason. At the regional in Jackson, the Panthers crushed Williamston 42-71 to win the regional crown. Heading to the state finals at Watervliet, the Panthers were expecting a tight finish. DeWitt placed five runners in the top forty, defeating Whitehall 121-125, earning DeWitt High School its sixth state championship. By the end of the decade, the 1981 Class C State Champions would be the first team to help crown DeWitt's girls cross country program the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association (MITCA) Class C “Team of the 1980s.”

The 1981 Girls Cross Country State Champions included the following members: Tonya Ballard, Tammy Brown, Debbie Hammon, Teresa Kirchen, Cheri Parker, Sharon Nichlas, Kelly Quimby, Shelly Wieferich and Head Coach Barry Kloenhamer.