The Howell Border Cross team competed again this year as reigning state champions. They found a lot of success and earned the #1-ranked spot in Michigan by a significant margin, beating big contenders such as Hartland, Brighton, and Catholic Central.
“Coming off a state championship brings a lot of momentum, but there is definitely a higher expectation for us riders,” junior Ryan McAllister said.
Even with the bar set high, the highlanders remained unfazed and composed. The race days consist of brackets, and racers enter elimination brackets, narrowing the field until 2-3 riders remain. Howell has recently been sweeping personal brackets, meaning that they knock out riders from other schools, so it is all Howell riders in the final race.
“I love when there is a Howell sweep because I always end up racing my teammates, it is so much fun, and it brings a lot of friendly competition,” senior captain Anson Forsyth said.
A major contributor to the team’s success is the history the team had before entering high school, especially for the boys’ team. Both captains, Forsyth and junior Chase Clay, and most of the other riders have been together since they were little.
“I started snowboarding about 4 years ago and learned to ride park with current teammates such as Anson and Wilson,” McAllister said.
“With the team being so close to one another, it helps them cheer each other on and hype them up,” Assistant Coach Piper Sundberg said.
When Coach Sundberg raced in high school, the current riders were freshmen. Piper has watched the current senior class grow up and improve. After her first year in college, she missed the sport, so she decided to get involved again and signed up to be a coach. Coach Sundberg tries her best to strengthen the bond of the team through her hobbies, such as making team vlogs and edits, along with incorporating her passion for making clothing by giving riders hats from her new clothing brand, Top Stitch.
“I enjoy making vlogs and videos for the team, and it always seems to hype them up,” and “making hats for the kids is a lot of fun, and it brings the kids closer together,” Coach Sundberg said.
Small things done outside of a sport can greatly contribute to a team’s morale, and Coach Sundberg tries to help by providing the team with the hats that she makes.
“It is fun matching with my teammates,” McAllister said.
The whole team had confidence in their ability to bring home the state championship.
“If we continue the support and ride how we have been riding, we will win the boys and girls State Championship trophies,” said Coach Sundberg.
Fast forward to February 27th, 2026, the high school border cross state championship took place. Howell won the boys’ state championship while the girls took third place. Along with Howell taking over the individual podium, Anson Forsyth took first place, and Parker Maupin took second place. The Highlanders had a successful season and plan to reign again next year.
