TRI-CITY AREA — From the opening meet until the last, these competitors made a name for themselves with their performances.
Here is a look at who was named to the 2020 edition of The Tri-City Times All-Area girls’ cross country squad and and the credentials they put up en route:
Jessica Denver, Imlay City.
Denver registered a Tri-City best clocking of 19:43.3 for second Tuesday, September 22 at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet.
Goodells County Park is where the meet was contested.
The senior earned the distinction of race pacesetter at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Cros-Lex, the Port Huron High School Invitational and at a pre-regional hosted by Lutheran North High School; obtained seconds at the Blue Water Area Conference League Meet contested at Columbus County Park as well as the Austin Catholic/New Life Christian Invitational; generated thirds at the Webberville-based Happy Acres Invitational and Marysville Invitational; collected fourths at the Birch Run Fall Invitational and a Division 2 regional hosted by Algonac High School; plus provided a 140th at the Division 2 state meet at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
Mary Kaminski, Imlay City.
Kaminski notched a time of 20:53.9 en route to a 16th at Division 2 regional contested at Algonac High School on Saturday, October 31.
The junior supplied a third at the Port Huron High School Invite; pulled up fifth at a Division 2 pre-regional hosted by Lutheran North High School; placed seventh at the Austin Catholic/New Life Christian Invite as well as at the Columbus County Park-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; garnered 10ths at the Birch Run Fall Invitational and a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet contested at Goodells County Park; contributed a 13th at the Marysville Invitational; ranked 14th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Cros-Lex High School; took 16th at an Algonac High School-based Division 2 regional; plus added an 18th at the Happy Acres Invitational in Webberville.
Elizabeth Sliman, Imlay City.
Sliman logged a 21:36 clocking for ninth Saturday, October 24 at a Division 2 pre-regional hosted by Lutheran North High School.
The junior pulled up sixth at the Port Huron High Invitational; ranked eighth at the Columbus County Park-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; placed ninth at a Division 2 pre-regional hosted by Lutheran North High School; generated an 11th at the Austin Catholic/New Life Christian Invitational; collected a 12th at the Birch Run Fall Invitational; furnished a 13th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet at Goodells County Park; supplied 18ths at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Cros-Lex High School and at the Marysville Invitational; plus tacked on a 25th at the Webberville-based Happy Acres Invitational.
Alice Johnson, Imlay City.
Johnson posted a time of 21:38 en route to a 10th during a Division 2 pre-regional contested at Lutheran North High School on Saturday, October 24.
The freshman took second at the Port Huron High Invitational; registered a sixth at the Austin Catholic/New Life Christian Invitational; obtained a seventh at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Cros-Lex High School; furnished a 10th at a Lutheran North High School-based Division 2 pre-regional; managed a 13th at the Columbus County Park-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; secured 14th during a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet at Goodells County Park; placed 15th at the Webberville-based Happy Acres Invitational; provided a 16th at the Birch Run Fall Invitational; pulled up 20th at the Marysville Invitational; plus notched a 41st at a Division 2 regional in Algonac.
Sydney Kapushinski, Imlay City.
Kapushinski provided a clocking of 21:59.3 for 36th Saturday, October 31 at an Algonac-based Division 2 regional.
The senior pulled up fifth at the Port Huron High Invitational; placed eighth at the Austin Catholic/New Life Christian Invitational; supplied 12ths at the Webberville-based Happy Acres Invitational and during a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet at Goodells County Park; furnished a 13th at the Birch Run Fall Invitational; obtained a 15th at the Columbus County Park-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; provided a 17th at a Division 2 pre-regional hosted by Lutheran North High School; pulled up 19th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Cros-Lex High School; registered a 23rd at the Marysville Invitational; plus added a 36th at an Algonac High School-based Division 2 regional.
Molly Kline, Almont.
Kline furnished a time of 22:14.8 en route to a fifth at the Bad Axe Invitational on Saturday, September 12.
The junior obtained fourths at the Laker Cross Country event and Cass City Invitational; supplied a fifth at the Bad Axe Invitational; took 19ths at a Goodells County Park-based Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet and Dave Patterson Challenge Invite in Mayville; pulled up 20th at a Division 2 pre-regional hosted by Lutheran North High School; managed a 20th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Cros-Lex High School; contributed a 24th at the Columbus County Park-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; notched a 31st at the Hemlock Classic; plus tacked on a 45th during a Division 2 regional at Algonac High School.
Ella Kage, Dryden.
Kage logged a clocking of 22:30.4 for 16th Saturday, October 3 at the Shepherd Bluejay Invite.
The senior took first at the Brown City meet; registered an eighth at the Webberville-based Happy Acres Invitational; wound up 10th at the Mayville-based NCTL League Meet; claimed 12ths at the Webberville-based Spartan Invitational and at a Division 4 pre-regional hosted by Mayville High School; contributed a 16th at the Shepherd Bluejay Invitational; placed 18th at the Heritage Invitational; plus added a 21st at a Division 4 regional hosted by Deckerville.
Second team- Ayla DeLaurier, Almont; Natalie Douglas, Imlay City; Emily Kwierant, Almont; Heather Fitchett, Almont; Gabby Douglas, Imlay City; Ava DeVlaminck, Dryden; and Haley Dempz, Almont.
Honorable mention- Alyssa Serra, Almont; Natalie Miller, Imlay City; Isabella Aldrich, Capac; Lily Finnigan, Dryden; Katelyn Whitney, Almont; and Audrey Napolitano, Dryden.
Coach of the Year- For directing Imlay City to firsts at the Austin Catholic/New Life Christian Invitational and a pre-regional hosted by Lutheran North; seconds at the Webberville-based Happy Acres Invitational, Birch Run Fall Invitational, Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meets hosted by Cros-Lex and Goodells County Park as well as the Columbus County Park-based Blue Water Area Conference League Meet; a third at the Marysville Invitational and a
sixth at a Division 2 regional hosted by Algonac High School, Sara O’Brien earns Tri-City Times All-Area Coach of the Year accolades.
Kevin Kissane has been covering high school sports for the Tri-City Times since 1985. When not standing on a field or court with his camera and notepad, he enjoys golf, travel and family. Kevin is a 1980 graduate of Capac High School, and is also a grad of St. Clair Community College and earned a degree in journalism from Central Michigan University.
