TRI-CITY AREA — From start to finish, the 2023 edition of The Tri-City Times All-Area girls’ cross country team excelled.
Here is a look at who was selected to this year’s lineup and the performances they registered en route:
Cara Prusakiewicz, Dryden.
Best effort: Prusakiewicz set a school record of 21:00 en route to a 66th at the Division 4 state finals on Saturday, November 4.
Michigan International Speedway, in Brooklyn, is where the meet was contested.
Her performance lowered the previous mark of 21:00.3 by Ella Kage during the 2019 campaign.
Top finishes: The sophomore placed fourth at the Linden Classic and North Central Thumb League Meet hosted by Dryden High School; took eighth at the Bret Clements Bath Invitational; obtained a ninth at the Corunna Earlybird Invitational; generated a 10th at a Division 4 regional hosted by Wagener County Park; supplied an 11th at the Oakdale Classic in Lapeer; furnished a 14th at the 55th Holly/Duane Raffin Festival of Races; secured a 26th at the Wagener County Park Invitational; provided a 64th at the Greater Flint Championships; plus added a 66th-place finish during the Division 4 state finals at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
Audrey Napolitano, Dryden.
Best effort: Napolitano posted a 21:17.1 time for 20th Saturday, September 30 at the Wagener Park Invitational.
Top finishes: The senior collected a fifth at the Linden Classic; registered a seventh at the Corunna Earlybird Invitational; furnished eighths at the Dryden-based North Central Thumb League Mee and Oakdale Classic in Lapeer; obtained a ninth at the Bret Clements Bath Invitational; managed a 16th at a Wagener County Park-based Division 4 regional; notched a 20th at the Wagener County Park Invitational; claimed a 24th at the Holly/Duane Raffin Festival of Races; placed 31st at the Cardinal Classic in Dryden; supplied a 35th at the Ubly Invitational; registered a 73rd at the Greater Flint Championship; plus tacked on a 137th during the Division 4 state finals at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
Charlotte O’Brien, Imlay City.
Best effort: O’Brien supplied a 21:33.2 clocking en route to a 45th at the Shepherd Blue Jay Invitational on Saturday, September 30.
Top finishes: The junior took second at the Algonac Fox and Hounds Invitational; collected a fourth at the Oakdale Classic in Lapeer; obtained a fifth at the Genesee Invitational; furnished ninths at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree in Almont and a North Branch-based Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree; placed 14th at the Frankenmuth Invitational; registered 15ths at the Autumn Classic and Birch Run Invitational; garnered 16ths at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet in Cros-Lex and the Dryden Cardinal Classic; pulled up 20th at the Corunna Earlybird Invitational; and tacked on a 50th at a Shepherd-based Division 2 regional.
Laila Evola, Almont.
Evola posted a time of 21:52.5 for 12th Friday, October 27 at a Division 3 regional in Dewitt.
Top finishes: The sophomore placed sixth at the Green Devil Invitational in Brown City; obtained a ninth at the Skippers Cross Country Classic; obtained a 10th at the Dewitt Invitational; claimed an 11th at the Cardinal Classic in Dryden; pulled up 12th at a Division 3 regional in Dewitt; garnered a 13th at a Blue Water Area Conference hosted by Cros-Lex High School; furnished a 14th at the Oakdale Classic in Lapeer; provided an 18th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree in Almont; collected a 21st at the Autumn Classic; registered a 27th a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree in North Branch; plus contributed a 159th during the Division 3 state finals hosted by Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
Laela Bhatti, Imlay City.
Bhatti registered a 21:54.6 clocking en route to a 55th at the Shepherd Bluejay Invitational on Saturday, September 30.
Top finishes: The senior pulled up seventh at the Algonac Foxes and Hounds Invitational; placed eighth at the Genesee Invitational; provided a 16th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet in North Branch; supplied 21sts at the Dryden-based Cardinal Classic as well as a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet in Almont; collected a 24th at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree hosted by Cros-Lex; took 29th at the Birch Run Fall Invitational; obtained a 31st at the Oakdale Classic in Lapeer; furnished a 38th at the Corunna Earlybird Invitational; garnered a 42nd at the Frankenmuth Invitational; placed 55th at the Shepherd Bluejay Invitational; provided a 58th at a Shepherd-based Division 2 regional; plus registered an 81st at the Autumn Classic.
Lily Finnigan, Dryden.
Finnigan furnished a 22:02.9 clocking for 18th Saturday, October 28 at a Wagener County Park-based Division 4 regional,
Top finishes: The senior obtained a ninth at the North Central Thumb League Meet in Dryden; registered a 15th at the Linden Classic; took 18th at a Wagener County Park-based Division 4 regional; contributed a 24th at the Bret Clements Bath Invitational; managed a 27th at the Corunna Earlybird Invitational; provided a 30th at the Oakdale Classic in Lapeer; placed 36th at the Holly/Duane Raffin Festival of Races; wound up 40th at the Ubly Invitational; collected a 42nd at the Wagener County Park Invitational; supplied a 52nd at the Cardinal Classic in Dryden; generated a 98th at the Greater Flint Championships; plus added a 171st during the Division 4 state finals at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
Ayla Delaurier, Almont.
Delaurier posted a time of 22:25.5 for 12th at a North Branch-based Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet on Tuesday, September 12.
Top finishes: The senior took a seventh at the Brown City-based Green Devil Invitational; provided 12ths at a North Branch-based Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet and at the Oakdale Classic in Lapeer; generated a 17th at a Division 3 regional in Dewitt; obtained a 19th at an Almont-based Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet; placed 20th at the Autumn Classic; registered a 21st at a Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Cros-Lex; pulled up 27th at the Dryden-based Cardinal Classic; plus registered a 213th during the Division 3 state finals at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
Second team– Alice Johnson, Imlay City; Lauryn Donahue, Imlay City; Kendal Donahue, Imlay City; Caila Fitchett, Dryden; Lucia Calleja, Imlay City; Amanda Fitchett, Almont; Lillian Eason, Dryden; and Savanna Siewert, Almont.
Honorable mention– Hannah Hayes, Imlay City.
Coach of the Year– For directing Imlay City to a first at the Algonac Foxes and Hounds Invitational; a second at the Birch Run Fall Invitational and among large schools at the Genesee Invitational; a third at an Almont-based Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet; fourths at a North Branch Jamboree Meet, the Frankenmuth Invitational and Blue Water Area Conference Jamboree Meet hosted by Cros-Lex; plus a fifth at the Dryden-based Cardinal Classic, Imlay City Coach Sara O’Brien earns Tri-City Times All-Area Coach of the Year accolades.
Kevin Kissane
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.
