All-Area girls’ cross country chosen

TRI-CITY AREA — One sub-20 minute runner, two competitors posting bests in the 20s and four others registering personal records covering the 21s make up the 2024 edition of The Tri-City Times All-Area girls’ cross country squad

Here is a look at who made the squad and the credentials they amassed en route:

Cara Prusakiewicz, Dryden.

Best effort: Prusakiewicz provided a Tri-City best clocking of 19:50.6 en route to a 23rd at the Division 4 state finals on Saturday, November 2.

Michigan International Speedway, in Brooklyn, is where the meet was contested.

Top finishes: The junior earned the distinction of race pacesetter at a Wagener County Park-based Division 4 regional and the Greater Flint CC Championships; took second at the Mayville-based Big Thumb Conference League Meet; registered a third at the Oakdale Classic; provided a sixth at the Dryden Cardinal Classic Invitational; obtained ninths at the 56th Holly-Duane Raffin Festival of Races; and Wagener Park XC Invitational; supplied a 10th at the Bret Clements Bath Invitational; pulled up 23rd at the Division 4 state finals (securing All-State accolades); plus added 54th at the Brooks Mid-Season Spectacular.

Laila Evola, Almont.

Evola posted a 20:48.5 time for 100th Saturday, November 2 at the Division 3 state finals.

Michigan International Speedway, in Brooklyn, is where the action unfolded.

The junior placed fourth at the Greater Flint CC Championships; collected a ninth at the Mariner Invitational; supplied 10ths at a Columbus County Park-based BWAC Jamboree Meet and Green Devil Invitational in Brown City; furnished an 11th at the second BWAC Jamboree Meet in Algonac; managed a 14th at the Dewitt Cross Country Invitational; claimed a 16th Dryden Cardinal Classic Invitational; placed 19th during Division 3 regional at Columbus County Park; generated a 32nd at the Autumn Classic Invite; plus managed a 100th at the Brooklyn-based Division 3 state finals.

Taylor Stanczak, Almont.

Best effort: Stanczak notched a 20:54.8 clocking en route to a 109th at the Division 3 state finals on Saturday, November 2.

Michigan International Speedway, in Brooklyn, is where the meet was contested.

Top finishes: The freshman supplied a sixth at the Greater Flint CC Championships; claimed 12ths at the Blue Water Conference League Meet in Goodells and Dryden Cardinal Classic Invitational; obtained 15ths at the Mariner Invitational and a Columbus County Park-based Division 3 regional; took 16th at the Green Devil Invite in Brown City; furnished a 19th at a Columbus County Park-based BWAC Jamboree Meet; notched a 23rd at the second BWAC Jamboree Meet in Algonac; garnered a 24th at the Cass City Invite; collected a 27th at the Autumn Classic Invite; plus added a 109th at the Brooklyn-based Division 3 state finals.

Charlotte O’Brien, Imlay City.

Best effort: O’Brien supplied a 21:15.9 time for 25th Tuesday, October 1 at the Birch Run Fall Invitational.

Top finishes: The senior placed fifth at the Algonac Fox and Hounds Invite; provided a sixth at the Marysville XC Invitational; placed 10th at an Algonac-based BWAC Jamboree Meet and at the Blue Water Area Conference League Meet in Goodells; registered a 13th at a Colmbus County Park-based BWAC Jamboree Meet; generated a 19th at the Dryden Cardinal Classic Invitational; furnished 25ths at the Autumn Classic Invite and Birch Run Fall Invitational; placed 33rd at the Brooks Mid Season Spectacular; obtained a 35th at the Hatchet Invitational; generated a 51st at a Shepherd-based Division 2 regional; plus tacked on a 55th at the Hanson’s Invitational

Daniela DeLuca, Imlay City.

Best effort: DeLuca furnished a 21:41.8 clocking en route to seventh at the Algonac Fox and Hounds Meet on Tuesday, October 8.

Top finishes: The sophomore generated a seventh at the Algonac Fox and Hounds Meet; collected an 11th at the Mariner Invitational; supplied a 14th at an Algonac-based BWAC Jamboree Meet; obtained a 16th at the Marysville Invitational; garnered a 21st at the Blue Water Area Conference League Meet in Goodells; claimed 34ths at a Columbus County Park-based BWAC Jamboree Meet and Birch Run Fall Invitational; placed 42nd at a Shepherd-based Division 2 regional; provided a 51st at the Autumn Classic Invite; registered an 85th at the Brooks Mid Season Spectacular; plus added a 93rd at the Hanson’s Invitational.

Greta Schwarberg, Almont.

Best effort: Schwarberg provided a 21:31.8 time for 21st Saturday, October 26 at a Columbus Coounty Park-based Division 3 regional.

Top finishes: The junior toook seventh at the Greater Flint CC Championships; obtained a 21st at a Columbus County Park-based Division 3 regional; furnished a 23rd at the Dryden Cardinal Classic Invitational; manged 27ths at an Algonac-based BWAC Jamboree Meet and Dewitt Invitational; notched a 76th at the Autumn Classic; plus tacked on a 205th at the Brooklyn-based Division 3 state finals.

Claire Wright, Dryden.

Wright managed a 21:38.7 clocking en route to a 12th at Wagener County Park-based Division 4 regional on Saturday. November 2.

The freshman obtained a fourth at the Mayville-based Big Thumb Conference League Meet; provided an eighth at the Greater Flint CC Championships; ranked ninth at the Oakdale Classic; pulled up 12th at a Wagener County Park-based Division 4 regional; furnished a 17th at the Bret Clemens Bath Invitational; placed 26th at the 56th Holly-Duane Raffin Festival of Races; wound up 33rd at the Wagener County Park Invitational; registered an 84th at the Brooks Mid Season Spectacular; plus added a 109th at the Division 4 state finals hosted by Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

Second team-Kendal Donahue, Imlay City; Melina Campbell, Almont; Lilyana Lasher Dryden; Caila Fitchett, Dryden; Charlotte Verougstraete, Almont; Almont; Paityn Edson, Imlay City; and Hannah Hayes, Imlay City.

Coach of the Year– For directing his team to a first among small schools at the Greater Flint CC Championship; thirds at a Division 3 regional and Mariner Invitational; plus a 26th at the Brooklyn-based Division 3 state finals, Almont Coach Jamey Wade earns Tri-City Times All-Area Coach of the Year accolades.