Kelsey Carmean is making a habit out of finishing first this year.
The Brandon High School senior led the charge for the Blackhawks? girls cross country team once again at the Linden Classic Saturday, Sept. 23, finishing first among all competitors with a time of 20:03, beating out St. Clair’s Amy Hanekow (20:20).
She has also finished in first place at two other invitationals this year (the Cavalier Classic and the Chesaning Invitational) as well as the Blackhawks? lone league meet to date against Fenton and Clio.
Carmean helped the Blackhawks win the meet with 66 points, as the Blackhawks edged out Hartland (77 points) for the top spot. Flint Metro League rival Fenton was third with 103 points.
The Blackhawks has three other competitors finish in the top 20 at the invite: Hannah Scherer (10th, 21:17), Kelly Craciun (14th, 21:39) and Jamie Hendershott (16th, 21:43).
Carmean is being counted on this season to help lead the Blackhawks to another state meet, which would be the fourth time in four years she has been part of a state qualifying team. Last year, the Blackhawks placed eighth at the Division 2 state girls cross country meet, their highest such finish in school history.
During that race, Carmean was the Blackhawks? leading runner, finishing 45th overall with a time of 19:31.4.
Prior to this season, she said she trained with several college Division I athletes and competed in several road races during the summer. She won the Port City 5K in 19:16 and finished second in the Grand Woods 5K.
In the latter race, Carmean finished just behind former Brandon teammate Danie Ashford, who competed in the Big Ten Championships for the University of Minnesota as a freshman last fall.
Carmean said she intends to compete at the college level next year, and is considering Central Michigan University and Oakland University, but for now she is focusing on helping the Blackhawks this season.
‘The Blackhawks? boys team finished seventh in the invitational with 189 points. Fenton won the meet with 33 points, while another league rival, Linden, finished second with 74 points.
Steve Sanday was the leading Brandon boys? runner, placing 11th in 17:40, while Nicola Grupido finished 20th in 18:03.