By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - The 35th annual Brandywine Cross Country Invitational was a success Saturday morning as the Bobcats hosted seven schools in one of the oldest meets in the state of Michigan.
“When you run something like this, you never know what to expect, but a lot of people helped out, the runners liked the course, it's just nice to be able to host something like this,” Brandywine head coach Jim Murray said.
Murray started the invitational in 1970 and it's been going strong since.
Brandywine's boy's team finished fourth, while the girl's took third.
Buchanan's boy's placed sixth, while the girl's team took second.
Mike O'Brien of Kalamazoo Hackett took first place overall in the boy's race with a time of 17:04.
Karina Stempien of Bronson was the overall girl's winner with a time of 20:11.
For the Bobcats boy's team, Brian Wieger led his team with a time of 18:10 to place him fifth overall.
Buchanan's Harper Sulier was the top runner for the Bucks and placed seventh overall with a time of 18:16.
Curtis Wilson, who has been out for the past few races, took a 15th place finish for the Bobcats with a time of 18:56.
“He (Wilson) was a transfer student from California this year and we had some paperwork problems, causing him to miss some of our races,” Murray said.
Nick Wheetley finished 20th for the Bucks with a time of 19:04.
Dan DeVos finished 21st for the Bobcats with a time of 19:08 and Tyler Weedon finished 22nd with a time of 19:12.
In the girls' race, Ashley Harrell led Brandywine with a time of 22:06, earning her a seventh place finish.
Buchanan's Erica Curti placed 11th overall and was the top runner for the Bucks with a time of 23:34.
Caylin Garrard finished right behind Curti, taking a 12th place finish with a time of 23:34.
Andrea Hemminger placed 17th with a time of 24:38, Stephanie Stanton took 18th with a time of 24:40 and Laura Kulis placed 19th with a time of 24:46 for the Bucks
Brandywine's Bettina Wolfe took a 20th place finish with a time of 24:48 and Sara DeVos finished 22nd with a time of 25:06.
“The team ran well as a whole,” Murray said. “It's the end of the season and we have a lot of kids who started this year inexperinced. Now they are all experienced and running much better.”
Brandywine will host the conference meet on Tuesday, with the boys' race beginning at 4:30 p.m. and the girls scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. The junior high race will begin at 5:45.
Team results
1. Mendon, 44
2. Kalamazoo Hackett, 54
3. Detroit Country Day, 83
4. Brandywine, 106
5. Bronson, 111
6. Buchanan, 141
7. Cassopolis, 207
8. Edwardsburg, 224
9. Marcellus, 257
Girls
1. Kalamazoo Hackett, 40
2. Buchanan, 88
3. Brandywine, 91
4. Edwardsburg, 99
5. Marcellus, 101
6. Mendon, 105
7. Bronson, 127