MARQUETTE — Sweeping the first six places, the Northern Michigan University women’s cross country team easily clinched the title at the annual Upper Peninsula Championships college cross country race held Friday afternoon at the NMU Golf Course in Chocolay Township.

NMU scored a perfect 15 points while Michigan Tech had 49. Bay College had just one runner finish.

Wildcats sophomore Anna Kelley won in 19 minutes, 27.7 seconds, barely more than five seconds ahead of runner-up and freshman teammate Meghan Langworthy, who clocked 19:33.1.

The top six runners all finished with 30 seconds of Kelley. NMU freshmen Kimberly Carviou was third in 19:41.5 and Caroline Vegeberg fourth in 19:43.1, sophomore Katrina Salmen was fifth in 19:43.8 and freshman Morgan Lyon was sixth in 19:56.1.

While unattached Michigan Tech runner Chloe Strach was seventh in 20:01.1, Tech’s first official finisher was Theresa Passe, eighth in 20:02.8.

NMU had 10 more runners compete as official members of its team. Freshman Emily Sterling was 10th in 20:11.3, while sophomore Aubrey Friedrich was 14th in 20:34.8, sophomore Chrysanthe Patselas 17th in 21:07.2 and redshirt freshman Katie Cleven 18th in 21:28.4.

Also, Northern sophomore Carrie Duerksen was 23rd in 22:34.9, junior Holly Blowers, a Marquette Senior High School graduate, was 24th in 22:47.8, junior Victoria Harris of Iron River 25th in 22:47.9, freshman Delaney Pickett 26th in 23:47.2, sophomore Sydnee Ormsbee 30th in 24:56.4 and sophomore Hannah Jones 31st in 25:38.2.

Several unattached runners from NMU also completed the race. Hilde Eide was ninth in 20:02.9, Nadine Matter 11th in 20:18.3, Molly Miller 15th in 20:41.2, Julie Ensrud 20th in 21:45.4, Mychala Spoelman 22nd in 22:23.7, Sydney Broberg 27th in 24:22.1, Lily Lindgren 28th in 24:41.5, Kylie Lockwood 29th in 24:53.4 and Nicole Beckman 32nd in 25:53.2.

Next up for NMU will be the GLIAC Championships to be hosted by Purdue Northwest in Westville, Indiana, next Saturday.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.