ISHPEMING – Jake Brown and Sophie Schimpl of the Northern Michigan University ski teams won titles on the first day of the NCAA Central Regional Championships held at Al Quaal Recreation Area in Ishpeming on Saturday.

Brown and Schimpl each scored their victories in commanding fashion.

Brown captured the men’s 10-kilometer freestyle crown after finishing in 24 minutes, 36.6 seconds, more than a minute ahead of the runner-up.

Schimpl won the women’s 5K freestyle in 13:50.7, 10.2 seconds faster than the second-place skier.

After the first of a two-day meet, both NMU teams are in first place. The men have 62 points, four ahead of second-place Michigan Tech, while the Northern women also have 62 points, five ahead of runner-up Alaska-Fairbanks.

Both Wildcat teams had several other top-10 finishers Saturday. On the men’s side, Northern’s Sam Elfstrom was fourth in 25:50.6 and Krystof Kopal eighth in 26:12.1. For the women, Sophie McDonald was fourth in 14:11.3 and Caroline Brisbois eighth in 14:30.2.

The Wildcats wrap up the meet today back at Al Quaal. The men’s 20K classic begins at 10 a.m. while the women’s 15K classic starts at 12:30 p.m.

For more details on Saturday’s results, visit NMU’s athletics website at nmuwildcats.com/sports/skiing/results, then click on the links under “2015-16” and “Feb. 20 – NCAA Central Regional Championships.”