ISHPEMING, Mich. (csssaints.com) --
Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, Wash./Liberty Bell HS) posted the program-best finish by a St. Scholastica female at a NCAA Central Regional Championship, Saturday, in the women's 5km freestyle at Al Quaal Park, stopping the clock in 14:00.9, to finish second.
Northern Michigan's Sophie Schimpl led wire to wire to take the win over Dickinson by 10.2 seconds with a winning time of 13:50.7. Michigan Tech's Andrea Lee rounded out the podium in third in 14:10.6.
Ellie Evans (New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS) posted her career best regionals finish as well, earning All-NCAA Central Regional honors in ninth, in a time of 14:33.8.
Chelsey Youngberg (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) rounded out the Saints scoring in 16th place, in 15:01.3. The Saints finished third behind NMU and Alaska-Fairbanks.
Schimpl came across time checks in the lead the entire race, with Dickinson trailing slightly to halfway. At the halfway mark, Schimpl led by three seconds, while Dickinson led Lee by two seconds. The gaps would grow to roughly 10 seconds between each of the top three at the finish.
"I saw Kelsey coming [at the halfway point] and she just looked so smooth and powerful," said Saints head coach
Chad Salmela. "I could see she was skiing the best she had this winter, just by watching, but then I took the split and she was leading by 13 seconds already with a few top-seeded skiers through." Her time held up against all later challengers in the start order except Schimpl.
With Schimpl, the favorite, leading by only three seconds at halfway, Salmela admits "I got a little greedy. I started thinking about the W. Second was awesome, but with three seconds, you just look forward." Salmela wasn't disappointed with second at all, and believes it's a transformative race for Dickinson.
"This is the most memorable ski race I've ever had," said Dickinson of her performance. "Including biathlon." Dickinson raced two seasons internationally as a member of the junior and senior U.S. Biathlon Teams before returning to St. Scholastica this year.
"I think this will change the way she sees herself as a ski racer. I knew she had this in her, but every athlete needs to find the balance of a great performance to remember it and replicate it in the future. It happened for her today, really the last two weeks. It'll give her confidence. It's a great time for that just over two weeks from the NCAA Championships too."
Sharmila Ahmed (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville HS) ('15) is the only other Saints woman to stand on an NCAA Central Regionals podium when she finished third in the same event at the 2015 championship. Dickinson ties Paul Schommer ('15) for the top regionals finisher. He finished second in the 2012 men's 10km freestyle. Both performances happened on the same Al Quaal course.
Evans and Dickinson become only the fourth and fifth lady Saints to earn all-region honors. "With Kelsey's big second place finish, you have to remember that Ellie had an amazing day herself," said Salmela. "I'm really proud of how Ellie has handled herself this year, and this is a great reward."
The Saints end the season with a 15km Mass Start Classic Sunday at Al Quaal.
