Cardin leads with grace.

• Position: SPORTS

Byline: Steve Farley

COLUMN: CROSS-COUNTRY

Sutton High's 15th-year coach, Bill Gillin, said Jessie Cardin is a student of cross-country. Entering her fifth season on the varsity, Cardin undoubtedly could teach a course on how to be the perfect student-athlete.

Cardin, a four-time T&G Super Team All-Star selection, may be the defending Central Mass. Division 2 champion, but you won't hear the junior bragging or boasting about her accomplishments. In fact, she's quite humble and grateful for her abilities.

"My running and everything I do is for the Lord," said Cardin, who won the CMass championship - her favorite meet - in 17:47.7 before finishing 12th (19:18) at All-States. "He's blessed me with a gift and I think that's important. That's the main reason why I run."

"She's our workout leader," Gillin said. "She's obviously a very talented runner and has been for a number of years. She doesn't brag about it. She's extremely polite and a very caring young lady. She's very unassuming. She's always trying to get a better understanding of the sport, which is crucial for young runners."

While someone of Cardin's stature could have been disappointed for not being chosen captain, she was actually thrilled when senior Vicki Graham was voted unanimously by her peers to fill that role.

"I voted for her myself," said Cardin, who wants to become a teacher someday and work with special-needs kids. "I know she deserved it. I kind of knew this year there could have been a chance to be captain. It's her time to be on top as a leader. I'm going to support her in everything she does as long as she has good motives behind it.

"You don't have to be a captain to be a leader," Cardin added. "(The coaches) don't really ever have to worry if I'm going to have a good day or a bad day. They know they can rely on me."

When Cardin, 16, burst on the scene as a seventh-grader, she never thought she'd become CMass champion, but it didn't take her long to realize she was good. Make that really good.

Her sister, Rachael Cardin, a former Suzies harrier who is a standout runner as a senior at Westfield State, wasn't happy when Jessie beat her in a dual meet. Fortunately, the friction between the two didn't last long.

"I guess at the beginning, it was rough," said Jessie, who also has two brothers. "I hadn't realized what a big deal it was when I made (varsity) as a seventh-grader. I was just having fun being on the team and running. She was a senior and she had all this stuff...