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Cross-Country
Bulldog girls capture Division IV title, boys place second
By RICHARD A. ROSS
HAMPTONBURGH, NY — The wind, whipping around furiously on
October 15, led to many coaches’ speculations that times would be down at the
Orange County Divisional Meet.
Given the nature of the course, the runners would never have
the wind at their backs. With bad weather and a small number of teams slated to
run in Division III and Division IV, officials and coaches decided to save time
by running the two divisions together. Results would still be tallied for each
division separately.
The Sullivan West girls captured the Division IV title by
beating John S. Burke Catholic and James I. O’Neill. The Bulldogs swept the
first three places with April Ackermann (21:06) as the Division IV individual
champion, followed by Jamie Clifford (21:36) and Amanda Ward (21:38). Jessica
Wagner (22:45) was in a position to give the Bulldogs a fourth place, but she
fell back and finished sixth due to a side stitch near the end of the race.
Side stitches can result from potassium deficiencies.
According to coach George Shakelton, eating bananas prior to races can help.
Wagner, who has been plagued with side stitches in the past, took Shakelton’s
suggestion and ate one in the morning, but it may have been too early since the
race did not start until 4:00 p.m.
Shakelton noted several amazing aspects of the race. First
and foremost, Class C Sullivan West’s three top girls beat out Class B
Cornwall’s entrants. At one point, coming up over the top of the hill at the
two-mile mark, Ackermann, Clifford, Ward and Wagner led the four top Cornwall
racers. Cornwall held out two of its runners from the race for unknown reasons.
Each of the Sullivan West girls beat her own time from the
previous week’s run on the same course by a minimum of 28 seconds. Kim Parks
lowered her time by two minutes. Moselle DiPane (22:53) came in eighth place.
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Mike
Van Wagenen (17:49) of Sullivan West came in second in the Division
IV championship meet behind David Weart (16:59) of James I.
O’Neill. The Bulldogs placed second in Division IV.(Click
for larger image)
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The boys’ race also featured a combined field of Division
III and IV runners with times separated out for each division standing. The
Sullivan West boys placed second behind James I. O’Neill. The Bulldogs beat
John S. Burke Catholic and Liberty, who did not field a complete team.
David Weart (16:59) of James I. O’Neill was the individual
champion. Sullivan West’s Mike VanWagenen (17:49), who bested his time of 18:34
on the same course last week by 45 seconds, placed second. Andy Henshaw (18:07)
of James I. O’Neill came in third and Will Henry (18:25) of O’Neill finished
fourth.
Bulldogs Rob Ward (18:34), Trevor Kreznar (18:51) and Matt
Gain (18:55) finished fifth, sixth and seventh. Adam Nebzydoski (21:12)
finished 16th.
“He [Nebzydoski] is amazing,” Shakelton said. “He works
really hard and continues to lower his times.”
James I. O’Neill is predicted to take first place in the
Section IX boys meet and make states. The next five top runners in the section
(not including O’Neill’s runners) would qualify. Shakelton believes that could
very well be VanWagenen, Ward, Kreznar and Gain.
At the Orange County League Meet on October 24, the Bulldogs
will race against strong teams such as Class A Washingtonville, Warwick and
Monroe-Woodbury, as well as Class B Cornwall. The Sectional Meet will be on
October 31. Both of those meets will be run at Orange County Park. The state
meet will be held on November 8 at Marcus Whitman High School in Rushville, NY.
Tri-Valley girls win Division V title, Eldred’s boys take
third
HAMTONBURGH, NY — Paced by national standout Heather Iatauro
(19:53), Tri-Valley nailed down the top three times in the Division V
Championship Meet to capture the title. The Bears edged out Chapel Field,
Eldred and Chester. Courtney Roosa (22:12) and Erin Beach (22:34) of Tri-Valley
came in second and third. Eldred’s Maggie Schneider (24:22) finished fifth.
Similarly, the Tri-Valley boys took the top three places to
help the Bears capture the Division V title. Travis Wells (17:18.9), Jeremy
Mathsen (18:41) and Derek Smith (19:08) crossed the finish line in first, second
and third places. Eldred’s Kieran Pierce (19:33) took fifth and Max Gunther
(20:39) finished seventh. Yellowjackets Coyote Anderson (22:35) came in 16th,
James Jennings( 23:08) came in 19th and John Genninger (29:47) finished 25th.
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