Week in review

Harriers seek division precision; up for grabs: sectional bids in soccer and football

By RICHARD A. ROSS

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — It was all on the line at the Division IV cross-country division championships held at Liberty on October 13 in a faceoff between the girls of Sullivan West and Tri-Valley. This is the first year the two schools have been in the same division. Tri-Valley owned Division V for the past 17 years and the Lady Bulldogs have ruled Section IV for the past seven. As of October 11, Tri-Valley was ranked sixth in New York State in Class C and Sullivan West was 10th, according to Mile Split US. Rhinebeck, from the Mid Hudson Athletic League of Section Nine, is ranked eighth.

They faced each other twice this season and split the ticket. Now it was all on the line. Sullivan West’s Rianne Erlwein came in as the number one-seed but how the remaining top runners placed from the two schools determined the outcome.

Eldred’s boys looked to rack up a Division V title. Once again, the Yellow Jackets downed the bigs, this time at their “home” meet staged at Monticello. Having beaten Liberty by a mere two points the week before, Eldred fought off an emboldened Indians squad that had just placed second at the Unatego Invitational without three of its top five runners.

Eldred’s Hunter Proscia, Alex Campanella, Gerald Green, Kwame Agyapon and Russell Amore grabbed first, fourth, fifth, seventh and 13th to beat second-place Liberty by 10 points. Sullivan West’s girls won by edging Monticello by a single point.

In soccer, Fallsburg’s boys are on the verge of returning to sectionals after a one-year hiatus. They handily beat Tri-Valley last week and have a rematch with them this week. Liberty’s girls also look to get back to the dance after an absence. Tri-Valley (Class C), Sullivan West (Class B) and Livingston Manor (Class D) ladies look like shoe-ins as well. Liberty and Sullivan West’s teams duked it out in Indians territory on October 13 in a rematch. A few weeks back, Liberty won the opening boys tilt, while Sullivan West took home the victory in the first girls fray.

Liberty’s football team kept its playoff hopes alive with a win over Pine Plains; Ellenville (6-0) clinched the division and Sullivan West improved to 5-1 with a 35-0 trouncing of Onteora. The top four Class C teams will make playoffs. As of now, it looks like Liberty, Millbrook and Spackenkill are vying for two remaining spots. LMR put up a courageous fight but lost 46-6 to Chester. Tri-Valley fell 37-7 to Spackenkill.