All of those wins in various large-scale invitational races helped push the Christian Brothers Academy girls cross country team to the top of the state Class C rankings early in October.
To stay there, the Brothers had to keep winning, which it did last Wednesday when it turned back state no. 19-ranked Cazenovia 22-33 in a three-team race where CBA also routed Solvay 15-50.
Olivia Morganti won the individual race, her time of 18 minutes, 45 seconds nearly half a minute ahead of Cazenovia’s Clara Rowles, who was second in 19:10.
Then Lea Kyle finished third in 19:24 and Bri Pucci was fourth in 19:34 to beat out the Lakers’ other top runner, Meggie Hart (19:45) as Cory Knox was sixth in 20:04 and Deja Jones clinched it with an eighth-place time of 20:57.
In the boys race, CBA beat Solvay 19-36, but lost, 21-34, to Cazenovia, with Riley Nash taking third place in 16:43, beating out Zach Medicis (16:48) for that spot. The Lakers’ James McPherson won in 16:29, with Jon Marecek second in 16:33.
East Syracuse Minoa met Auburn last Wednesday, and routed the Maroons 15-50 in the boys race, with Nick Berg dominating the individual race for the Spartans as he won in 17:03, nearly a full minute ahead of David Rivers (18:01) in second place.
The Spartans swept the top six, with Nolan Byrd third in 18:13 as Michael Saunders got fourth place in 18:56 and Casey Engineri was fifth in 19:04. Evan Zelenz posted 19:21 as Michael Nesci finished in 20:08 and Marcus Evans posted 20:14.
In the girls race, ESM dropped a narrow 27-30 decision to Auburn as Ellie Beaulieu, in a time of 21:54, finished a close second to the Maroons’ Abbie Izzo, who won in 21:47.
Auburn claimed three of the top four spots before Mary Schug made it to fifth place in 22:51. Marina Lopez was sixth, in 23:05, with Rosaschi eighth in 23:40 ahead of Jazmin Tyo (23:48) and Mary Neff (23:51).
Bishop Grimes and Manlius-Pebble Hill raced together with Faith Heritage and Pulaski last Wednesday, with the Trojans’ Autumn Kerr finishing fourth in the girls race in 22:05 as Alicia Kelly led the Cobras, getting to eighth place in 23:02.
