A large step toward the Cazenovia girls cross country team’s defense of its OHSL Liberty division title was taken Wednesday when it defeated main challenger Skaneateles 22-34 in a three-way meet at Homer where the Lakers also beat the host Trojans 22-38.
Jeannette Cudney led Cazenovia, even though her time of 19 minutes, 47 seconds left her third behind Skaneateles’ Madeline Adams (19:11) and Homer’s Jade Auchmoody (19:41).
Megan Stanford, by finishing fourth in 20:19, and Michelle Karker, by claiming fifth place in 20:21, put the Lakers in front. Then Malone Gabor and Margarety Wolsey kept them there, Gabor taking eighth place in 20:29 and Wolsey ninth in 20:37, ahead of the fourth and fifth Skaneateles runners.
In the boys meet, Cazenovia fell to Homer 23-32 and to Skaneateles 24-35. Ben Langey still got third place in the individual event in 18:30, inches behind the Trojans’ Luke Tesoriero (18:29) for the runner-up spot, though Homer’s Tim Walsh easily won in 17:39. Sean Satchwell was ninth in 19 minutes flat, with Ian Abernathy (19:02) close behind in ninth place.
Chittenango’s girls cross country team went to Fulton and ripped the Red Raiders 16-46, also beating Cortland 16-45.
Shannon Bunce, in 21:56, edged Kendall McGee (21:57) for the top spot, with Anna Galbreath third (23:20) and Kaleigh Johnson fourth in 24:01. Kaitlin Alongi worked her way to seventh place in 24:47 and Alissa Crane (25:26) grabbed eighth place.
In the boys race, a trio of Fulton runners, led by Dylan Holden, who won in 18:24, finished ahead of Chittenango’s Jason Given, who got fourth place in 18:57. The Bears also saw Kenny Galbreath finish sixth (19:06) and Isaac Czarnecki grab seventh place in 19:12.
