Having already swept Cicero-North Syracue in CNY Counties League competition during last week’s action, both of Baldwinsville’s cross country teams made their way to Saturday’s Manhattan Invitational to take on more elite competition.
This annual October gathering at VanCortlandt Park in the Bronx features large fields and a shorter course. They run 4,000 meters through VanCortlandt, which is 1,000 meters less than an average high school cross country race.
In a shorter race, speed matters more, and the Bees tried to show it, putting together strong team efforts in both of their respective events.
Marissa Lathrop, Maizy Ludden and Elizabeth Fawwaz led the B’ville girls in the Varsity B division, as Lathrop took 14th place in 15 minutes 37 seconds flat, and Ludden was 16th in 15:40.7, the Bees’ senior pair trailing Haddonfield’s Brianna Gees, who won in 14:25.6.
Meanwhile Fawwaz’s fine freshman campaign continued with a 19th-place finish in a clocking of 15:56.4. Kelley Hull got to 48th place, in 16:40.4, while Mia Bolton was 64th in 17:09.4, five spots ahead of Emily McComb (17:18.0). Claire McMahon made it to 76th place in 17:28.2.
Moving to the boys Varsity A race, B’ville got its best effort from Arden Kellner, who needed exactly 13 minutes, 22 seconds to make his way to 16th place in an event where Cornwall’s Aiden Doyle won in 12:52.8.
Ryan DeLola finished 24th, in 13:31 flat, exactly nine seconds behind Kellner, while Michael Boyce got to 27th place in 13:35.1. Cameron Morrissey’s time of 13:50.5 put him in 36th place, while eighth-grader Austin Bolton was 44th in 13:57.8 and Dan Conlan (14:05.1) got 49th place. Collin Spaulding gained 69th place in 14:30.1.
Before going to the Bronx, the Bees engaged in a three-team meet last Wednesday, with the key component a showdown with Cicero-North Syracuse, though Syracuse West was also present.
B’ville swept the meet, claiming a tight 27-28 decision over the Northstars and also handling Syracuse West 17-46 to improve its CNY Counties League mark to 6-2, and also winning the girls meet by comfortable margins.
