For most of the Skaneateles cross country teams, the 2016 season will prove circular, at least in terms of competitions.
The Lakers had its first race last Saturday during the Chittenango Invitational, which just happens to be the course where the Section III championships will get decided on the first Saturday of November.
However, for the girls Lakers, the race was abbreviated. Instead of 3.1 miles, they ran only 1.7 miles due to warm temperatures and humidity that pushed the heat index near the century mark.
In a 12-team field in Varsity Race 4, Skaneateles finished fifth, with 100 points, inches behind Cazenovia (95 points) and South Lewis (99 points) as Clinton, with 59 points, edged Beaver River (65 points) for top honors.
Julia Willcox led the Lakers’ individuals, finishing in 11 minutes, 20.6 seconds for seventh place as Cazenovia’s Meggie Hart won in 10:26.7.
Natalie Condon, in 11:54.9, beat out Maddy Brogan (11:55.6) for 12th place, while Chloe Metz was 25th in 12:52.7. Georgia McSwain was 43rd in 13:37.8, ahead of Morgan Dodds, who finished in 14:01 flat, and Nicole DeRosa, who had 14:26.4.
The Skaneateles boys cross country team was 12th in its Varsity Race 4, earning 300 points. Nolan Meier was 44th in 20:16.9, seven spots clear of Tyler Lewis (20:31.5) in 51st place. Nick Paciorek (21:44.1) was just in front of J.W. Simmons (21:53.5) and Tony Dirubbo (22:01.9), with Connor Gell (23:03.3) and Chris Burgher (23:47.0) further back.
These same teams go to the East Syracuse Minoa Invitational this Saturday before opening OHSL Liberty division competition Sept. 20 at Jordan-Elbridge in a three-team meet that also includes CBA.
