A new season for the Skaneateles boys cross country team offers plenty of challenges, which began by traversing the same course where things will culminate in two months’ time, when Section III championships are handed out.
The Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Invitational brought out most of the area’s top teams, divided into four varsity races. The Lakers were in Race 2, debuting a new lineup that held up fairly well, finishing seventh out of 14 teams with 207 points. Baldwinsville (35 points) beat West Genesee (58 points) for the top spot.
Freshman Joe Norris led Skaneateles, finishing 33rd among team runners, and 43rd overall, in 19 minutes, 22.2 seconds. Just behind him, another ninth-grader, Caleb Bender, posted 19:23.1 for 34th-place team points as he was 46th overall.
Nate Azzam, yet another Lakers freshman, cracked the top 50 and was 37th on the team side in 19:31.3. Senior Tyler Lewis, with his clocking of 20:21.9, was 51st in the team standings as ninth-grader Matt Persampieri was 52nd in the team race in 20:25.7.
Each of the Skaneateles cross country teams will open their league schedules at Altmar-Parish-Williamstown on Wednesday, part of a three-team contest with Christian Brothers Academy, before going to Saturday’s East Syracuse Minoa Invitational.
