Everything that the Liverpool girls cross country team built in a 2017 season that concluded with an appearance at the Nike Cross Nationals in Oregon has carried over into a new campaign.
In fact, the Warriors emerged as the top performers at Saturday’s Chittenango Invitational, held on the same course that will host the Section III championships early in November.
Not only did Liverpool win Varsity Race 2 with 30 points to runner-up Baldwinsville’s 85, it claimed first place in the overall “Merge” when all three races were included.
Earning 70 points in the “Merge”, the Warriors edged Shenendehowa (77 points), who managed to knock off defending national champion Fayetteville-Manlius in Varsity Race 1 before Liverpool ran.
Senior Madison Neuner and junior Jenna Schulz went 1-2 in the individual race, Neuner finishing in 18 minutes, 26.6 seconds and Schulz posting 18:36.8. Those were the second and third-fastest times overall behind F-M’s Claire Walters, who finished in 17:50.7.
Sydney Carlson claimed seventh place in Varsity Race 2 in 19:18.8, with Windsor Ardner ninth in 19:58.6 as Emily Neuner got to 11th place in 20:27.2. Isabella Brancato (20:59.8) and Gabby McCarthy (21:17.0) also recorded top-20 finishes as Eva Woodworth (22:20.7) was 28th.
Liverpool swept both of the Varsity 2 races as the boys Warriors gained 25 points, again with Baldwinsville (69 points) in the runner-up spot. Overall, Liverpool was second in the “Merge” behind F-M.
Pulling off its own 1-2 finish, the Liverpool boys had senior Nathan Reeves prevail in 16:25 flat, comfortably ahead of sophomore Carter Rodriguez, who got second place in 16:36.8. Of all the day’s runners, Reeves finished fifth and Rodriguez took ninth place.
Back in Varsity 2, the Warriors included Jake Magowan getting fourth place in 16:47.3 as Nick Brancato was seventh in 17:06.7. Spencer Ruediger made it to 11th place in 17:15.1 as T.J. Praschunus was 18th (17:49.5), two spots ahead of Dawson Newbern (18:08.0).
Liverpool and C-NS were supposed to open the season with a head-to-head meet last Wednesday at Oneida Shores, but the triple-digit heat index forced a postponement until Oct. 3.
C-NS also ran in the Chittenango Invitational, but in Varsity Race 1 where F-M was. Both Northstars teams finished fourth in their respective races.
Eighth-grader Kate Putman had the best individual finish for either C-NS side, taking sixth place in the girls race with a time of 19:29.1, the 14th-best time overall.
Allison Newton finished 23rd in 20:27.9, three spots ahead of Maria Marullo (20:38.0), the only senior on the top Northstars squad. Abbee Norris was 36th in 21:18.2, with eighth-grader Marissa Navarra 38th (21:31.1) ahead of Kate Capone (22:50.8) and Hannah Reichard (22:57.4).
Meanwhile, in boys Varsity Race 1, C-NS had Nathan Poirier and R.J. Davis in the top 10, Poirier getting ninth place in 16:52 flat and Davis taking ninth place in 17:03.7.
Matt LeClair finished 15th in 17:36.6, with Christian Carlin getting to 30th place in 18:28 flat. Evan Breitbeck was 33rd in 18:36.4, with Brad Laquidari (18:43.4) beating out Josh Koeppe (18:46.8) for 37th place.
