Once again, a Skaneateles cross country team occupies a prime spot in the state rankings.
Only now it’s the boys Lakers who have that honor, sitting at no. 14 in Class C as it entered OHSL Liberty National division competition Thursday by facing state no. 19-ranked Marcellus and beating the Mustangs 24-31.
Caleb Bender neede 18 minutes, nine seconds to win the individual race, nearly a full minute ahead of Marcellus’ Nick Roseboom, who was second in 18:59.
After the Mustangs’ Aiden Shea got third place (19:14), a group of runners helped push Skaneateles in front for good as Chris Burgher and Matt Persampieri both finished in 19:27 and Will Girzadis was sixth in 19:30. To clinch the Laker victory, Connor Gell made it to eighth place in 20:08.
The girls race between Skaneateles and Marcellus saw the Lakers’ Georgia McSwain contend for individual top honors, her time of 22:45 behind only the 22:18 from the Mustangs’ Maggie Strempel.
Still, Skaneateles lost, 23-36, as Marcellus had Madeline Caron (23:17) and Brielle McShane (24:19) finish ahead of the Lakers’ Hope Cross-Jaya, who was fifth in 24:40, just ahead of Sarah Tallerico (24:44) in sixth place.
Carolyn Carlic (seventh, 25:25) and Amy Francesconi (eighth, 25:38) finished out the Mustangs’ scoring grid as it faces Jordan-Elbridge Wednesday before running Saturday in the Baldwinsville Invitational.
