Lakers finish regular season undefeated
Submitted by Kurt Wheeler
The Cazenovia girls cross country team wrapped up their regular season with a decisive 17 to 44 victory over Jordan-Elbridge on Oct. 17 to finish undefeated at 6-0 and clinch the OHSL Liberty-National league title.
The Lakers dominated the Eagles, placing eight of the first ten runners across the line to post their lowest score of the season against a complete team with just 17 points, only two short of a “perfect” 15. Isla Stover (20:11), Clara Rowles (20:11) and Molly Hart (20:41) easily finished one, two, three to kick off the Cazenovia victory. Finlay Stover ran a gutsy race (20:49) to hold off a challenge from JE’s number one runner (20:50) and clinch fourth place.
One more Eagle slipped across the line (21:08) before the Cazenovia’s pack iced the win by seizing the next four places to lock in the Lakers’ low score and displace JE’s remaining runners, bumping their total to 44 points. Madeline McGreevy had her best race of the season to finish fifth for the Lady Lakers, seventh overall, at 22:05. Kelly Frost (22:19), Mary Williams (22:43) and Jackie Gamlen (22:47) all rounded out the top 10 and outran J-E’s third scorer.
The entire team raced well on the Eagles’ fast 2.9-mile course despite the cold, blustery conditions. Eleanor Wester (22:53) and Mia Chesbrough (23:04) both outran J-E’s final scorers. Emma Steinberg (23:45), Eva Gagnon (23:51), Jenna Steinberg (24:30), Madison Chamberlain (24:33) and Maggie Rowles (24:44) all turned in some of their fastest times of the season.
The Lakers will now prepare to take on the entire 13-team OHSL Liberty field at the league championship meet on Oct. 24 before vying for their fourth Section III title since 2010 on Nov. 3.
