With a spot in the top 10 in the latest state Class C rankings, the Skaneateles boys cross country team have made a rapid ascent in recent years, and its latest victory only reinforces that point.
Caleb Bender’s individual title was only part of the reason why the Lakers triumphed in the Small School division of Saturday’s Baldwinsville Invitational.
With 77 points, Skaneateles pulled away from Jordan-Elbridge, who finished second with 129 points. In all, 35 teams took part, with Marcellus getting eighth place and Solvay in 31st place.
Bender covered the 2.9-mile Durgee Junior High School course in 15 minutes, 31.5 seconds, more than 20 seconds ahead of the 15:51.6 from the runner-up, Cazenovia’s Jared Smith.
Just as important was the runs by Joe Norris and Matt Persampieri as Norris was eighth in 16:22.6 and Persampieri was ninth in 16:24.7. Tony DiRubbo took 27th in the team race (28th overall) in 17:20.3, with Josh Reed clinching the team title as he made his way to 32nd place among team runners in 17:28.3.
Skaneateles also did a great job in the girls Small School race, its team total of 129 points ahead of rival Cazenovia (146 points) and beating all the other local sides, too, getting second place overall as Trumansburg won with 86 points.
Sarah Tallerico paced the Lakers, her time of 19:48.4 seventh overall and sixth among team runners. Hope Cross-Jaya was 21st in the team event (23rd overall) in 20:47.3 as Lillian Yengo was 25th in 21:12.4, Georgia McSwain got 28th place (21:19.1) and Elyse Osmun, in 22:02.1, was two spots ahead of Sophia Aureden (22:03.6).
J-E’s boys had Sean Dristle make his way to fourth place in 15:59.3, just ahead of teammate Kenny Williams, who was seventh in 16:21.6. Derek Quigley was 15th in 16:54 flat and Lee Jewell was 26th among team runners in 17:16.9, but no other Eagle finished in the top 75.
Marcellus was led by Aidan Shea, who finished 33rd in the team race (34th overall) in 17:29.5, while Kevin Huss got 36th place in 17:32.9 and Caeden Cox was 42nd in 17:39.5. Solvay’s top finisher, Ryan Trendell, was 80th in 18:35.9.
Over in the girls race, Marcellus had a sixth-place effort as Anella Bolster made her way to the top 10, taking ninth place among individuals in 19:52.4, while Meaghan Strempel finished 13th in the team race (14th overall) in 20:18 flat.
On its way to finishing seventh, J-E saw Vassianna Klock beat all of the other local runners, her time of 19:27.5 putting Klock in fourth place. Hannah Fichter was 20th in the team event in 20:36.4 as Coral Uhle (21:29.4) got 32nd place.
West Genesee finished sixth in the girls Large School division at B’ville and eighth in the boys division, with Natalie Buckhout pacing the girls Wildcats as she got 18th place in 19:48.6, with Hannah Craybas 27th among team runners in 20:12.3, five spots ahead of Faith Knox’s time of 20:24.6.
Matt Bartolotta led WG’s boys, recording a seventh-place finish as he posted 15:43.1, with Peter McMahon getting 14th place in 16:11.8 as no other Wildcats runner cracked the top 60.
