Even with a solid effort at the Sept. 28 McQuaid Invitational in Rochester, the Skaneateles boys cross country team fell from no. 2 to no. 10 in the ensuing state Class C rankings, just ahead of Westhill in the no. 11 spot.
Responding to this, the Lakers faced archrival Marcellus last Wednesday afternoon at the Polo Grounds, and Skaneateles swept both sides against the Mustangs, winning 19-42 in the boys race and 23-32 in the girls race.
Caleb Bender again led the Skaneateles boys, enduring the cold, damp conditions to post a time of 16 minutes, 23 seconds, nearly a full minute ahead of runner-up Matt Persampieri, who in 17:11 edged Joe Norris (17:12) for that spot.
Kevin Huss, who was fourth in 17:45, was Marcellus’ top runner, with Caeden Cox fifth in 18:10, but the Lakers swept the rest of the top 10.
Tony DiRubbo, sixth in a clocking of 18:20, led a Skaneateles group that included Will Girzadas in seventh place (18:25) and Connor Gell in eighth place (18:35) as Will Swarts was ninth in 18:38 and Nolan Gryzlo (18:40) beat out the Mustangs’ Aidan Shea (18:45) for 10th place.
Skaneateles won on the girls side over Marcellus by having four of the top five finishers, including up front, where Sarah Tallerico went 20:32 over the Polo Grounds course to beat out the 20:50 from the Mustangs’ Anella Bolster.
Then Hope Cross-Jaya, in 21:03 flat, got third place, with Lillian Yengo fourth in 22 minutes flat and Sophia Aurdeen fifth in 22:06.
Four Mustangs followed, Alyssa McShane (22:11) in front of Virginia Lucchetti (22:28), Sophia Maum (22:30) and Amy Francesconi (23:20) before the Lakers’ Ellie McSwain finished 10th in 25:15 to clinch her team’s sweep.
Westhill, meanwhile, had its own dominating meet against Mexico, earning a pair of 15-50 victories over the Tigers.
Jacob Fricano led the boys Warriors as he posted a top time of 17:49. Will Thornton was second in 18:23, edging Mike Ferrara (18:24) for that spot as Brian Allen (19:03) and Justin Nowicki (19:04) complete a top-five sweep ahead of Brandon Mulholland (19:05) and Angelo Carr, who posted 19:22.
Over in the girls race, Liz Kessler was victorious for state no. 25-ranked Westhill in 22:25, beating out Katherine Evans, who posted 22:40. Addie Lowery finished in 22:43 as Emily O’Reilly (23:18) and Kylie Nowicki (23:50) followed, with Alexis Bergett (24:44) ahead of Gianna Zerillo (25:11) and Ashley Heffernan (25:20).
Jordan-Elbridge was no. 18 in the state Class C boys rankings before last Wednesday’s meet against Solvay and Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, with the Eagles sweeping the Bearcats and Rebels.
Individually, Kenny Williams, in 18:52, edged out Sean Dristle (18:53) and Lee Jewell (18:54) as the Eagles’ top three ran together. Derek Quigley posted a time of 19:49 as Richard Raus finished in 22 minutes flat.
The J-E girls also handled Solvay and APW as Vassianna Klock won the race in 22:25, more than two minutes ahead of Hannah Fichter’s 24;31. Coral Uhle was third in 24:33as Tia Parkolap posted 25:39 and Kendall Shaw finished in 25:46. Lindsay Jackson posted 27:59.
Both of the Marcellus teams ran Saturday in the Tully Invitational, where it finished seventh in the girls Small School race as Bolster was 10th in 20:42.9 and Strempel finished 16th in 21:44.2.
The boys Mustangs, who finished sixth in the Small School division at Tully, had Aidan Shea, in a clocking of 18:17.1, beat out Huss (18:20.0) for 19th place, with Cox 28th in 18:46.5. Solvay’s Luke Dwyer was 29th in 18:47.8 to lead the Bearcats.
