Further cementing its place atop the Onondaga High School League Liberty division standings, the Skaneateles boys cross country team topped Cazenovia and host Solvay in Tuesday’s race at Long Branch Park.
Skaneateles prevailed 20-41 over Cazenovia and 15-50 over Solvay, backing up its state Class C no. 11 ranking as, once again, Caleb Bender led the charge.
Bender had already finished 1-2 with Cazenovia’s Jared Smith in the Small School race at the Sept. 21 Baldwinsville Invitational. And it happened here, too, Bender tearing to a time of 15 minutes, 38 seconds, nearly a minute ahead of Smith’s 16:31.
And Matt Persampieri was just behind Smith, finishing third in 16:38. Joe Norris got fourth place in 17:02, with Will Girzadas earning fifth place in 17:40.
Josh Reed, in 17.44.5, was seventh, just behind Cazenovia’s Stan Angus (17:44.2), but Skaneateles swept the rest of the top 10, Tony DiRubbo getting eight place in 17:59 ahead of Seamus Fogerty (18:09) and Nolan Gryzlo (18:12).
The girls race between state Class C no. 14-ranked Skaneateles and no. 17-ranked Cazenovia also had first place in the league on the line, and it was those other Lakers that pulled it out by a one-point margin, 28-29.
Individually, Skaneateles went 1-2, Sarah Tallerico winning the individual race in 19:53 and Hope Cross-Jaya getting second place in 20:19 before Cazenovia’s Lauren McLean (20:49) and Isla Stover (20:53) took the next two spots.
Lillian Yengo was fifth in 21:09, maintaining Skaneateles’ early lead, only to have Cazenovia snatch four of the next five finishing spots to get in front, despite Sophia Aureden’s 21:51 that put her in ninth place. It took Cazenovia’s sixth runner getting 10th place (Laura Fitzgerald, in 21:41) to earn her team the victory.
A day later, Marcellus and Westhill both swept their respective league meets – the Mustangs against Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, the Warriors against Homer.
The boys Mustangs routed APW 15-50 behind Kevin Huss, who won the race in 18:37 as Aidan Shea was second in 18:41. Caeden Cox finished third in 18:55 as Jonah Kwasnowski (19:46) and Elijah Hart (19:52) completed a top five sweep.
For the Marcellus boys, Anella Bolster claimed individual honors in 21:16, well clear of the 21:50 from Meaghan Strempel. Alyssa McShane was third in 23:20, ahead of Virginia Lucchetti (23:57) and Sophia Maum (24:38).
The Westhill boys beat Homer 17-46, led by a top-three sweep. Jacob Fricano won in 16:02, just ahead of the 16:03 from Mike Ferrara and Will Thornton, while Angelo Carr was fifth in 16:06. Brian Allen finished sixth in 16:53.
In the girls Warriors’ 21-36 win over the Trojans, Liz Kessler, with her time of 19:59, was second to Homer’s Emma Anderson (18:34), but Westhill’s depth won out.
Addie Lowery finished in 20:05, just ahead of the 20:14 from Angie Mesa. Sara Thompson posted 20:50 and Kylie Nowicki finished in 20:52, with Emily O’Reilly (20:57) and Ashley Heffernan (21:41) following.
The Jordan-Elbridge boys defeated Hannibal 23-32. Though Sean Dristle, in 16:46, finished second behind Hannibal’s Dylan Plantz (16:14), Kenny Williams got third place in 16:50 as Lee Jewell was fifth in 17:11. Derek Quigley, in 18:04, was just ahead of Colin Jewsbury (18:10) in sixth place.
