ONONDAGA COUNTY – Just in time, the sun broke out last Wednesday, lifting the gloom following early-week rains and allowing for better conditions for area cross country teams and their league meets.
West Genesee went head-to-head against Baldwinsville at Durgee Junior High School and the visiting Wildcats managed to sweep this meet against the Bees, prevailing 27-29 on the boys side and 23-34 over the Bees on the girls side.
As he has done all season, Peter McMahon ran away from the field in the boys race, his time of 15 minutes, 42.7 seconds well clear of the 16:26.5 from B’ville’s Solomon Holden-Betts.
Michael Gomes finished third in 17:28 flat, with Kevin Moser fifth in 17:30.6. Aidan Walsh got a seventh-place finish in 17:45, and while the Bees swept the rest of the top 10, Max Broccoli’s 11th-place clocking of 18:12.5 helped WG hang on.
Moving to the girls race, the Wildcats’ Claire Griffin finished in 20:38.6, second to the 20:30.3 from B’ville’s Sophia Cavalieri, but WG went in front when Zoe Maupin posted 20:48 flat and Peyton Long was fourth in 21:30.1.
Chloe Feitz ran well, too, going to sixth place in 22:12.4, while Karolina Lata was eighth in 22:30.2. Andrea Conklin, 10th in 23:06.1, led a pack that included Emily Schiffer (23:11.8), Grace McInerney (23:46.5), Madalyn Lauricella (23:48.3) and Rebecca Dickey (23:49.4).
Skaneateles met up with Phoenix and swept both sides of that meet over the Firebirds by equal 15-50 margins.
In the boys race, Will Girzadas won in a time of 18:13, well clear of Seamus Fogerty’s second-place 18:55. Aidan Ward and Nolan Gryzlo both crossed the finish line in 19:08 to complete a top-four sweep. Michael Galbato, in 20:33, was in front of Patrick Hagan (21:16), Ethan Leubner (22:10) and Sam Coleman (22:45).
Over in the girls race, Lucy Fleckenstein and Tobi DiRubbo ran 1-2, each posting 22:47. Grace Conan landed in fourth place in 23:51, just ahead of Lillian Yengo’s 24:02 as Caroline Wells got a time of 24:30.
Marcellus took part in last Saturday’s Manhattan Invitational at VanCortlandt Park in the Bronx, where Caeden Cox led the boys Mustangs when he finished 39th in the varsity “F” race in a time of 14:20.8, well clear of the 15:04.6 from teammate Nate Alexander.
