MARCELLUS – Following up on an undefeated regular season, the Cazenovia boys cross country team would beat six challengers to win the National division portion of Wednesday’s Onondaga High School League Liberty championships at Marcellus Park.
The Lakers’ total of 48 points was well clear of runner-up and host Marcellus (72 points) as, in the overall OHSL race, Cazenovia was second with 91 points, only behind Mexico’s winning total of 44 points.
Again, freshman Jake Woolbert led the way for Cazenovia. In a field of more than 130 runners, Woolbert’s time of 15 minutes, 42.6 seconds beat everyone except Mexico senior Ethan Becker, who won in 15:42.6.
Still, Woolbert’s run topped the Liberty National field, with Eddie Comeau fourth in that group and 10th overall in 16:33.3 as two other Lakers just missed overall top-20 finishes.
Kooper Wilmot earned 21st place (11th in the Liberty National meet) in 17:11.3, just beating out Garrett Lounsbury’s 17:13 flat as Lounsbury was 12th in the division and 22nd overall.
And it was sophomore Gavin Wagner clinching the Liberty National portion for the Lakers, finishing 36th overall in 17:43.1 to beat the 17:49.6 from Henri Mongeau and 17:54.9 from Owen Woodworth.
Chittenango, who was fourth in the Liberty American division and eighth overall, was led by Ethan Lavier, who was 33rd in 17:40.6. Bryce Edwards (17:48.8) and Gavin Roach (17:49.7) bracketed Mongeau for the Bears as Logan Rogers finished in 17:49.9 and Jacob Neupert (18:12.7) edged out Manu Tipa (18:13.7).
This followed an OHSL girls race where Chittenango not only captured the overall race, it made a statement as a possible favorite for next Saturday’s Section III Class B championships at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill.
With seven of the top 20 individual runners, the Bears’ total of 38 points easily beat out runner-up Skaneateles (73) overall and also topped three other Liberty American division sides – Westhill, Christian Brothers Academy and Homer.
To lead Chittenango, Mariah Stewart made her way to fifth place in 19:40 flat, running right with teammate Laura Powers, who got to sixth place in 19:40.1, and Natalie DiGennaro, who in 19:45.1 gained seventh place.
Then it was Sophia DiGennaro earning 11th place in 20:06.4, while Ani McCarthy clinched Chittenango’s victory when she ran 20:25.3 for 14th place, ahead of the 20:28 flat from Ava McLean in 15th place. Emily Judd finished 19th in 20:54.9.
