Cross Country preview

14 – The Leader-Herald
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Sports
2012 Cross Country Preview
Amsterdam
■ Coaches: Kevin Wilary
(boys, Third season), Stuart Palczak (girls, 13th
season)
■ Last season (boys): 62, 3rd in Big 10, eighth at
Section II Class B meet
■ Last season (girls): 51, 2nd in Big 10, 11th at
Section II Class B meet
■ Key departed runners
(boys): Jon Nelson, Gaddiel Ruiz
■ Key departed runners
(girls): Emily Hastings
■ Returning runners
(boys): Nick Raponi (Sr.),
Matt Raponi (Sr.), Ian Alejandro (Sr.), Josh Turo
(Sr.), Pat Purtell (Sr.), Brett
Flint (Soph.)
■ Returning runners
(girls): Megan Ottati (12),
Kelly Paris (12), Deb Johnson (12), Caitlyn Adamchick (11), Illenis Quinones,
McKenna Palczak (10),
Chantel Dopp (9)
■ Newcomers (boys):
Teddy Picciocca (Soph.),
Jon Knack (Frosh.), Alex
Stewart (Soph.)
■ Newcomers (girls):
None
■ Coachʼs Comment
(boys): “With a core of veteran runners led by Nick
and Matt Raponi, the Rams
look to improve their standings in the Big 10 league
and will gun for a top five
position in the very competitive Class B sectionals.”
■ Coachʼs Comment
(girls): “With a seasoned
and talented top seven,
the Rams look to regain
their Big 10 league title
and vie for a top-five finish
in the competitive Class B
sectionals.”
Johnstown
■ Coach: Allissa LaPort (second season)
■ Last season (boys): 0-7 Foothills Council
■ Last season (girls): Incomplete team
■ Key departed runners (boys): Kyle Pollak, Matt Miller, Brendon Hayner, Joshua Muzzi
■ Key departed runners (girls): None
■ Returning runners (boys): Eric Brower, Tyler Askew, Daeshan Buseck, Cam Roten
■ Returning runners (girls): Emily Fettinger, Quincey Brabant, Alyssa Henry
■ Newcomers (boys): Aaron Alvarez, Seth Clark
■ Newcomers (girls): Skylar Swatt, Cheyenne DaCorsi
■ Coachʼs Comment: “Itʼs great to see new faces that are welcomed by our seasoned runners. Thereʼs been a lot of
growth in the team and the runners are utilizing each other to better one and another as a whole. We now have a full
girls team to compete with once again. Everyone is anxious to start the season.”
Above: Amsterdamʼs
Megan Ottati, left, Kelly
Paris, center, and Chantel
Dopp run during Tuesdayʼs
Big 10 meet last season at
Amsterdam High School.
Mayfield
■ Coach: Greg Ernst
(Ninth season)
■ Last season (boys):
3rd at Section II Class C
championships
■ Last season (girls):
3rd at Section II Class C
championships
■ Key departed runners
(boys): Matt Montgomery,
Lance Frasier, Dave Krutz
■ Key departed runners
(girls): Jessica Glode,
Margo Derby
■ Returning runners
(boys): Tom McClellan,
Tom Steele, Josh Gallup,
Jake Smith, Mitch Akowicz, Cody Horowitz, Josh
Murphy, Sam Kilpatrick,
Joe Ringer
■ Returning runners
(girls): Sarah Montgomery,
Lidija Nikollaj, Allie Miller
■ Newcomers (boys):
Ryan Bumpus, Luke Cole,
Brent Gray
■ Newcomers (girls):
Kelsey Wasson
■ Coachʼs Comment
(boys): “The boys team
should be good in the
WAC and sectionals this
year. Tom McClellan will
be joined by a solid returning core and although we
lost some key runners to
graduation, our goal is to
improve on last yearʼs
third-place finishes.”
■ Coachʼs Comment
(girls): “The girls are a
small yet competitive
group. Seniors Lidija and
Sarah have been WAC allstars and made it to the
state meet the last two
seasons. With senior Allie
Miller coming back and
newcomer Kelsey Wasson, it should be another
productive season.””
At left: The FondaFultonville girls cross
country team (yellow
jerseys) breaks from the
starting line at the
Section II Class C
Championships last season
at Saratoga Spa State Park
in Saratoga Springs.
Photos by
Bill Trojan
and
Paul Wager
The Leader-Herald
Canajoharie-Fort Plain
■ Coach: Charlie Karker (Seventh year)
■ Last season (boys): 6-3 overall, 4-3 Western Athletic
Conference, 5th at WAC meet, 15th at Section II Class C
meet
■ Last season (girls): 6-3 overall, 5-2 WAC, 3rd at WAC
championships, 13th at Section II Class C championships
■ Key departed runners (boys): Luke DeBoer, John
Adams, Chris Ward, Avery Johnson, Zach Strobel, Sam
Hoffman
■ Key departed runners (girls): Brittney Clay, Steph
Terwilliger, Samantha Auriemma, Valerie Hoffman
■ Returning runners (boys): Lucas Steenburg (Soph.),
Zephran Vosburgh (Jr.), Evan Searles (Soph.), Jordan
Ahrens (Jr.)
■ Returning runners (girls): Quinn Li OʼShea (Sr.),
Catie Corrigan (Sr.), Abby Boyer (Jr.), Alexis Kane (Soph.)
■ Newcomers (boys): Travis Herringshaw (Frosh), Andrew Hanifin (Frosh.), Gene Ryan (Jr.), Josh Cechricki
(Jr.), Alex Decker (Soph.), Austin VanAvery (Soph.),
Ruben MacFarlane (Jr.)
■ Newcomers (girls): Taylor Andrews (Jr.)
■ Coachʼs Comment (boys): “We are an inexperienced
but motivated group. our league is always tough, so if we
can match last yearʼs accomplishments, that would be
good.”
■ Coachʼs Comment (girls): “We must stay healthy so
we arenʼt incomplete as a team. Weʼre trying to recruit
more girls as school starts.”
Saturday, September 1
Canajoharie-Fort Plain, Mayfield, Broadalbin-Perth, Gloversville
at Fonda-Fultonville Invitational, 9 a.m.
Saturday, September 8
Canajoharie-Fort Plain, Mayfield, Fonda-Fultonville
at Blackbird Invitational, 9 a.m.
Gloversville, Broadalbin-Perth, Johnstown
at Guilderland Invitational, 9 a.m.
Amsterdam at Niskayuna Ekiden, 9:30 a.m.
Tuesday, September 11
Fonda-Fultonville at Voorheesville, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 15
Canajoharie-Fort Plain, Amsterdam, Mayfield, Broadalbin-Perth,
Johnstown, Gloversville, Fonda-Fultonville at Fort Plain Invitational, 9 a.m.
Tuesday, September 18
Gloversville at Glens Falls, 4:15 p.m.
Johnstown, Queensbury at Hudson Falls, 4:15 p.m.
Broadalbin-Perth, South Glens Falls at Scotia-Glenville, 4:15 p.m.
Amsterdam, Catholic Central at Schenectady, 4:15 p.m.
Watervliet at Fonda-Fultonville, 4:30 p.m.
Canajoharie-Fort Plain, Mayfield, Saratoga Catholic at Galway, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 22
Gloversville, Mayfield, Johnstown, Amsterdam, Broadalbin-Perth
at Galway Invitational, 9 a.m.
Fonda-Fultonville at Queensbury Invitational, 9 a.m.
Tuesday, September 25
Gloversville, Scotia-Glenville at Hudson Falls, 4:15 p.m.
Broadalbin-Perth
■ Coach: Jeff Richards (10th season)
■ Last season (boys): 6-1 Foothills Council, 2nd at
Foothills Council championships, 4th Section II Class B
championship
■ Last season (girls): 6-1 Foothills Council, 3rd at
Foothills championship, 5th Section II Class B championship
■ Key departed runners (boys): Cameron Anastasia,
Austin Becker, Justin Ferguson, James Vainauskas
■ Key departed runners (girls): Emily Baker, Opal Jessica Bogdan, Alesia Bousa, Sarah DePalma, Lindsay LaPort, Anna McConnell, Nicole Vainauskas
■ Returning runners (boys): Greg Bogdan, Patrick
Brown, Matthew Dyer, Alex Hitrick, Hunter Martin, Nickolai
Murphy
■ Returning runners (girls): Christa Decker, Coreena
Monroe, Sarah Naple, Alex Opalka, Victoria Opalka,
Mackenzie Ottati
■ Newcomers (boys): Henry Caughey
■ Newcomers (girls): Renee Bellinger, Montana Smith.
■ Coachʼs Comment: ““In order to be successful this
year, our young squad must develop quickly, adjust to
being varsity runners and believe that they can be just as
successful as those who came before them. Although we
are low in numbers, there is a lot of talent. I am hoping
that each of these young runners realize their potential
quickly. Being low in numbers will require this to happen
as there is little room for a runner to have a bad race.”
Cross Country Schedule
Broadalbin-Perth, Queensbury at Glens Falls, 4:15 p.m.
Johnstown at South Glens Falls, 4:15 p.m.
Amsterdam, Troy at LaSalle, 4:15 p.m.
Middleburgh, Galway at Canajoharie-Fort Plain, 4:30 p.m.
Mayfield at Schoharie, 4:30 p.m.
Schalmont, Cobleskill-Richmondville at Fonda-Fultonville, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 29
Gloversville, Mayfield, Broadalbin-Perth at Johnstown Invitational, 9 a.m.
Fonda-Fultonville, Amsterdam, Canajoharie-Fort Plain at E.J. Herrmann
Invitational (Utica Proctor), 9 a.m.
Tuesday, October 2
Amsterdam, CBA at Albany, 4:15 p.m.
Gloversville, Broadalbin-Perth at Johnstown, 4:30 p.m.
Schoharie, Saratoga Catholic at Mayfield, 4:30 p.m.
Canajoharie-Fort Plain, Duanesburg at Middleburgh, 4:30 p.m.
Fonda-Fultonville at Lansingburgh, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 6
Fonda-Fultonville, Broadalbin-Perth, Johnstown, Gloversville
at Grout Run (Central Park, Schenectady), 9 a.m.
Tuesday, October 9
Bishop Maginn, Bishop Gibbons at Amsterdam, 4:15 p.m.
Canajoharie-Fort Plain, Saratoga Catholic at Mekeel Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Mayfield at Berne-Knox-Westerlo, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 13
Canajoharie-Fort Plain, Mayfield, Fonda-Fultonville, Broadalbin-Perth,
Johnstown, Gloversville at Burnt Hills Invitational
(Saratoga Spa State Park), 9 a.m.
Amsterdam at Manhattan College Invitational, 9 a.m.
Fonda-Fultonville
■ Coaches: Mark Therrien, Mike Benton
■ Last season (boys):
Colonial Council champions, Section II Class C
champions, 3rd Place at
state Class C championships
■ Last season (girls):
2nd at Colonial Council
championships, 2nd at
Section II Class C championships
■ Key departed runners
(boys): Mike Scott, Kaleb
Godfrey, Levi Redlin
■ Key departed runners
(girls): None
■ Returning runners
(boys): Tyler Angioli (Sr.),
Matt Hoffman (Sr.), Omijah
Piening (Sr.), Jacob Shave
(Sr.), Jimmy Westman
(Sr.), Dalton Hunter (Jr.)
■ Returning runners
(girls): Kimberly Geniti
(Jr.), Carly Littlejohn (Jr.),
Samantha Phelps (Jr.),
Katie Wisniewski (Jr.),
Jamie Kasza (Frosh.)
■ Newcomers (boys):
Joe Fox (Sr.), Cameron
Gilligan (Jr.), Dylan DeSorbo (Soph.), Jason Klotz
(Soph.), Danny Westman
(Soph.), Damian Freeman
(Frosh.), Cole Wozniak
(Frosh.)
■ Newcomers (girls):
None
■ Coachʼs Comment
(boys): “We have a great
group of boys with a lot of
experience so we look forward to seeing how they
improve upon last yearʼs
successes. Iʼm looking forward to seeing the improvements in this group
this season and, as always, we hope to be in the
top groups at the league
championships and sectionals.”
■ Coachʼs Comment
(girls): “We have a small
but experienced group,
and as always, we hope to
improve on last yearʼs accomplishments. Kimberly
Geniti, Jamie Kasza and
Samantha Phelps went to
states last year, so we will
be looking to them to lead
the way again this year.”
Gloversville
■ Coach: Bob Fisher
(26th season)
■ Last season (boys):
5th in Foothills Council
championship
■ Last season (girls): 4th
in Foothills Council championship
■ Key departed runners
(boys): None
■ Key departed runners
(girls): Kellie Lawton
■ Returning runners
(boys): John Knox, Alex
Gifford, Hunter Marshall,
Phil Meher, Jack Hayes,
Justin Unislawski
■ Returning runners
(girls): Emily Ambrosino,
Sarah Ambrosino, Haley
Schuyler, Alicia Anich, Darrianna Port, Morgan Reinhardt
■ Newcomers (boys):
Matt Rivera, Tyler Unislawski, Logan VanDuesen
■ Newcomers (girls):
Brittany Craven, Cassandra Ryan, Kate Senzio,
Tierney VanDuesen
■ Coachʼs Comment:
“Weʼre hopeful of a top
three finish in the Foothills
and a top six in sectionals
barring injuries and we get
continued improvement.”
Tuesday, October 16
Queensbury, South Glens Falls at Gloversville, 4:15 p.m.
Glens Falls, Johnstown at Scotia-Glenville, 4:15 p.m.
Hudson Falls at Broadalbin-Perth, 4:15 p.m.
Fonda-Fultonville at Albany Academy, 4:30 p.m.
Galway, Duanesburg at Mayfield, 4:30 p.m.
Canajoharie-Fort Plain, Berne-Knox-Westerlo at Schoharie, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, October 19
Gloversville, Fonda-Fultonville at Greenwich Invitational, 3:15 p.m.
Monday, October 22
Gloversville, Johnstown, Broadalbin-Perth
at Foothills Council Championships, 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 23
Canajoharie-Fort Plain, Mayfield at WAC Championships
(Fort Plain), 3 p.m.
Wednesday, October 24
Amsterdam at Big 10 Championships (Saratoga Spa State Park), 3 p.m.
Friday, October 26
Fonda-Fultonville at Colonial Council Championships
(Saratoga Spa State Park), 3 p.m.
Saturday, October 27
Gloversville, Amsterdam at Harvest Classic
(Knickerbacker Park, Troy), 9 a.m.
Friday, November 2
Section II Championships (Saratoga Spa State Park), 10 a.m.
Saturday, November 10
State Championships (Elma Meadows), 9 a.m.