Local grads help Geneseo to title
Grossman, Ruggles pace team to SUNYAC cross country crown
The Geneseo men’s cross country team was an easy winner at the SUNYAC Championship last Saturday in Preble and the Knights were led by senior Riley Grossman. It was the team’s seventh straight title, winning this year with 19 points.
Grossman, from Bethlehem and a Bethlehem High graduate, finished first out of 100 runners with an 8,000-meter (4.97-mile) time of 26 minutes, 52.7 seconds. He was the school’s seventh individual winner.
Right behind Grossman was junior Ezra Ruggles of Saratoga Springs (Saratoga High), who was the runner-up with a time of 26:57.0. Sophomore Kyle Gronau of Clifton Park (Shenendehowa High) didn’t figure in the scoring but was 12th in 27.42.7.
The Geneseo women captured their 10th straight title with 17 points, the team posting the four top finishers in the race. Freshman Katie Grossman of Bethlehem (Bethlehem High) and junior Ciara Knott of Saratoga Springs (Saratoga High) didn’t count in the scoring, but Grossman finished 11th in the 6,000meter (3.73-mile) race with a time of 25:44.9 and Knott was 14th with a time of 25:57.5.
Kelsey Chmiel (Saratoga Springs)
The junior finished first to help the North Carolina State women’s cross country team capture its sixth straight Atlantic Coast Conference title at the league championship last Friday in South Bend, Ind. The twotime All-american covered the 6,000-meter course in 20:02.7. The Saratoga High graduate was 16th in last year’s race but went on to finish ninth in the NCAA Championship.
Meghan Cavanaugh (Clifton Park)
The senior is playing for the South Florida women’s soccer team. The Bulls are 11-3-2 overall and 6-1-1 in the American Athletic Conference after a 2-0 league victory over Temple on Oct. 28. The Shenendehowa High graduate had her first goal of the season in the game. Cavanaugh had three goals and an assist last season and had 12 goals and eight assists in her two seasons when she played at Ualbany.
Noah Carey (Guilderland)
The senior captain finished seventh to help the Penn men’s cross country team finish third at the Ivy League Championship last Saturday in Princeton, N.J. The Guilderland High graduate earned All-ivy honors when he covered the 8,000 meters in a personal-record time of 23:56.6. Columbia junior Tyler Berg of Ballston Lake (Burnt Hillsballston Lake High) finished 11th with a personal-best time of 24:11.1.
Alexa Thompson (Schenectady)
The senior finished fifth to help the Misericordia women’s cross country team capture its fifth title in seven years at the Middle Atlantic Conference Championship last Saturday in Center Valley, Pa. The Guilderland High graduate covered the 6,000-meter course in 23:59.0. Stevens Tech senior Erin Miceli of Guilderland (Guilderland High) was 21st in the field of 155 with a time of 24:47.5.
Dylan Dubuque (East Greenbush)
The senior linebacker was named Empire 8 Conference Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday after a big effort for the 8-0 Cortland football team in a 47-3 victory over Alfred last Saturday. The Columbia High graduate blocked a punt that was recovered by a teammate in the end zone. It was his second blocked punt of the season. He also had six tackles and forced a fumble.
Payton Zophy (Clifton Park)
The sophomore outside hitter had a big season with the Plattsburgh women’s volleyball team, which finished with a 10-15 record. The Shenendehowa High graduate led the team in digs (339) and kills (172) and was second in service aces with 33. Her sister, senior defensive specialist Maddy Zophy, was second in digs with 254 and had 22 assists and five service aces.
Alek Britten (Schenectady)
The 5-foot-10, 195-pound freshman is starting at quarterback for the Morrisville football team. The Mustangs are 1-7 on the season. The Mohonasen High graduate has hit on 71 of 155 passes for 807 yards and seven touchdowns. Sophomore Hunter Regels of Gansevoort (Saratoga High) does the team’s punting and is averaging 41.25 yards per kick with five inside the 20.
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