Chmiel wins race, Shen takes title
Plainsmen break 17-year title run by Saratoga Springs
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Kelsey Chmiel ran that fastest time in the history of the Section II Class A cross country Championships Friday.
The mark won’t stand against her own record-setting time of 16:41.7 from a year ago, however, because construction to the Peerless Pool forced officials to change the course slightly. According to some, however, the changes made the course even slower. That would make the Saratoga Springs junior’s mark of 16:40.74 even more impressive.
“I was just trying to get a good run in,” Chmiel said. “Hopefully (states) next week will go well. You never know.”
As well as the soft spoken junior ran, she and the rest of the Saratoga Springs squad were disappointed after the race because their 17-year run of sectional titles came to an end at the hands of Shenendehowa.
“I’m just so proud of this team,” Shen’s Hannah Reale, who finished fourth overall, said. “This has been before my time in the making. To see it happen in my senior year with these girls who are my best friends, it couldn’t be more special.”
Shen’s girls topped Niskayuna 40-60 to becme the first team to win a Section II Class A title since 1999 when Colonie were crowned champs. Saratoga Springs was third with 73 points followed by Bethlehem (96) and Guilderland (145).
The Plainsmen’s team of Reale, Olivia Lomascolo (5th place), Charlotte Hartman (8th), Hannah Belleville (11th) and Jada Dennis (12) provided the winning points.
The last time the Blue Streaks didn’t finish first or second was
1986. The girls program has 27 sectional titles over the last 31 years.
“We’ve won it 17 years in a row, to put it in perspective it was a great run and we’re ready to start again,” Blue Streaks coach Linda Kranick, who coaches along with husband Art Kranick, said. “We’re not done yet. We’ve got a great assistant coach with us Dave Davis that has us re-energized.”
The Plainsmen’s last sectional wins came in 1994 and 1995. Since then they have finished runner-up 11 times, including all eight of Shen coach Rob Cloutier’s years in charge.
“It’s tough to come up with things to say when you’ve been close so many times,” Cloutier said. “We’ve been trying to get to the top without compromising things we though were like making sure kids that should run at the next level are better at the next level than they were with you.
“We had to find a way to beat Saratoga, who’s been the best team in this area for a long time. Art and Linda did a great job of making girls cross country strong and powerful. We’re honored to be chasing them. Kudos to what they’ve done for a long time.”
Chimiel was the top individual finisher, about 50 seconds ahead of secondplace Abigail Spiers of Niskayuna, who finished in 17:30.4. Ballston Spa’s Faith DeMars took third overall to qualify for her first cross country state meet.
“I knew I had to go out really fast and push a lot during the second mile,” DeMars said. “It was pretty muddy at some paces but not too bad overall. It’s very exciting to go and compete against girls who are so fast. It’s an honor.”
Her coach Matt Germann said the super sophomore has been his No. 1 distance runner since she joined varsity as a freshman. After an injury plagued 2016 fall season, she excelled at the steeplechase in outdoor track and field and carried over her success to the fall of 2017.
“She’s got to be one of the toughest kids I’ve coached,” Germann said. “You put two people with 100 meters to go that are the same speed, (DeMars) is going to run with more guts than anyone else out there. She does what she’s supposed to do but she still has fun.”
Boys Class A
Saratoga Springs junior Shea Weilbaker missed the Suburban Council meet — and a critical week of practice — with a knee injury. Despite the break in training, he was leading the Section II Class A boys race with 100 meters to go. He was passed down the stretch by Schenectady’s Ahmed Maazin and Niskayuna’s Donnovan Tucker, however.
Despite improving on his fourth-place finish from 2016, the always competitive Weilbaker was a bit frustrated with the finish.
“I was really hoping to get (first-place) point for the team,” Weilbaker said. “I took the lead at the bottom of Ferndale. I think that was maybe a little too early. I was giving it all I got but I just didn’t have it.”
Weilbaker will get a rematch with his Section II rivals next week at the state meet.
“Section II is one of the best sections in the state,” Saratoga Springs boys coach Shane Zanetti said. “He knows everyone is gunning for him. He has a target on his back. He had a little set-back with his knee but I think he got the rust off today and I think he’s going to run great at states.”
Mazin’s winning time was 15:06.62. He was followed by Tucker, Weilbaker, Ballston Spa’s Tim Dwyer and Bethlehem’s Jack Huber in fifth.
Niskayuna beat Bethlehem 51-68 for the team title, followed by Shenendehowa in third with 103 points, Saratoga Springs in fourth with 119 and Guilderland in fifth with 141.
Class B boys
The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake boys team finished 1-2-3, 6-7 to post an unbeatable score of 19 in the Class B race. Tyler Berg ran a 14:58.45 to edge Spartans teammate Aidan Gillooley for the top spot, followed by Evan Brennan in third, David Metacarpa in sixth and Nick Hunziker in seventh. Kevin Board placed ninth for Burnt Hills and Michal Messere — the only senior of the group was 14th.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake beat second place Queensbury 19-81 followed by Scotia-Glenville with 99 points, Schalmont 117 and Mohonasen with 145.
Class B girls
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake’s girls team completed a Spartans sweep with a 6167 victory over Mohonasen. Rory Graham won the race in 18:05.29 to beat Amsterdam’s Olivia Lazarou and Mohonasen’s Kate Sherman.
Class C boys
Albany Academy routed the field to win the Class C title. The Cadets beat second place Schuylerville 38117. Ichabod Crane (146) was third followed by Catholic Central (165) and Stillwater (196).
Catholic Central’s Ethan Burch earned a bid to the state tournament by finishing eighth overall but behind three Albany Academy runners. Glens Falls’ Chris Hughes won the race in 16:00.79. Class C girls Schuylerville’s girls team edged Duanesburg for the overall Class C title and a trip to the state meet. The Black Horses team of sophomore Sunni LaBounty (5th), freshman Anya Vautrin (7th), senior Teghen Murray (12th), junior Claire Barton (29th) and sophomore Emma Grace O’Rourke (31st) eanred the winning points.
Class D boys
Last year, Saratoga Catholic’s Kevin Cronin missed out on a bid to the state meet by one place. After a year of thinking about it, the Saints runner returned as a senior to finish runnerup to North Warren’s Brandon Olden in the Class D race.
“This is what I’ve been working (towards) for the last six years, it’s awesome,” Cronin said. “I got right up next to (Olden) and we went back and forth up to the two-mile mark. Than he started pulling away.”
Maple Hill won the team title 53-105 over North Warren while Saratoga Catholic placed third with 136 points.
Class D girls
The Greenwich girls team placed five in the top 10 to score a 21-101 win over second place Chatham in the team standings. Hoosic Valley was third with 108 points.
Witches sophomore Brynne Wright won the race in 17:58.30 followed by Mayfield freshman Madison Relyea, Greenwich sophomore Emma Cronin, Greeniwch 7th-grader Teagan Wright and Hoosic Valley’s Carolyn Burnell in fifth place.