by Ryan Mosher
Snow across the region early in the week did not stop the area’s high school cross country runners from racing in what was the biggest race of the season for most of them. The Section II Cross Country Championships were once again held at Saratoga State Park, and, once again, the Berlin teams were well represented.
Junior Kelsey Demick, the Lady Mountaineers’ top runner, entered the race as the two-time defending Class D Champion. Demick’s biggest challenge in the race was the entire Greenwich team. Greenwich, the two-time defending State champion in the Class C division, was moved down to Class D due to enrollment numbers. Also looking to return to the State meet was Ashley Rokjer, a senior who finished 45th at the State meet last year.
Greenwich’s dominance was apparent right away, as the team took control with a clean sweep of all the top spots as they made the first turn and headed into the woods. With spectators watching from above, the runners made their way through a curved valley section next. Greenwich still had control of the race at this point, but Demick, Rojker and a runner from Duanesburg had worked their way into the top 10. At the finish Greenwich managed to take the top six spots, as well as the eighth place finish. Demick took ninth place in 20:44, and Rokjer took tenth place in 21:05. Emily Olson came in next for Berlin in 20th place (22:44) followed by Angie Longhi in 21st (22:52) and Ency Burhans in 23rd (23:05). Rachel Thomas (29th place), Elizabeth Sheehy (39th), Karley French (62nd) and Tiara Green (65th) also ran for the Lady Mountaineers. With Greenwich taking the title with a clean sweep, Berlin and Duanesburg battled it out for second place. Unfortunately for Berlin, Duanesburg edged them out by just four points at 79-83. Both Demick and Rokjer will move on to run in the State championship race this coming weekend.
The boys team had a tough battle ahead of them as well as they looked to take on Patroon Conference Champion and rival Hawthorne Valley. The Mountaineers’ Casey Gilbert won the individual Patroon Conference Championship but could not get the team past the Wildcats. This would be another shot for them, as well as an opportunity to send members of the boys team back to the State meet after none qualified last year. Gilbert’s main competition in this race would be Greenwich freshman Austin Lane. After racing in the sectional championships in two previous seasons, Lane looked to win the championship this year while Gilbert was looking for it in his first season of cross country.
This raced lived up to its billing from the very start as Gilbert and Lane took off ahead of the pack, and the rest of the Mountaineers went to work battling Hawthorne Valley. At the front of the race, Lane stayed within steps of Gilbert and eventually took the lead as they made their way up the first large hill. As they reached the top and headed back down, Gilbert took the lead back and charged forward, trying to build on his lead. The young Greenwich runner would not allow that though as they made their way through the valley with fans cheering loudly for both runners. At the final straight away before the finish Gilbert emerged from the woods several seconds ahead of Lane and coasted through the finish line. Finishing at 16:07, eight seconds ahead of Lane, Gilbert became the first Berlin boys cross country runner to take home an individual sectional championship. Cody Blain finished in 7th place at 17:21 for the Mountaineers. Connor Hoyt, RJ Hebert and Alex French finished in 12th, 15th and 16th places. Llew Palmer (18th), Hunter Share (28th), Rocco Faranno (34th), Mike Stankus (36th) and Erik Viner (46th) rounded out the Mountaineer team. Unfortunately for Berlin, Hawthorne had a great day, and barely managed the victory, 36-50. The Mountaineers took their second Runner-Up plaque in the last five years. Blain, who missed out on states last year by two places, will join Gilbert at the State meet this year.