2016 NY Girls XC Preview: Class A




Rush-HenriettaRoyal Comets


Section: 5Class: AColors: Black, green and gold
Rush-Henrietta star Sammy Watson showed that she not only could run the curves on a track but also the XC hills as she won the Section 5 Class A race and then went on to finish 34th here at States.
XC History
States Teams: 1978 (A-7th), 1979 (A-6th), 2008 (AA-7th), 2012 (A-3rd)

States Individuals (Top 10 finishers): Anita Kelly (1978, A-6th) (1979, A-2nd) (1980, A-3rd), Alex Cooper (2013, A-5th)


Last Year's Summary:  2 nd in Sectionals A

Roster




NameGradeSect. Place Top Notes States ResultsSeason TR
Sammy Watson1211st in Monroe County34127
Bailey Pierce1179th in Monroe County58114
Haley Riordan10920th in Manhattan-B
108
Lexi Peters11255th in WFL Preseason
94
Allison Menendez124053rd in Monroe County
81
Abby Baerwaldt1242111th in McQuaid-AAA
77
Emma Canny12
119th in McQuaid-AAA
70
This Year's Outlook
Having a world champion leading the team can certainly be a big morale booster, even if Sammy Watson would need to stitch more than six 800m runs together to fashion a 5K XC race. The Royal Comets have Watson and the top 4 from last year back, including Watson's fellow States finalist Bailey Pierce, and that should be enough for the team to make a serious run at unseating Webster Thomas from the top spot in S5-A if the back of the lineup can get stronger.






Sachem EastFlaming Arrows


Section: 11Class: AColors: Red, black and gold
Sachem East's Alexandra DeCicco captured a win here in the Section 11 Class A race and then went on to finish 11th at States and finally a spot in NXN Nationals.
XC History
States Teams: 1997 (A-2nd), 1998 (A-6th), 2014 (A-6th)

States Individuals (Top 10 finishers): Linda Detlefsen (1978, A-2nd), Karen Labbadia (1992, A-8th), 1993 (A-7th), Jackie Berman (1996, A-6th) (1997, A-6th), Jeanna Composti (1997, A-5th), Rachel Paul (2011, A-9th)


Last Year's Summary: 4th in NXN-NY, 4th in Federation, 4th in States A, 1st in Sectionals A

Roster




NameGradeSect. Place Top Notes States ResultsSeason TR
Rachel Ruggiero11812th in Burnt Hills-339114
Lindsay Dodenhoff101656th in NXN-NY52105
Tiffany Ly122230th in Burnt Hills-38099
Caitlin O'Hehir102426th in Burnt Hills-38995
Lauren Harris12
53rd in Burnt Hills-3
77
Shayna Arrigo11
14th in Burnt Hills-JV
71
 
 
 
 
 
 
This Year's Outlook
The Flaming Arrows lost their top duo of NXN Nationals finalist Alex Decicco and Valerie Romero plus some other senior talent, and that would usually end any chances of winning a repeat title in S11-A. However the main contenders for the sectional title all lost quite a bit to graduation, and though greatly weakened, Sachem East should start the year as still the favorite. Rachel Ruggiero and Lindsay Dodenhoff return to lead a team that at least has four runners with big experience after the team finished 4th in NXN-NY, Federations, and States.






Williamsville NorthSpartans


Section: 6Class: AColors: Green and Gold
Williamsville North's Naomi Wistner won the McQuaid Sophomore race here and then went on to finish 19th at States..
XC History
States Teams:  1980 (B-3rd), 1981 (B-3rd), 2014 (A-9th)

States Individuals (Top 10 finishers):   Kathy Graim (1980, B-5th) (1981, B-1st)


Last Year's Summary: 2nd in Sectionals A

Roster




NameGradeSect. Place Top Notes States ResultsSeason TR
Naomi Wistner1021st in McQuaid-Soph19129
Mikayla Bolles10719th in Manhattan-A
106
Meadow Wistner10107th in Pembroke
91
Olivia Moran101136th in ECIC
90
Mary Frances Gage12249th in Pembroke
81
Madison Baird11
15th in McQuaid-Soph
65
Leah Horton10
46th in McQuaid-Soph61
This Year's Outlook
After an impressive freshman season that saw her win a medal at States, Naomi Wistner returns to lead a very young sophomore-dominated team in another battle with Clarence for the S6-A title. Some development work is needed at all levels, but the Spartans should be in strong contention to regain the sectional crown they won two years ago.






IthacaLittle Red


Section: 4Class: AColors: Cardinal and gold
Ithaca's Lizzy Rayle and Sylvia Frank finished 4th and 5th in the Section 4 Class A race to advance to States last year.
XC History
States Teams: 1980 (A-4th), 1986 (A-10th), 1991 (A-9th), 1992 (A-8th), 1993 (A-4th), 1999 (A-5th), 2001 (A-6th), 2002 (A-6th), 2003 (A-9th), 2006 (A-8th), 2009 (A-6th), 2010 (A-7th), 2011 (A-7th),

States Individuals (Top 10 finishers):  


Last Year's Summary:  11th in NXN-NY, 3rd in Sectionals A

Roster




NameGradeSect. Place Top Notes States ResultsSeason TR
Lizzy Rayle1145th in STAC67115
Charlotte Williams121019th in Manhattan-A
106
Grace Widercrantz111722nd in STAC
96
Zoe Tomasik112270th in McQuaid-AAA
93
Amy Milner112697th in McQuaid-AAA
80
Nisha Sweet113826th in McQuaid-JV
64
This Year's Outlook
Ithaca's strong top-2 tandem has been split in half with the graduation of Sylvia Frank, but Lizzy Rayle returns to lead a developing junior-laden team that looks to be ready to challenge Corning and Elmira in S4-A. Five of last year's varsity is back including Charlotte Williams who got a top 10 place in the S4-A meet last year, and with a little development, the Little Red could be making big strides.






QueensburySpartans


Section: 2Class: AColors: Blue and gold
Queensbury's Emily Atatmanchuk at right finished 23rd at States in Class B for a Spartan team that has moved up to Class A for 2016.
XC History
States Teams:  1977 (B-1st), 1978 (B-2nd), 1979 (B-2nd), 1981 (B-10th), 1982 (B-5th), 1983 (B-5th), 1984 (B-9th), 1985 (B-8th), 1986 (B-6th), 1987 (B-5th), 1988 (B-5th), 1997 (B-1st), 1998 B-3rd), 1999 (B-2nd), 2004 (A-1st), 2009 (A-1st), 2013 (A-1st)  NXN Nationals: 2008 (5th), 2009 (7th)

States Individuals (Top 10 finishers): Chris Nicholson (1987, B-6th), Caitlin Hickin (1996, B-7th) (1997, B-5th) (1998, B-9th) (1999, B-2nd), Cara Sprague (2003, B-5th) (2004, A-7th) (2005, A-10th) (2006, A-6th), Danielle Winslow (2007, A-4th) (2008, A-2nd) (2009, A-2nd), Carly Wynne (2007, A-5th) (2008, A-10th), Brittany Winslow (2007, A-7th) (2009, A-3rd) (2010, A-4th), Morgan Mueller (2009, A-10th)


Last Year's Summary:  2nd in S2-B

Roster




NameGradeSect. Place Top Notes States ResultsSeason TR
Emily Atamanchuk1191st in Foothills Council23 (B)117
Emma Hayes12255th in Harvest Classic
98
Alexis Bartlett11158th in Foothills Council
95
Emma Dembowski117118th in Burnt Hills-3
95
Eliza Blood122020th in Grout-2
95
Lauren Guilfoil123030th in Grout-2
74






This Year's Outlook
The Spartans got bumped up a notch to the ferociously tough S2-A, so the prospects for a sectional title took a big hit. Still, even though Q lost lost Sherri Metcalfe and Lynn Edwards from last year's varsity, enough key runners are returning to make the Spartans a top-20 team in Class A. Junior Emily Atamanchuk is back from a 23rd place finish.in the States B race to lead a team that should have no trouble getting in some kicks in the S2-A fracas.



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