For most teams, their cross country season team goals come to mind starting in the summer, maybe even the end of outdoor track. For the Fairport boys, it started immediately after the Section V Class A Championship race in 2021. Looking to win their sectional title for the third straight year in a row, they were beaten by Webster Thomas by 4 points. "It was hard going to sectionals and losing by 4 points, both teams were even throughout the whole year and we battled it out and it obviously didn't go the way we wanted it to, that kinda motivated us to do better this year." Jake Passalugo, the current Fairport junior who has been leading the boys team all season, had to say on the race last year.
The sectional race, despite strong performances from many returners in the outdoor season, was enough to motivate the Fairport boys over the summer. "We definitely took it I don't wanna say more seriously but it was definitely more to heart. You know, you win sectionals two years in a row, then you lose by 4 points, so you know, you want that title back," Mike Taranto said, who is one of the top returning 1600m runners in section 5. "We're looking for a bit of redemption," Owen Willard had to add, who has recently ran 15:40 at the McQuaid Invite. The heartbreak of last year's sectionals and the heavily motivated summer led to quick results early in the cross country season.
First at the VVS invite/Pre-States, the Fairport boys despite being not too heavily contested in their race, and having to wait around all day finished 4th in the merge at the first big meet of the season. "Well we got there early and had to wait around all day, the heat got to us I would say. I kinda wish we were in a race with some other teams that we'd compete with," Taranto said about the VVS race. "It would have been nice to go against those teams early on in the season on the states course that we would see later on in the year."
Two weeks later, at the Baldwinsville Invitational, they'd prove to be one of the top powers in the state, posting 54 points at the famous section 3 meet. "I feel that that race kinda gave us a real benchmark for the start of the season to go off of and see how much we can improve off of that and just get better," Willard said. "It was a, I don't wanna say statement but it was kinda to prove who we were as a team and how hard we worked and so to go to a race with some really good competition and win it definitely put a statement that we're in the conversation for states too and to not just ignore Fairport," Taranto added.
The statement win at Baldwinsville would launch Fairport from 9th to 4th in the class A state rankings heading into the McQuaid Invite, one of the largest meets not just in New York but in the country. They would also get a shot at the Corning boys, who were ranked just one spot ahead of them. The Fairport boys would end up prevailing over Corning 113-136. "It was our first time going against Corning and we just believed that we had a shot and we just went for it and everything went right," Passalugo said, who finished 4th in the premier race at McQuaid posting a 15:02 and an eye opening 184 speed rating. "I was in the pen after the race and didn't expect to hear us get called for an interview about the win, that was pretty surprising," Willard said about McQuaid.
Despite Corning not having their full varsity squad, Fairport was also missing a varsity runner. "When you go into a big of a race as McQuaid without one of your most important varsity runners and you walk away with a win still, it definitely feels good and you think to yourself how capable we are when everyone comes back healthy and stronger and how capable we can be when we have our full varsity team," Taranto said. In fact, the Fairport boys haven't had a race yet with their full varsity roster this season, not at VVS, Bville or McQuaid, and they would have to go to the Burnt Hills Invitational where they'd still not be at full power, and facing another one of the juggernauts in New York state this year, Monroe-Woodbury. While falling short to Monroe-Woodbury there, the Fairport boys still felt alright with where they finished. "I think it's kind of where we expected to be in that race only because we're missing some guys, we have some guys coming back from injury so to still score pretty well against them was reassuring," Willard said on the Burnt Hills Invite.
Having as big of a team as Fairport can help when your main varsity runners are out due to injury, especially when the quality trickles down past the 7th man. "Jackson Warnett, at Burnt Hills, came in as our 3rd man and had a great race. I was watching from the sideline and saw him pop out of those woods at the end and I was like 'Jackson?! Let's go Jackson!' He stepped up. Henry Hill, one of our freshmen, hasn't been running varsity but has been running some nasty times, beating most of our varsity guys in the JV race," Taranto said. "I mean, our whole varsity team hasn't raced together yet. We've had different injuries throughout the season so it's just how exciting is it that when we get our full team back together, how good can we be? I'm just excited for that." "Yeah I mean we've got such a deep team that if someone's not having a good day we've got someone right after to step up and make a difference," Willard added to Taranto's statement.
Having a big team not only helps on the scoreboard, but brings in a lot of parents to support, and if you have ever been to a meet with Fairport, you can hear the support the parents bring. "At Burnt Hills I was struggling, falling back a little bit, didn't have a good day, but in the middle of the woods, Mr. Willard, Owen's dad, popped out and started yelling and that definitely helped me lock in and catch the one Monroe-Woodbury kid ahead of me," Passalugo added, who ended up finishing 3rd at Burnt Hills. "You definitely wouldn't think that for a meet that's 4 ½-5 hours away that that many parents would come but even I was surprised, I didn't know all those parents were going to be there," Taranto added.
There are some serious things going on at Fairport, and from motivation from last year's disappointment, to the support system following them, there are some very exciting things happening at Fairport, and it has made them one of the contenders for the state and even federation title at the end of the season. "I guess kinda the whole point is how good can we be when our whole team is together, it's exciting to think about," Taranto had to conclude.
The Fairport boys race next on Oct. 22 at the Monroe County Championships, then Nov. 5 at the Section V Championships, where they'll look to keep winning and see just how far the group from just outside of Rochester can go.