Always at the Finish Line
By Christopher Hunt
NORWOOD - Caitlin Lane crossed the finish line with a rush of emotions — excitement, relief, anger, pride, sadness — more feelings than should could explain. But the Greenwich senior endured a trying week that all concluded over the final 1,000 meters of the NYSPHSAA cross country championships, while she ran away from Erin Cawley of Newark Valley (Section 4) to repeat as Class C state champion at Norwood-Norfolk High in 18 minutes, 18.4 seconds.
Lane and her sister, sophomore Brittany Lane (19th, 19:53.6), spent the week away from the team. Their grandfather, Joe Pipia, died of a heart attack, the funeral was Friday in Harrison. Caitlin Lane said she wasn’t even sure she’d compete.
“My grandmother told me to come,” she said. “All the girls where here. I had to be there for them too.”
Her grandfather never missed a meet. He was always at the finish line waiting. He’d tell her how proud he was, win or lose. He wasn’t there at the state meet this time, not physically anyway.
But the way Lane burst into tears when she crossed the finish line, the way her eyes welt up every time someone asked a question about him, he was there.
“I thought about him the whole race,” Lane said. “I always used to race for him but this one is really special.”
Greenwich (Section 2) dominated the Class C portion of the state meet, winning with 20 points for its second straight state title and placing four among the top five. Bronxville (Section 1) finished second with 56. Freshman Cady Kuzmich placed thir in 18:50.6, senior Emily Fung fourth in 18:58.3 and sophomore Roxanne Henningson fifth in 19:00.7.
Greenwich finished third in the merged results of all for races, which proves the team as a legitimate contender for an automatic bid to the Nike Team Nationals in Portland, Ore., Dec. 1.
No team though, was more impressive than defending national champions Fayetteville-Manilus (Section 3). They dominated Class AA with 23 points and scored 35 points in the merge. They brought four across the line together within 13 seconds of each other led by freshman Courtney Chapman in third (17:55.4). MacKenzie Carter followed in fourth (18:06.0) Hannah Luber fifth (18:06.6) and Molly Malone sixth (18:08.2).
“We ran the race that we planned to run,” Fayetteville-Manilus coach Bill Aris said. “We had a group of girls that ran well together. It doesn’t matter to them who finishes where. We try to run selflessly. They executed the plan.”
The way they talked, it seem like the season really started at the state meet for FM. Aris said the team kept their training mileage high through the sectional championships last week. They will be the favorites at the New York State Federation Championships Saturday, Nov. 17 at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls and are expected to earn a repeat at Nike Team Nationals.
“We went into today pretty relaxed,” Carter said. “The plan for the rest of the season is just to continue getting better. … As a team, the most honest thing I can say is that this is just another step in getting where we need to be and fulfilling our potential.”
Hannah Davidson of Saratoga Springs (Section 2) won the individual title in 17:46.2. The senior broke free from rival Shelby Greany of Suffern (Section 1) after the last downhill about 800 meters from the finish.
“She just started to get ahead on that hill and then just got farther and farther and farther away,” Greany said.
Sophomore Emily Lipari of Roslyn (Section 8) won Class A in 17:31.6, the fastest time of the day and one of the most exciting finishes. Sam Roecker of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (Section 2) popped out of the trails with about 1,000 left, she had a seven-second lead on Lipari and looked like she started her finishing kick before anyone could even see her. But Lipari followed and was gaining.
“I honestly didn’t think I was going to catch her,” Lipari said.
Roecker knew Lipari’s speed and knew she needed to get away early, even if she risked making a move too early. Lipari kept closing and when Roecker began to sputter in the last 400, Lipari zipped by.
“I was tired,” Lipari said. ‘But as soon as we got to the last straight, I saw
that I could get her and I just kept going.”
It helped that while everyone else felt stifled by the biting cold, but Lipari enjoyed it.
“I love the cold. I love running in it. Everyone is always complaining about the conditions but we all have to run in it. We’re all going through the same thing.”
Quotes from the day
Senior Mary Kate Champagne of Seton Catholic, who orally committed to Providence, won the girls Class D title for the third straight year in 18:03.8. Teammate Genna Hartung, a junior, was second in 18:24.5.
On her race:
“I just started doing speedwork. I’ve been training right through, getting ready for Foot Locker (Regionals, Nov. 24). That’s my ultimate goal for high school.”
On Seton Catholic going 1-2 in the race:
“I loved it. I’m so happy for (Hartung). She’s had to run with me and I don’t think she’s had the recognition that she deserves and a lot of her times have been faster than mine were last year. I think next her is definitely going to be her year.”
On running at Foot Locker Regionals after spending most of the season unchallenged:
“The only other time I ran with people was really at Manhattan (Invitational). I went out too hard. Hopefully, I’ve adjusted and I don’t make that mistake again at Foot Locker.”
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.