Class A's Top Runners
Again, with last year's action being greatly curtailed and split across both fall and spring for different sections, a clear picture for the upcoming XC season is hard to assemble. We'll just offer up a listing of some top runners who merit special watching.
Karrie Baloga
(Cornwall). Noted in the Overview article, the junior finished 2nd in the Federation meet and then 11th
at Foot Locker Nationals back in 2019, and she looks ready to succeed
Tuohy in 2019 and Rauber in 2020 at the top of NY's leaderboard. Baloga
was one of a handful of runners who ran in XC meets in the fall and then
carried on into the spring a little bit and posted the top speed
ratings in the state behind Rauber. This year Baloga leads a Cornwall team that is favored in Section 9 (though the XC data on perennial champ Monroe-Woodbury is scarce), and she is the top returning runner from the 2019 States A race where she posted a 4th as a freshman behind the senior trio of Katelyn Tuohy, Claire Walters and Jenna Schulz.
Ella Kurto
(Saratoga). Noted in the Overview article, now a senior, Kurto led the Blue Streaks to a massive win
at the 2019 NXN Nationals, and her 14th place was third fastest among
runners who were sophomores or freshman. Kurto has a huge wealth of
talent behind her on her squad and she will likely be challenging Baloga
for the States Class A win following a 6th in 2019. Kurto could very well be heading to NXN not only as the frontrunner of the nation's top team but also as the top NY girl trekking to Portland.
Emily Bush (Saratoga). Noted in the Overview article, the fastest up-and-coming runner on the Saratoga team behind Kurto may be Bush, who ran very impressively in track and had the second fastest leg after Kurto on the Blue Streaks' national record setting 4xMile champs. She moved up from the final spot on team to be the 5th runner in for Saratoga at 2019 Regionals and Nationals as an 8th grader, and she appears ready to make a huge jump in 2021.
Mackenzie Hart (Saratoga). Noted in the Overview article, sticking with the packed Blue Streaks team, the senior Mackenzie Hart -- whose sophomore sister Alycia Hart was also part of the 4xMile national record setters -- is the second highest rated Saratoga runner from last year's XC season and was the third Blue Streak in at 2019 Nationals.
Sheridan Wheeler and McKinley Wheeler (Saratoga). And yes with the veteran Blue Streak Wheeler twins featured, it's starting to feel like a deja vu recollection from 2004 all over again. Sheridan and McKinley ran as 7th graders on the 2018 NXN 6th-place squad with senior Kelsey Chmiel and then helped to nail down the 2019 NXN title as part of a Blue Streak trio that finished in the 9th-12th place team scoring for a commanding lead.
Kate Putman
(Cicero-North Syracuse). Noted in the Overview article, the Northstar junior had a big performance down in
Florida at the AAU XC Nationals in December with an 11th as the second
NY runner in after Rauber. Putman and freshman sister Gabby will be among the top trio leading CNS's quest to end FM's 15-year streak of States visits from Section 3 and return to States for the first time since 2004.
Daphne Banino
(Ursuline). Noted in the Overview article, the Koala senior posted strong results in the fall in XC
and then ran the 4th fastest time in the state in 1500m during the
outdoor season. She will be leading an Ursuline squad that will be a slight preseason favorite to make the team's first visit to States since 2008.
Hannah Kaercher
(Fayetteville-Manlius). Noted in the Overview article, the junior Hornet will be leading FM's campaign
for its 15th straight trip to NXN and a shot at a 12th title. A strong
outdoor track season indicates she may be ready to roll. Though her Hornet squad is not as loaded as in recent years, she will have a lot of younger talent coming up for interesting times ahead.
Faithe Ketchum and Sarah Lawson (Corning). As the senior leader and up-and-coming sophomore, Ketchum and Lawson are among the top runners in Section 4 and lead the Hawks' quest for a trip to NXN.
Zariel Macchia (William Floyd) is top rated among the always unpredictable freshman class and will be shooting for a Section 11 title this year. She had the 13th fastest 3K time in NY in track.
More Runners with High Expectations: Also watch for Saratoga's Anya Belisle and Catherine Mongan who are veterans of the 2019 NXN championship squad and would be the lead runners on most squads; Bethlehem junior Rylee Davis and Shaker sophomore Leonni Griffin who lead their teams' sectional battle with Saratoga and who were medalists at 2019 States; Shenendehowa senior Luccabella Hotaling leads her 3rd-or-4th ranked squad in the always brutal S2-A battle and she was the first runner in at Suburban Council in 2020 after the Saratoga team and Davis; Irondequoit senior Candace Tytler from Section 5 who was 22nd at 2019 States at 21st at Feds; and Rome Free Academy senior Emily Toth-Ratazzi who should be one of the top runners in Section 3 after a strong 2020 XC and track campaign.