Class D'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.
Three of the runners from the top 10 of the 2019 States D race and a total of nine medalists (top 20) are expected to be hot in the running for a big return, plus Brynn and Lexi Bernard were 2nd and 4th in the C race. There could also be a flood of newcomers after the quiet times of fall and spring XC in 2020-21. The following veterans have big expectations.
Brynn Bernard (South Lewis). The Falcon sophomore was only a 6th-grader when South Lewis won its state championship in 2017, so she likely has a little extra hunger to equal her senior sister Lexi's achievement. Last fall she was an impressive 10th at the Northeast XC championship after finishing as the runner-up to Liz Lucason in the 2019 States C race and then 5th at Feds. She is also rated as one of the top 10 runners in the state overall.
Lexi Bernard (South Lewis). The Falcon senior will be going for her second States title and her team will be the favorites to at least take the S3-D title if the squad can be bolstered a bit. She was 2nd to Brooke Rauber in her last States D race in 2018 and 4th in the 2019 States C race.
Alexa Wolcott (Pavilion-York). Following an 11th place finish in the 2019 States D race as a sophomore, Wolcott was tops in the Section 5 D race last fall.
Catherine Staley (Geneseo). Staley finished not too far behind Alexa Wolcott in the Section 5 Class D championship as an 8th grader last year, so she could be making huge strides as a freshman this fall.
Ethne Degan (Bainbridge-Guilford-Afton). Degan had an impressive run at the Maine-Endwell invite as a freshman in late March and could lead the Section 4 battle this year.
Caitlyn Acompora (Hamilton). The Emerald Knight senior was 8th in the 2019 States D race and should again be one of the top runners in Section 3.
Katie Edinger (Tully). Edinger has the herculean task of leading the Black Knights following the graduation of Brooke Rauber, and the junior was 3rd in the 2019 States race.