Class B's Top Runners
Again, results were limited for last year's top guys, but these are a few who merit special attention this year.
Burnt Hills' top duo of Ryan Allison and Matthew Rounds led the Spartans to strong performances in a string of dual meets last fall, but then they were joined by Peter Fulgieri who made a big leap to help fashion a 4-5-6 finish at Suburban Council and point the way toward likely a big 2021 season.
Gitch Hayes (LaSalle). The 2019 Class C runner-up and NXN finalist posted a huge 189 speed rating with a 4th at the Northeast XC championship last fall and also took 6th in the East Coast championship. Hayes will enter the 2021 season as the clear favorite in the States B race.
Gavin Ehlers (Westhampton Beach). The Hurricanes' senior won the Section 11 championship in spring XC and also placed in the top 10 at the East Coast championship last December. He will be leading his team's quest for the States B title this year with the able assistance of junior Maximus Haynia who finished 3rd in the Section 11 championship in April.
Ike Blough (Mount Academy). Blough's Eagles were a strong team last fall with a 7th place finish overall in the Northeast XC championship and a win in the spring over a collection of Section 9 teams at Warwick Valley. Blough will be hoping for some big help from younger runners after Mount lost three of its top five to graduation.
Patrick Ford (Brewster). Ford's Bears were another team that got hit hard by graduation, but the junior will have two years to see how the team develops in back of him.
John Fontanez (Nanuet). The Golden Knights' senior was at States two years ago and after a series of big performances in the Milton Sportsdome meets last year, he looks like a strong candidate for a top 10 place at States.
Other Runners with High Expectations: Pioneer's Brody Jones was 11th in the 2019 States B race and is the fourth-highest returner from that race after Allison, Ehlers, and Blough; Jericho senior Alexander Kasper won the Section 8 Class 2 (call it B) race last year and then finished 5th overall in the county championship; Nyack's Robert Royston had the 8th fastest time overall in the Section 1 Regional's races last fall.