New York Boys XC Class C Preview

Class C's Top Runners

After a kind of chaotic set of XC seasons plus some intriguing track results last year, we can offer up the following list of suspects for our Ones Who Need to Be Watched list.

Kyle Urban (Alden). The Bulldog senior was 7th in the 2019 States C race and won the Section 6 Class C race, and along with senior teammate Marc Stoldt he is looking to capture individual and team crowns at States with preseason #3 team Alden.

John Ryan (Bronxville). The Bronco junior posted the second highest speed rating for a Class C returner in a Milton Superdome invite and had a standout track season, so he looks ready to run for a States title like his sister Kaitlin did twice in track in 2017.

James Tette (Penn Yan). The Mustang sophomore was the top guy in Section 5 Class C last year and had the second fastest time in the state among freshman steeplechasers last year.

Noah Brightman (Pawling). The Tiger senior had kind of relaxed XC season with a small Pawling squad, but his 4:28.03 time in the 1600m last spring was second only to Ryan among Class C returners for 2021 and he appears set for speed ratings like the 169 he posted as a sophomore.

Drew Reigelsperger Bloomfield-Naples). The Bomber senior finished two seconds behind Tette in the Section 5 Class C race last year, and the two of them are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other in 2021.

Sam Ash (Saranac Lake). The Red Storm junior is the last guy remaining from the team's 2019 States champs, and he has the big job of leading the defense of Saranac Lake's essentially five-year streak of championships in Section 7.

Giovanni Culotta (Briarcliff). The Bears' senior was the third guy in on a team that had the second highest speed rating at the Section 1 Regionals last year, and after the loss of top two seniors Bryant Seok and Jack Sendek, Culotta will be leading Briarcliff's defense of its 2019 S1-C title and run for a state championship in 2021.

Joe Krenzer (Falconer). The Golden Falcon senior is the third fastest S6-C returner after Alden's Urban and Stoldt and will be leading Falconer's bid for a sectional title.


More Runners with High Expectations: Also watch for top-rated Allegany-Limestone's senior 1-2 of Daniel Casey and Jacob Brink as they lead the Gator's quest for a States title after a wide-ranging 2020 XC year; Wheatley senior Scott Schmuck who will try to prove there's still life in tiny S8-C; Irvington senior Liam Lyons will lead 5th-ranked Irvington's campaign this year; Westhill senior Brandon Mulholland will be the top returner in an oddly quiet S3-C; Dobbs Ferry senior Marc Lucasey will lead the Eagles' efforts with the third-fastest 1600m of Class C returners; and Newark Valley senior Jonny Sherwood will lead the Cardinals' drive for their first sectional title in seven years.