By David J. Hill
ELMA — There would be no coming up one point short of victory for the Grand Island girls cross country team at this year’s Section VI Championships.
Senior Maritina Tsembelis was second overall in 19 minutes, 22.7 seconds, and the Vikings scored 94 points to take the Class A team title, edging West Seneca West (98) Friday at Elma Meadows. Grand Island was last year’s runner-up.
“Last year it was so close and this year it’s going to be close again,” Tsembelis said shortly before the results were announced. “I’m biting my nails.”
During the awards ceremony, the girls heard the score for the GI boys, who placed third, and their jaws dropped, thinking that it was their score that was being announced. “We had a heart attack, we didn’t know what was happening!” said senior co-captain Amber Spiesz.
The girls sighed with relief once the learned it was the boys score.
“Oh my gosh, it’s absolutely incredible,” Tsembelis said afterwards. “We’re the first cross country girls team from Grand Island to ever make it so it’s kind of a big thing for not only us but our school. It’s a pretty groundbreaking moment.”
Helping GI achieve its milestone were Ayla Marino (17th, 21:18.5) and Megan Karpie (23rd, 21:29.9). Spiesz placed 42nd overall (22:55.0).
“This is very exciting because it’s the first time they’ve ever made it,” Vikings coach Don Sauer said. “They’ve worked hard all year and they ran very well today. Obviously they ran real well,” he said adding that they try to simulate in practice the difficult race conditions, such as those Friday at Elma Meadows, which features several hills right at the start of the race.
Sauer said GI’s team result showed its depth and talent, as one of the girls had an off day but the team was strong enough to overcome it.
Lockport’s girls squad took second behind Clarence in the AA race, with Allison Bartkowiak finishing third in 20:47.5 and Maggie Russell fifth in 20:59.6. Both qualified for the state meet.
Friday also was an emotional day for Lockport’s Drew Perilli, who was an individual Section VI champion, racing to victory in the Class AA race in 16:38.0 to help the Lions finish second in the team standings with 69 points. Clarence captured the team title with 41.
Perilli hadn’t run much this fall after suffering tendonitis in his knee. Friday’s race was only his third of the season. Perilli tried to keep pace with Clarence’s Taylor Yerrick, who took the race out fast at the start, leaving Perilli 50 meters back for the first mile. Perilli began gaining ground in the second mile, and picked up more in the back hills near the course’s end.
“There’s a square in the back where the wind’s in your face and you go uphill, you go downhill,” he said, “and that’s where I was gaining the most ground on him, and I slowly caught him.” Perilli didn’t take the lead from Yerrick until the final half mile. “I just had a really good last half mile of the race and I just finished as hard as I could. I really wanted it.”
Also for Lockport, Mike Feeney placed ninth (17:58.8) and Bob Fogle was 12th (18:07.5).
For the Grand Island boys, who finished third (69) in Class A, junior Nick Masiello qualified for next week’s state meet by placing second overall in 17:08.1. “I’m proud of how they ran, I really was,” GI boys assistant coach Jon Lacki said. “Elma Meadows is a tough course, it really humbles you.”
A muddy, challenging course on a chilly day didn’t thwart the Barker boys from sweeping the top three spots en route to capturing their third straight Class D title.
Senior Erick Bennes crossed the finish line first in 17:23.0, and was followed by teammates Tyler Scheving (17:28.4) and Mike Lantinen (17:30.7). As a team, the Raiders scored 19, distancing themselves from second-place Frewsburg (70).
“Fifteen’s perfect. Nineteen’s about as low as anybody’s going to have today,” Barker coach Paul DerSarkissian said. “Next Saturday, we’ve got to focus on winning a state championship. The way they’re running right now, it can happen.”
It’s the fourth Class D title in the past six years for Barker, and Bennes is Barker’s fourth-ever sectional winner.
“I went out trying to keep up with my teammates, who are normally ahead of me in the first half of the race. It wasn’t easy. I was able to stay with them through much of the race and it worked out in the end,” Bennes said. “I think it’s pretty cool that we could finish 1-2-3 in the race.”
Bennes’ time was close to a personal best. “This isn’t the easiest course,” he said.
“It shows how dedicated our team is,” Lantinen said of his team’s finish.
Led by Amber Sweeney (fourth, 21:22.5), the Barker girls finished second overall in Class D with 42 points, behind first place Maple Grove (21). Joining Sweeney at the state meet will be Deanna Platt, who placed sixth in 21:48.9; Jamie Przybyl finished 10th in 22:41.2.
The Starpoint girls team, the three-time defending Section VI Class A champs, finished third (109) this year, with Amy Cooper leading the way. She finished ninth overall in 20:28.7, followed by Livia Chase (16th, 21:09.7) and Courtney Laderer (24th, 21:32.5).
This was a tightly contested year for both boys and girls in the Class A races, Spartans coach Brian Lasher said. “The A girls race was extremely fast. A lot of good teams and a lot of good individuals,” Lasher said. “It’s unfortunate some very good kids might have missed out (on states). It was extremely competitive.”
The Starpoint boys finished fifth in the Class A team standings, with Zach Ahart earning a trip to the state meet after placing seventh in 17:36.2.
Albion’s Bryan Deibel won the Class B title in 16:56.8.
Several other locals will be heading to the state meet, including North Tonawanda’s Jared Quinn, who placed sixth (17:33.9) in the AA race, ahead of Niagara Falls’ Adam Zaczek in seventh (17:46.2). Wilson junior Kevin Hanes will make his fourth trip to states after taking third in the Class C race. He’ll be joined by teammate Mike Reubens, a sophomore who placed seventh.
For Niagara-Wheatfield, Stephanie Schmidt (20:14) finished seventh in the Class AA girls race. Lewiston-Porter’s top male finisher was Joe Melcher, who placed 27th in the Class B race (18:54), while Lew-Port’s top girl was Caitlyn Drennan (34th, 23:48).
In addition to Grand Island, girls team champions on the day included Clarence (AA), East Aurora (B), Fredonia (C) and Maple Grove (D). Boys team winners were Clarence (AA), Williamsville North (A), East Aurora (B) and Gowanda (C).
Contact reporter David J. Hill at 693-1000, ext. 115.
