By Frank Rizzo
CANANDAIGUA — March 9, 2001 – Ross Feller and Erin Garry of Monticello represented the school at the New York State nordic ski championship, held Tuesday and Wednesday, February 27-28, at Bristol Mountain near Canandaigua (Rochester area).
Feller, a senior making his second appearance at the state meet, placed 42nd with a time of 36:35 for the 9K course. The boys’ champ was Ashley Thayer of Honeye Falls-Lima (Rochester area)in a time of 29:10.
Garry, a junior, placed 41st in the 7.5-K (4.7-mile) course with a time of 35:14. It was her first time qualifying for the state meet. The girls’ winning time was 28:11, turned in by Samantha Morse of Camden (Syracuse area).
The pair were also part of the Section IX—B relay. Each skier in the quartet raced three kilometers. Garry’s time of 12:31 and Feller’s 10:10 clocking were the best in each foursome.
Honeoye Falls-Lima HS, of the Rochester area, won both relays.
According to Section IX nordic ski chair Jon Stern of New Paltz, the section had one of its strongest meets in recent years, placing a total of five athletes in the top 30.
Gwynne Matter of New Paltz (30:24/12th) and Sean Corbett of New Paltz (32:06/11th) paced the section.
The ski area’s cross country trails lacked the necessary snow cover, Stern said, and as a result an innovative makeshift cross country was cut across adjacent downhill slopes.