By Rob Potter
SULLIVAN COUNTY — January 28, 2005 – Cross country coaches from five Sullivan County high schools recently selected the first-ever All-Sullivan County Cross Country Team.
The coaches picked 10 boys and 10 girls for the All-Sullivan County teams. In addition, five boys and five girls were honorable mention selections.
Voting for the team members and honorable mention selections were coaches Joe and Missy Iatauro of Tri-Valley, Andy Kavleski of Liberty, Frank Schorling of Eldred, George Rose and George Shakelton of Sullivan West and Pete Wysochanski of Monticello.
Named to the 2004 All-Sullivan County boys’ team were: Brett Cucci (a sophomore at Sullivan West), Matt Gain (junior/SW), Max Gunther (sophomore/Eldred), Trevor Kreznar (junior/SW), Jeremy Mathsen (senior/Tri-Valley), Kieran Pierce (senior/Eldred), Corey Price (junior/Monticello), Derek Smith (junior/T-V), Mike VanWagenen (junior/SW) and Travis Wolfe (senior/T-V).
Selected for the 2004 All-Sullivan County girls’ team were: April Ackermann (junior/SW), Erin Beach (senior/T-V), Rachel Bowens (sophomore/Monticello), Jamie Clifford (senior/SW), Katie DelGatto (freshman/Monticello), Courtney Roosa (freshman/T-V), Rachel Sanborn (eighth grade/T-V), Maggie Snyder (senior/Eldred), Jessica Wagner (junior/SW) and Amanda Ward (junior/SW).
The coaches selected one boy and one girl from each school to be named honorable mention. Those athletes were: Eldred: Catlan Sardina (senior) and Gracie Babula (freshman); Liberty: Jacob Schwartz (junior) and Kim McKay (freshman); Monticello: Brendan Devine (freshman) and Janelle Slutsky (freshman); SW: Eric Cina (sophomore) and Chelsie Schadt (freshman) and T-V: Mike Kaplan (sophomore) and Melissa Fancher (sophomore).
Following are coach’s comments and/or a list of milestones for many of the young athletes chosen for the All-Sullivan County Cross Country Team.
Eldred
• Max Gunther – “Max was our number two runner all season,” Schorling said. “He was sixth in [Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association] Division V, 58th in the OCIAA Championships, fourth in Section IX Class D and had the sixth best Sullivan County time at the state meet.”
• Kieran Pierce – “Kieran has been our number one runner for the last three years,” Schorling commented. “He was consistently in the top five Sullivan County runners at the big meets in October and November, finishing third in Division V, 47th at the OCIAA meet, second in Section IX Class D and 33rd at the state meet.”
• Maggie Snyder – “Maggie has been our number one runner the last two years,” Schorling said. “She was fifth in Division V, 77th in the OCIAA meet, fourth in Section IX Class D and 74th at the state meet.”
Monticello
• Rachel Bowens – “Only a sophomore, Rachel shows great promise and is the team leader,” Wysochanski said.
• Katie DelGatto – “A first-year runner, Katie has good speed and will go as far as her training will take her,” Wysochanski commented.
• Brenden Devine – “Only a freshman, Brenden’s work ethic could be the key to any future success of the boys’ team,” Wysochanski said.
• Corey Price – “Always a tough competitor, Corey could always be counted on,” Wysochanski commented.
Sullivan West
• Brett Cucci – Finished ninth in OCIAA Division IV, placed 60th in the OCIAA meet and was 14th in the Section IX Class C meet.
• Matt Gain – Placed fourth in OCIAA Division IV, was 36th in the OCIAA meet and earned 10th place finish in Section IX Class C race.
• Trevor Kreznar – Finished third in OCIAA Division IV, took 45th in OCIAA meet and was 11th in Section IX Class C race.
• Mike VanWagenen – “Clearly the best runner in Sullivan County,” Rose said. Won the OCIAA Division IV and Section IX Class C races, placed second in the OCIAA meet and recorded the best time among Sullivan County runners at the state meet.
• April Ackermann – Won the OCIAA Division IV race, placed 15th in the OCIAA meet and was 13th at the Section IX Class C meet.
• Jamie Clifford – “She had the best times in Sullivan County,” Shakelton said. Ran to an 11th place finish at OCIAA meet, took second place in the Section IX Class C race and had the best time among Sullivan County runners who competed in the state meet.
• Jessica Wagner – Finished second in OCIAA Division IV race, placed 21st at OCIAA meet, was third at Section IX Class C event and posted third best Sullivan County time at the state meet.
• Amanda Ward – Was sixth in OCIAA Division IV race, placed 39th at OCIAA meet and finished 14th at Section IX Class C event.
Tri-Valley
• Michael Kaplan – A first-year cross country runner, he placed fifth at OCIAA Division IV meet, was 74th at OCIAA championships and finished 16th at Section IX Class C meet. “Consistently he was the fourth man on a team that was state-ranked most of the season in Class C,” Joe Iatauro said.
• Jeremy Mathsen – Placed second at the OCIAA Division IV meet, 19th in the OCIAA event, sixth in Section IX Class C event and qualified for his second state meet, where he placed 49th. Ended the season by being selected to the All-OCIAA Third Team.
• Derek Smith – Placed fourth in the OCIAA Division IV meet, 31st at OCIAA event, fourth in Section IX Class C and 18th in his first state meet. Chosen as the Most Improved Runner on the T-V team and named to the All-OCIAA Third Team.
• Travis Wolfe – Placed first in five of six invitational meets and won the OCIAA Division IV meet. Finished third in the Section IX Class C race and seventh in the state meet. Was named to the All-OCIAA Third Team. “Even with a late season injury, Travis managed to qualify, for the second [consecutive] year, for the prestigious New York State Federation Meet and was named the T-V MVP,” Joe Iatauro said.
• Erin Beach – “She was a consistent number two runner while being a team captain,” Missy Iatauro said. Placed third in the OCIAA Division IV meet, 43rd in OCIAA meet and 11th in Section IX Class C event. Participated in her third state meet and placed 49th.
• Melissa Fancher – “She was a number four runner for our state-ranked T-V team,” Missy Iatauro commented. Finished 12th at the OCIAA Division IV meet, 68th at the OCIAA championship and 20th at Section IX Class C event.
• Courtney Roosa – “She was a consistent number one runner, tying for first place at the OCIAA Division meet,” Missy Iatauro said. Finished 23rd at the OCIAA championship and eighth at Section IX Class C meet. In addition, she placed 29th in her second career state meet and was an honorable mention for the All-OCIAA team.
• Rachel Sanborn – “She was a consistent number three runner and was much improved from her one year of experience at the modified level,” Missy Iatauro commented. Placed third at the OCIAA Division IV meet, 43rd at the OCIAA championship meet and 11th at the Section IX Class C meet.