By Rob Potter
LIBERTY — Amid autumnal weather conditions which changed by the hour, the Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division IV cross country championship meet was held on Tuesday afternoon at Liberty Central School.
During the boys’ race, the wind kicked up and a light rain fell from the ominous gray clouds overhead. But when the girls’ race began approximately 30 minutes later, the sun reappeared accompanied by blue skies.
Liberty won the boys’ race by earning 43 points. Tri-Valley was second with 48 points, James I. O’Neill was third (71), John S. Burke Catholic was fourth (82) and Sullivan West was fifth (103).
The Indians made school history with their victory.
“It’s certainly the first cross country team division title in the 26 years I’ve been here,” Liberty Coach Ralph Bressler said.
Tri-Valley sophomore Jim Bernstein won the race in a time of 17:23. He was followed by Liberty’s Omar Lopez (17:31) and teammate Mike Freeman (17:56).
The rest of the runners to place in the top 10 were: 4. Chris Whipple (T-V), 18:17; 5. Ian Ferrier (O’Neill), 18:26; 6. Herman Drayton (Liberty), 18:35; 7. James Murray (Burke), 18:39; 8. Kane Sauchuk (Liberty), 18:43; 9. Reed Scott Jr. (SW), 18:44 and 10. Zoe Mitchell (O’Neill), 18:57.
Other runners from Sullivan County high schools finished as follows: 12. Eddie Byrd (Liberty), 19:21; 14. Nat Tompkins (T-V), 19:36; 15. Matt Fortin (Liberty), 19:40; 16. Eric Haberli (SW), 19:41; 18. Dontrea McLaurin (Liberty), 20:00; 19. Shaughn Goggin (SW), 20:20; 20. Brent Kaplan (Liberty), 20:30; 21. Scott Kaplan (Liberty) 20:33; 23. Sam Miller (Liberty), 20:50; 28. Steve McInerney (T-V) 22:05; 31. Tyler Glynn (SW), 22:46; 32. David Schultz (SW), 23:00; 34. Tom Campbell (Liberty), 24:00; 35. Peter Kovalo (Liberty), 26:33; 36. Kyle Rogers (T-V), 27:13.
T-V won the girls’ team title by earning 28 points. SW scored 36 points to place second and Burke was third with 117 points.
“I’m very proud of all of these girls,” T-V Coach Missy Iatauro said.
Iatauro noted it was nice to beat Sullivan West and that the Lady Bears and Lady Bulldogs will be competing against each other again at the Section IX Class C meet on Nov. 6.
“Sullivan West is a great team,” Iatauro said.
SW freshman Dani Myers won the girls’ race in a time of 19:26.
T-V teammates Caroline Bertholf and Sarah Heikkinen finished second and third with times of 19:55 and 20:05, respectively.
Myers’ teammate, and cousin, Rianne Erlwein finished fourth in 20:37.
“It was really, really muddy,” Myers said of the 3.1-mile course.
“It was a good race,” she added with a smile. “Thank God the sun came back out and it warmed up when we were running.”
While slightly disappointed about finishing second in the team standings, SW Coach George Shakelton said he is “still encouraged” by the way all of the Lady Bulldogs competed.
“We’ll keep going,” he said.
The rest of the top 10 runners were as follows: 5. Rachel Deppa (SW), 20:48; 6. Olivia Rehm (T-V), 21:06; 7. Alexandria Brooks (T-V), 21:07; 8. Lizzy Lona (O’Neill), 21:20; 9. Kristen Hendricks (O’Neill), 21:29 and 10. Naomi Weise (T-V), 21:35.
Others from Sullivan County high schools finished as follows: 11. Courtney Connor (T-V), 21:42; 12. Morgan Hawkins (SW), 21:54; 13. Ashley Weintraub (T-V), 22:08; 14. Kendra Barker (SW), 22:18; 15. Stephany Robison (SW), 22:53; 18. Katey Dnistrian (SW), 23:34; 19. Danielle Graham (T-V), 23:56; 21. Michelle McNutt (T-V), 24:28; 22. Maria TerBush (T-V), 24:43; 23. Morgan Kortright (Liberty), 24:54; 25. Angie Ramos (Liberty), 28:04; 26. Jess Kinney (T-V), 29:32 and 30. Laurel Riordan (T-V), 31:49.