Section V boasts two top 20 finishers: See how Rochester-area runners did at the Nike race
Banking on his love for running hard uphill and down, Churchville-Chili senior Ryan Giglia Jr. tackled the monster incline that is the first half of the Bowdoin Park cross country course in Dutchess County Saturday and smiled at the top.
He was hardly breathing hard.
"I tried to conserve uphill," Giglia said, "then kick it up back down. I passed a lot of guys working through the pack on the way down."
It was enough to finish 15th at the 14th Nike Cross Country regional championships. He bested several who had run faster than he did at states two weeks before.
"I love hills," Giglia said, "and this one was definitely hard. My goal was to try for top 10 and hope I'd qualify. I came close. I'm happy with it."
About a half hour later Rush-Henrietta junior Haylie Smith almost matched Giglia's finish in the girls race, at 16th. Giglia was seven seconds short of qualifying for an expenses-paid trip to Nike nationals in Portland, Ore. while Smith was 16 seconds out. The top two teams and top five individuals not on those teams go.
The two led the way among the Rochester area's 51 boys and girls entries from Section V schools in fields of 206 and 153. Giglia's time was 16 minutes, 36.7 seconds, 46th fastest all-time among Section V runners on the 3.1-mile course that is essentially all uphill for the first mile and a half.
"I trained this summer really hard on our home course in Black Creek Park," Giglia said, "which I think is the best course in our area to prepare for hills. I also did a lot of lifting – arms and leg – to get strong."
His coach, Paul Glor, said Giglia gained more than 10 positions from being in 30th or so in the first mile Saturday.
"Coach Memelo (assistant coach Chris Memelo) and I encouraged him to not be afraid and not just go for the good, but go for the great. Ryan certainly did that," Glor said.
Right behind Giglio, 2-1/2 seconds back, came Oakfield-Alabama senior Connor Domoy in 16th at 16:39.0, with Pittsford Sutherland junior William "Will" Tempest two positions farther back at 18th in 16:41.9 and Harley-Allendale Columbia sophomore Oliver Simmons 21st in 16:47.1 All medaled.
Smith led the way among the 20 Rochester-area girls. Behind her came Brighton junior Hannah Devine, 23rd in 19:37.5 and Churchville-Chili senior Alexa Briggs, 27th in 19:46.9. Briggs’ team was ninth among 17 entered.
Rush-Henrietta senior Christian Wescott won the boys open race for the second straight year. He covered the course in 16:47.0, which would have placed him 21st in the championship race.
Fairport senior Jake Passalugo, Section V’s top-rated runner most of the season, said he suffered continuing effects of a sinus infection that limited him to placing 20th at the state meet two weeks ago. He started but did not finish Saturday. His team was sixth, led by sophomore Henry Hill in 60th place.
The Foot Locker regionals, reverting to its previous name, were moved from Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx to Franklin Park in Boston this year and no teams or individuals from the Rochester area showed as being entered on the pre-race entry lists.
NXN NY Regionals results
(qualifying races for the national championship Dec. 2)
At Bowdoin Park, 5K (3.1-mile) open loop course
Town of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County
(Top two teams, top five individuals not on qualifying teams qualify for national race in Portland, Ore. Third- and fourth-place teams and additional individuals may be chosen Sunday as at-large qualifiers by a national selection panel. dnf – did not finish.)
BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP
Teams (22): 1. MWXC Club (Monroe-Woodbury H.S., Woodbury, Orange County-Sec. IX) 78 points. Rochester area: 6. Fairport Cross Country Club (Fairport H.S.) 217, 13. Black Creek Running Club (Churchville-Chili H.S.) 306, 15. Northfield Panther Cross Country (Pittsford Sutherland H.S.) 359, 21. Cougars Running Club (Honeoye Falls-Lima H.S.) 594.
Individuals (206 finishers): 1. Nolan McGinn (Fayetteville-Manlius-III) 15:57.8. Rochester-area finishers: 15. Ryan Giglia Jr. (C-C) 16:36.7, 16. Connor Domoy (Oakfield-Alabama/Elba) 16:39.0, 18. William Tempest (PSuth) 16:41.9, 21. Oliver Simmons (Harley-Allendale Columbia) 16:47.1, 26. James “J.D.” Tette (Penn Yan) 16:49.4, 32. Nathan Sikorski (C-C) 16:53.8, 42. Nathaniel Fisher (Brockport) 17:04.0, 60. Henry Hill (Fair) 17:20.8, 62. Colin Lesher (Fair) 17:21.3, 83. Ryan Mehan (Pittsford Mendon) 17:38.8, 84. Austin Bubel (Fair) 17:39.9, 85. Connor Roeser (Fair) 17:40.4, 97. Owen Willard (Fair) 17:50.8, 107. Patrick Ward (Churchville-Chili) 17:56.9. 108. Brady Krenzer (PSuth) 17:58.8, 117. Tyler Fischer (Fair) 18:07.6, 130. Jack Andrews (PSuth) 18:19.9, 131. Maxwell Benoit (PSuth) 18:20.2, 133. Calvin Burke (HF-L) 18:21.0, 134. Dominic Agostinelli (C-C) 18:21.9, 153. Andrew Cole (PSuth) 18:39.1, 154. Riley Cushman (HF-L) 18:39.7, 163. Henry Burke (HF-L) 18:49.1, 164. James Casey (PSuth) 18:49.9, 178. Caleb Krenzer (C-C) 19:11.4, 185. Ethan Ruest (PSuth) 19:23.4, 198. Joseph Webster (HF-L) 20:02.3, 200. Nolan Guckian (HF-L) 20:26, 202. Matthew Ross (HF-L) 20:27.6, 203. Amer Armbruster (HF-L) 20:28.1, dnf. Jake Passalugo (Fair).
GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP
Teams (17): 1. Kinetic Running Club (Saratoga Springs H.S.-II) 42. Rochester area: 9. Black Creek Running Club (Churchville-Chili H.S.) 219, 11. Northfield Panther Cross Country (Pittsford Sutherland H.S.) 306.
Individuals (153 finishers): 1. Emily Bush (Saratoga Springs-II) 18:09.5. Rochester-area finishers: 16. Haylie Smith (R-H) 19:31.0, 23. Hannah Devine (Brighton) 19:37.5, 27. Alexa Briggs (C-C) 19:46.9, 46. Audrey Gleghorn (Rush-Henrietta) 20:14.0, 52. Kate Brennan (HF-L) 20:21.4, 53. Hannah Khuns (C-C) 20:22.2, 58. Reid Smith (PSuth) 20:33.2, 66. Lindsay Richardson (R-H) 20:54.2, 72. Aubrey Sudol (C-C) 21:06.1, 94. Michaela Goettel (C-C) 21:41.8, 96. Irene Sesnie (HF-L) 21:43.5, 100. Adriana Ochoa (PSuth) 21:54.0, 102. Ella Rice (PSuth) 21:58.8, 104. Maddie Sichak (C-C) 22:02.2, 106. Molly Fantauzzo (PSuth) 22:04.2, 108. Marianne Spyra (PSuth) 22:18.0, 119. Kimberly Ludwig (PSuth) 22:29.7, 120. Mackenzie Elliott (Churchville-Chili) 22:42.1, 130. Gabby Toates (C-C) 23:29.9, 134. Gabrielle Spyra (PSuth) 23:42.4.
Complete results on-line at www.leonetiming.com
Jim Castor, retired assistant sports editor of the Democrat and Chronicle, has covered running in the Rochester area for more than five decades. He can be reached at jcastor@jimcastor.com
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Nike Cross Country regional championships: How Section V runners did
