Section V cross country championships: Can anyone catch Fairport?
Ranked No. 1 in the state. Undefeated. First-place finishes at the East Aurora, McQuaid and Burnt Hills Invitationals.
The Fairport boys cross country team is the team to beat in the Section V Class A Cross Country Championships at Letchworth State Park on Saturday.
“It’s playing out how we thought it might," Fairport senior and 2022 Democrat and Chronicle All-Greater Rochester Boys Team member Jake Passalugo said. "We came into the season thinking we would be ranked No. 1 (by ny.MileSplit.com) from last year (after finishing fourth in the Class A state championships).
"Our coach told us you have to be happy about it, but realize you have a big target on your back. Everyone is really going to try to take you down. We’ve been happy to be ranked that high, but we know that means nothing. The only thing that matters is who wins in a week. We can be ranked No. 1 all season, have a bad day and it would all mean absolutely nothing.”
Maybe the Red Raiders with a roster of 35 runners will continue to rise during November.
"We definitely had guys step up," Fairport boys cross country coach Ben Bulkeley said. "We put in a lot of work during the summer, because of that we are in a better place than I thought we would be."
In some cases among the team's top seven, work with intensity by the Red Raiders to make this climb began months before the arrival of summer:
Jake Passalugo: A strong candidate for the 2023 Democrat and Chronicle All-Greater Rochester Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, he has an individual first-place finish at the Burnt Hills invite inside Saratoga Spa Park during this, his senior year at Fairport. There are also runner-up finishes in the Bob Bradley Premier Race at the McQuaid Invitational in September and the Monroe County Coaches Invitational on October 21.
Owen Willard: Runner-up at the 2022 Section V Class A Championships and 2022 AGR team member. Fairport's lead runner at the East Aurora invite, where the Red Raiders placed third through eighth. "He is all over that," Fairport coach Ben Bulkeley said about this senior's conditioning, body maintenance and communication. "The hard work pays off for Owen."
Colin Lesher: A senior who was outside of Fairport's top seven runners last season. He made a big mark at the team's time trial during the first week of practice. "He really stepped up," Bulkeley said. Came in 18th and Willard 19th to help Fairport win the Burnt Hills Division IV or largest schools team scoring by five points.
Henry Hill: Part of a group of talented sophomores. Unlike last fall, injuries are not holding him back. Came in 30th during the team's triumph in the Burnt Hills, an invite that included Saratoga Springs, Monroe Woodbury, Guilderland, Northport and other state-ranked teams.
Austin Bubel: Part of the pack of sophomores who can make a mark or two for the Red Raiders in coming seasons. He rose from about the middle of the 2022 Fairport roster. His promise began to surface during the indoor track season, according to Bulkeley. He came in 14th at the McQuaid Invitational, Fairport's second-best runner, as the Red Raiders took first-place in the Bob Bradley Premier division team scoring by 32 points in October.
Connor Roeser: One of the team's captains. This is his sixth year in the Fairport program, going back to modified. This is his third season in the varsity seven. Came in 20th-place during Fairport's dominant victory at the Monroe County Coaches Invitational in Parma Park.
Tyler Fischer: Another senior who is in his sixth year in the team's program. Placed fourth, one spot behind Willard in the Fairport parade in the top eight of the East Aurora Invitational individual standings.
More teams to watch at Section V championships
Churchville-Chili boys: The Saints are probably Fairport's strongest challenger for the Class A title. Ranked No. 5 in the state. Runner-up at the Monroe County Coaches Invitational.
Fairport girls: Ranked No. 12 among Class A teams in the state. Winner of Monroe County Coaches Invitational, that was decided by team's sixth runner. The Red Raiders won all 12 of its league meets.
Rush-Henrietta girls: Ranked No. 11 in the state. Royal Comets should also be a strong contender to win Class A sectionals. R-H tied Fairport for first-place at the Monroe County Coaches Invitational, but settled for second after a tiebreaker was applied. The Royal Comets won the Hilton-RH Royal Cadet Invitational in Parma Park and the Newark Invitational in Silver Hill Technology Park.
Pittsford Sutherland girls: The Knights are a Monroe County league division champion, ranked No. 10 in the state among Class B teams. Finished 13th in the Bob Bradley Premier Division at the McQuaid Invitational, behind strong teams such as Fayetteville-Manlius, Shenendehowa, Burnt Hills/Ballston Lake, Corning, Auburn and Fairport. Runaway winner of the Marcus Whitman Invitational with a score of 18.
Pittsford Mendon girls: The Vikings entered the Class B state rankings this week at No. 16. Edged Class A Rush-Henrietta by four points for first-place at the Bob Goodell Memorial Cross County Invitational at Red Jacket on September 9.
McQuaid: The Knights can be in the Class B boys title mix. Ranked No. 6 in the state. Winner of the Weedsport Invitational on October 21, by nine points over Mexico of Section III and Class C sectional title contender Marcus Whitman. Runner-up at Baldwinsville Invitational on October 6.
Pittsford Mendon boys: Ranked No. 8 in Class B. A Monroe County league division champion. Placed third behind Class A Rush-Henrietta and Churchville-Chili, at the Bob Goodell Memorial Cross Country Invitational at Red Jacket.
Pittsford Sutherland boys: Perhaps the team to beat during the Section V Class B Championships. Ranked No. 3 in the state. Finished third at Monroe County Coaches' Invitational in Parma Park, behind Fairport and Churchville-Chili, two Class A schools. Placed fifth at Baldwinsville Invitational, behind Ithaca, Auburn, Burnt Hills/Ballston Lake and Baldwinsville. Winner of Marcus Whitman Invitational on October 7.
Geneseo girls: The Blue Knights may be a contender for the Class D state title. They are ranked No. 2 in the state behind Delhi or Delaware Academy of Section IV. This seems to be the team to beat in Section V Class D1, but No. 6 state-ranked Arkport/Canaseraga/Alfred-Almond is also very good.
Oakfield-Alabama/Elba boys: This team may be the favorite to win the Section V Class D1 title, but the No. 4 state-ranked team should keep an eye on No. 6 Arkport/Canaseraga/Alfred-Almond and No. 10 Geneseo, however. No. 15 Harley Allendale Columbia is in Class D2 at sectionals. Connor Domoy, a senior on the Oakfield-Alabama/Elba team, had very little, if any, trouble winning the Genesee Region-Livingston County league championships race at Oakfield-Alabama. Logan Clark came in third, and were joined by two other teammates in the top 15.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V cross country championships: Can anyone catch Fairport?
