High School Cross Country

Nassau Girls Qualifiers

Class AA Champ - Syosset
Other Class AA Qualifiers:
Emily Marchini 11 Massapequa 19:40.7
Amanda Schmidt 12 Massapequa 19:43.6
Charlene Lipsey 12 Hempstead 19:58.8
Caitlyn Krug 10 Massapequa 20:03.4
Cara Mattson 12 East Meadow 20:16.6

Class A Champ - MacArthur
Other Class A Qualifiers:
Emily Lipari 11 Roslyn 17:52.2
Samantha Rae Beim 12 Mepham 19:19.3
Kaleigh Craig 9 Wantagh 20:08.7
Cassis Papandrew 12 Lynbrook 20:13.1
Ava Fitzgerald 10 Calhoun 20:25.4

Class B Champ - North Shore
Other Class B Qualifiers:
Erica Cirino 11 Cold Spring Harbor 18:34.9
Brianna Cano 12 Valley Stream North 19:40.4
Karissa Chiantella 11 Locust Valley 20:09.8
Kristen Wraith 11 Valley Stream Souty 20:21
Kristen Adorno 12 Seaford 20:45

Class C Champ - Oyster Bay
Other Class C Qualifiers:
Kira Garry 10 Friends Academy 19:59.3
Michelle Chin 11 Wheatley 22:38.1
Catherine O'Connell-Sting 11 Friends Academy 22:41.8
Mariel Halpern 11 Wheatley 23:18.3
Erin Eschbach 11 East Rockaway 23:24.3

Nassau Boys Qualifiers

Class AA Champ - Port Washington
Other Class AA Qualifiers:
Mike Yang 12 Oceanside 16:25.9
Andrew Valenski 10 Massapequa 16:32.1
Tom Mastropasqua 11 Farmingdale 17:06.1
Luke Alber 11 Farmingdale 17:18.7
Joe Morris 12 Farmingdale 17:20

Class A Champ - Wantagh
Other Class A Qualifiers:
Brandon Abasolo 12 Long Beach 16:14.8
Christian Altamura 12 MacArthur 16:15.2
Jordan Ashley 12 Bellmroe JFK 16:40.8
Daniel Siegel 10 Great Neck South 16:50
Bobby McGetrick 11 Calhoun 16:52.7

Class B Champ - Manhasset
Other Class B Qualifiers:
Joe Lasher 12 Seaford 16:31.9
Anthony Russello 11 Valley Stream North 16:47.1
Mike Clausen 12 North Shore 16:59.4
Nick DiBenedetto 12 Seaford 17:17.6
Matt Savino 10 Seaford 17:27.8

Class C Champ - Oyster Bay
Other Class C Qualifiers:
Ryan Rosmarin 11 Friends Academy 17:59.2
Ben Curran 12 Friends Academy 18:11.5
Dominick Vulpis 11 East Rockaway 18:16.9
Stefan Schwarz 12 Wheatley 18:25.9
Adam Shalit 10 Wheatley 19:18.3

Suffolk Girls Qualifiers

Class AA Champ - Bay Shore
Other Class AA Qualifiers:
Caroline O'Hea 9 Ward Melville 19:33.93
Lianne Farber 11 Northport 19:46.80
Sarah Zieve 8 Northport 19:50.45
Mary Kate Anselmini 10 Ward Melville 20:04.44
Victoria Lowe 9 Smithtown 20:12.32

Class A Champ - Kings Park
Other Class A Qualifiers:
Amber Selig 12 Westhampton 20:48.39
Michelle Gaye 10 Harborfields 21:02.30
krystina choinski 10 Hauppauge 21:08.18
Melissa Del Rosario 12 Bellport 21:13.83
Sarah Pellegrini 10 Sayville 21:17.62

Class B Champ - Shoreham-Wading River
Other Class B Qualifiers:
Janie Turek 10 Mount Sinai 19:42.61
Amanda Stasiewicz 11 Mount Sinai 21:05.78
Ashley Bofinger 11 Bayport/Bluepoint 21:19.44
Brittany Callahan 11 Mount Sinai 21:29.28
Meagan Donovan 11 John Glenn 21:38.28

Class C Champ - Hampton Bays
Other Class C Qualifiers:
Gabrielle Comanda 11 Center Moriches 23:33.26
Molly Schaefer 9 Center Moriches 24:18.93
Elizabeth Garland 12 Port Jefferson 24:19.99
Francesca Monaco 9 Center Moriches 24:21.51
Leigh Anne Fournier 11 Center Moriches 24:33.24

Class D Champ - Pierson
Other Class D Qualifiers:
Alexis Fernandez 8 Stony Brook 21:15.53
Alexandra Russo 8 Stony Brook 23:33.03
Ive Croteau 10 Southold 24:16.46
Alexandra Damianos 8 Stony Brook 24:30.79
Valerie Tomici 12 Southold 24:48.10

Suffolk Boys Qualifiers

Class AA Champ - Whitman
Other Class AA Qualifiers:
Jason Santos 12 Smithtown 16:21.24
Alex Saavedra 10 Sachem East 16:22.48
Quinn Raseman 11 Ward Melvill 16:28.05
Frank Fezza 12 Sachem North 16:30.30
Brendan Connell 12 Smithtown 16:31.70

Class A Champ - Half Hollow Hills West
Other Class A Qualifiers:
Geoff Engel 12 Miller Place 17:01.77
Joe Livote 11 Kings Park 17:30.68
Joe McNulty 11 Sayville 17:31.61
Jose Malave 12 Bellport 17:43.77
Brian Cotter 12 Huntington 17:44.62

Class B Champ - Shoreham-Wading River
Other Class B Qualifiers:
Dan Denis 11 Bayport/Bluepoint 17:29.69
Jonathan Hoeg 12 Mount Sinai 17:38.47
Mario Buscemi 11 Bayport/Bluepoint 17:53.89
Nicholas Collazos 10 Southampton 18:19.03
Alusha Brandt 11 Mount Sinai 18:22.38

Class C Champ - Babylon
Other Class C Qualifiers:
Kevin Sullivan 11 Port Jefferson 17:28.27
Nick Troisi 11 Mattituck 18:45.03
Carl Johnson 10 Port Jefferson 18:59.20
Jason Manzo 11 Mattituck 19:19.50
Andrew Keresztes 9 Port Jefferson 19:25.20

Class D Champ- Stony Brook
Other Class D Qualifiers:
Salvatore Manno 10 Southold 18:24.87
Kai Leo 12 Pierson 19:14.16
Gene Thomsen 12 Southold 19:17.87
George Prieto 12 Southold 20:52.92
Kyle Fletcher 11 Pierson 20:56.93

By Marcus Henry

The Shoreham-Wading River boy's cross country team held its place at number 8 in Newsday's Big 10 Poll this week. Thanks to a strong performance at the Manhattan College Invitational, Shoreham-Wading River, which won the Varsity G race and had the second overall fastest average time, is well on its way to winning another county title. Bobby Andrews took first overall in the race and had the fifth fastest time overall.

The North Shore girl's team surged back into the Big 10 at number 9. Samantha Nadel (15:03.74) won the Varsity D race and finished with the second fastest time overall as North Shore won the D race at the Manhattan College Invitational. The Vikings also had the distinction of having the second fastest average time.

The Wantagh boys team and the St. John the Baptist girls team each entered the top 5 this week. It's the first appearance for SJB, which in addition to having a strong finish at the Manhattan College Invitational, won another CHSAA regular season title.

Look out for the Bay Shore and East Meadow girls teams to possibly make a splash next week. The Chaminade boys team, which had a strong showing at the Manhattan Invitational, may also be a factor next week.

BOYS TOP 5 CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS
1. Shoreham-Wading River
2. Smithtown
3. Northport
4. Wantagh
5. St. Anthony’s

GIRLS TOP 5 CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS
1. North Shore
2. St. John the Baptist
3. Ward Melville
4. Northport
5. Syosset

Newsday's Big 10

1. Garden City Field Hockey
2. Massapequa Girls Soccer
3. St. Anthony's Football
4. Floyd Football
5. Brentwood Boys Soccer
6. Riverhead Football
7. Chaminade Boys Soccer
8. Shoreham-Wading River Boys Cross Country
9. North Shore Girls Cross Country
10. Bethpage Football

Other teams that received consideration for the Big 10. St. John the Baptist girls cross country, St. Anthony's boys soccer, Harborfields girls volleyball, Ward Melville girls swimming.

By Marcus Henry

Welcome into Newsday's Big 10, Shoreham-Wading River. The SWR boys cross country team debuted at No.8 in the poll on Tuesday. It's a well-deserved ranking as SWR has won 45 straight league meets, which shattered the school record of 39.

In addition to that record, the Vikings were the only team from LI to win a state cross country championship last year and return their top five runners, including Bobby Andrews.

The North Shore girl's cross country team, led by Brianna Welch and Samantha Nadel were in the poll last week. They weren't in the poll this week, but that's not a slight, they are still the top girl's team in the cross country ranking.

The following is Newsday's latest Big 10 and Cross Country rankings. Don't worry fans, these rankings can and are likely to change week to week.

NEWSDAY'S BIG 10
1. Garden City Field Hockey
2. St. Anthony's Football
3. Floyd Football
4. Massapequa Boy's Soccer
5. Brentwood Boy's Soccer
6. Riverhead Football
7. Chaminade Boy's Soccer
8. Shoreham-Wading River Boy's Cross Country
9. St. Anthony's Boy's Soccer
10. Harborfields Girl's Volleyball

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY TOP 5
1. Shoreham-Wading River
2. Northport
3. Smithtown
4. St. Anthony's
5. Massapequa

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TOP 5
1. North Shore
2. Northport
3. Ward Melville
4. Shoreham-Wading River
5. East Meadow

By Marcus Henry

Welcome cross country fans.

Just a few notes on things to come. On Wednesday, September 17 Newsday will run its cross country preview, which will feature a class breakdown and a runners to watch list.

As for the season, anyone looking to get a glimpse of who some of the island's top runners are, you can check out the Jim Smith Invitational at Sunken Meadow Park on Saturday.

Nassau County fans will be able to see to of the top programs on Long Island compete as Massapequa takes on East Meadow in a League I meet on Tuesday, September 16.

East Meadow, which returns several of its top runners, including Jennifer Flores and Cara Mattson, has won 95 straight league meets. Could this be the season East Meadow takes a fall? Stay tuned.

By Marcus Henry

Long Island followed up a strong weekend at the New York State championships in Buffalo with a strong day at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro, N.C.

The Kellenberg's boys 4x800 team of Mike Cook, Tom and Mike Elnick and Greg Moss placed fourth with a time of 7:44.02. It was the fastest time in the state this season and fifth best in the nation. The fourth-place finish earned the team All-American honors.

Great Neck South junior Terrance Livingston added to Long Island's list of fine efforts as he took third in the 800 with a personal-best time of 1:50.8. Smithtown West senior Giovanni Signoretti earned All-American honors with a fifth-place finish in the 5,000-meter run in a school-record time of 15:05.22.

Garden City sophomore Emily Menges took fourth in the 800 with a time of 2:09.17. Less than an hour later the Garden City DMR team of Maddie Adams, Taryn Schmelzonger, Michelle Rotondo and Menges took thied in a school-record time of 11:50.61. It was the third best time in New York State.

On Friday Eighth-grader Molly Josephs of Garden City won the one-mile racewalk over Bayshore's Destiny Lalane. The Garden City SMR also had a strong day as it took seventh with a school-record with a time of 4:02.9.

BY MARCUS HENRY

A few thoughts on this season.

First and foremost, Long Island deserves kudos for bringing home seven Federation championships. Emily Lipari (2), Nick Guscott, Chris Parker, Terrance Livingston, Kyle Merber and Charlene Lipsey represented the island with great dignity.

Merber was named Boy's Gatorade Runner of the Year for New York. Check the link below.

http://www.risemag.com/main.cfm?actionID=globalShowStaticContent&screenKey=newsArticle&categoryKey=gatoradePOYBoysTrack&articleId=14887&startrow=1

Lipsey was exceptionally great as she set a Federation meet record in the 800 (2:07.46), while Emily Lipari won two Federation titles. Lipsey, a junior, was also named the Gatorade Runner of the Year for New York. Check the link below for the story.

http://www.risemag.com/main.cfm?actionID=globalShowStaticContent&screenKey=newsArticle&categoryKey=gatoradePOYGirlsTrack&articleId=14830&startrow=1

There were some close second-place finishes as Holy Trinity's Louis Day took second in the shot put, Uniondale's Ashley Hendrix took second in the long jump and Ashley Clasen of Shoreham-Wading River was second in the discus. Floral Park's 4x100 team finished second, while sprinter Samantha Edwards took second in the 200. Mt. Sinai's Janet Mellor took second in the 400.

Kudos to the Bay Shore girl's track team for qualifying 10 athletes for the state championships. The Baldwin boys team also gets credit for sending eight runners to Buffalo. The Cold Spring Harbor girl's team sent six athletes upstate.

The future for Long Island track is bright as several underclassmen figure to make a lot of noise over the next couple of years. Lipari and Mellor are sophomores. Mt. Sinai's Janie Turek, who took seventh in the 2,000-steeplechase is just a freshman, while Ward Melville's Carolina O'Hea, who represented the Patriots in the Federation 3,000-meter run is an eighth grader. Northport's Lianne Farber, who finished 13th in the 2,000-steeplechase is a sophomore, while Friends Academy's Kira Garry, who took 23rd in the race, is a freshman. Garden City sophomore Emily Menges will also be a factor in 2009.

We also can't forget about North Shore sophomore Brianna Welch. Welch missed the final six-plus weeks with a stress fracture in her leg. She will be a force next season.

Hempstead sophomore Anthony Celestin, Port Washington sophomore Michael Bertolotti, Shoreham-Wading River junior Bobby Andrews should have sparkling seasons in 2009. BTW; Livingston and Lewis are both juniors. Don't forget about Amityville's Rashim Gaines.

Hat's off to several runners who capped their careers at the state championships, including Bay Shore's Stanford-bound senior Sarah McCurdy, Columbia-bound Jaclyn Marshall, Southampton's Imani Richardson, Ward Melville's Suejin Ahn, Baldwin's Christie Verdier, East Meadow's and Maryland-bound Nicole Banker and Brentwood's Donna Jeanty.

For the boy's Baldwin's Brandon Camille and Barry Mask, Smithtown West's Giovanni Signoretti, Roslyn's Tom Lipari, Longwood's Barry Franklin, Amityville's Craig Slaughter, Whitman's Mychael Fabio, Floral Park's Clark Hinds, Hempstead's Chad Allen, South Side's Brian Riley, Chaminade's Chris Tonn and Michael Schieck, Kellenberg's Mike and Tom Elnick and Westhampton's Jared Nilsson all finished their careers on a high note.

Apologies to those I left out.