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11-09-2006 By ERIC AHLQVIST Editor The defending champion Redskins trailed both Weedsport and Fabius-Pompei in the 5K race, and a chance to defend their Class D state title this weekend looked like a remote possibility. ``I got to a spot at the two-mile mark where I could look each one of them in the eye as they passed, and told them what they needed to do,’’ Ravage said. ``Some I told they needed to pass five runners, some two, some three. The message was every point was going to count.’’ The team responded, with each of the top five runners doing their part to give CCS a second straight Class D team title, and a spot in Saturday’s state meet at Warwick Valley on Saturday. Cooperstown edged second place Weedsport by just eight points, thanks to late race surges by Brian Reis, Richard Clancy, Jimmy Jennings and Will Tirrell. Clancy and Reis each had career-best times, while senior Stephen Scrafford occupied the second place position for the entire race. Senior captain Reis, like Scrafford a six-year runner, moved to seventh place (17:56) over the second half of the race. Jennings, a senior but new to the team this year, pulled up into the 11th spot, finishing in 18:14. ``Those two have been unsung this year,’’ Ravage said. ``Brian has occupied the number two spot all year and kind of flies under the radar, and James filled a huge spot when Kris Reynolds was lost to mono. We wouldn’t be in this position without him.’’ Senior captain Clancy seems to like the pressure moments, running what Ravage said was the second great clutch race of the season, overtaking five runners in the second half to finish 14th (18:23). Senior and second-year runner Will Tirrell rounded out the team’s scoring five, passing four runners and finishing 20th (18:41). ``Both Richard and Will had flying finishes, each moving up a place in the final 100 meters,’’ Ravage said. ``I have never been so nervous watching a race. I thought I might need an MRI when it was over.’’ Freshman Ben Resnick, the youngest member of the team, ran a good race, finishing sixth for the team and 30th overall in 19:04. Sophomore Trevor Huntsman, who has run all season with a knee awaiting surgery later this month, finished in CooperstownĘs seventh spot, 40th overall (19:23). Senior and four-year runner Rajiv Patel finished 47th (19:32) followed by senior Brad Breiten in 60th (20:28) and sophomore Robert Harmon in 72nd (21:03). The top seven finishers will run at the state meet. Ravage said earlier this year that getting through sectionals might be a harder hurdle for her team than winning the Class D state meet. ``I don’t think it will be a cakewalk for us on Saturday, but I do think we have a very good shot at repeating,’’ she said. CCS girls take sixth place The girls were ranked sixth coming into the meet, and held their position with a score of 151 points. Nearly all of them ran their best races of the season, the lead four all placing better than their projected individual rankings. Senior and second-year runner Rebecca Adikes led the team as she has in all but one race this season. Ranked 20th coming into the race, she finished 19th in 22:55. Freshman and first-year runner Lauren Harris moved from a ranking of 32 to finish 25th in 23:16, easily her best race of the season. The team’s second freshman, Sarah Fanion, improved her standing from 46th to a final finish in 33rd place in 23:42. Senior Mary Catherine Harmon, coming off an injury, held the team’s fifth and final scoring position, in 52nd place in 25:12. Senior captain Audrey Henkels finished 62nd (25:38). ``It was a good finish for a season characterized by development of young and relatively untried runners,’’ Ravage said. ``All will continue to strengthen and improve.’’ |
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