Cross country teams racking up wins
On Friday, October 3, the Shelter Island boys and girls cross country teams traveled to Sunken Meadow State Park for the Saint Anthony’s Cross Country Invitational.
The girls’ team finished first as a team against some very stiff competition, including Kellenberg and St. Anthony’s. The top three teams were only separated by 3 points.
Freshman Lindsey Gallagher (8:47) took first place overall, 7th grader Emma Gallagher (9:15) took second place, freshman Caitlin Binder (9:54) took fifth place. The remaining scorers, freshman Francesca Frasco (10:07) and 8th grader Elizabeth Cummings (10:42) set new personal records (PRs) and were instrumental in securing the team’s victory.
While I was waiting to take finish line photos of our team members as they came across, I was amused to hear some comments by some surprised yet impressed competitors as they said, “Wow, Shelter Island has a strong team,” and “Where is Shelter Island, near the city?”
I gave a few people a quick geography lesson, as we put Shelter Island on the map in more ways than one.
The Shelter Island boys’ team finished fourth as a team led by 7th grader Kal Lewis (8:16), freshman Joshua Green (8:26), 7th grader Jonas Kinsey (9:21), 7th grader Liam Adipietro (9:22) and 8th grader Michael Payano (9:43). In a field of 89 competitors, Kal Lewis took a very impressive fifth place overall and Joshua Green took seventh. Junior Jack Kimmelmann ran in the boys varsity 5K race, setting a new PR at Sunken Meadow with an impressive time of 19:52.
On Tuesday, October 7, the boys and girls teams traveled to Sunken Meadow State Park for a dual meet versus The Stony Brook School. The boys’ team won for the second week in a row with a score of 21-35.
The boys took second, third, fourth and fifth place led by junior Jack Kimmelmann (18:54), freshman Joshua Green (18:58), senior Sawyer Clark (19:00) and 7th grader Kal Lewis (19:24), all setting new PRs. 7th grader Jonas Kinsey also scored for the Indians with his new PR of 21:04. 7th grader Liam Adipietro set a new PR (21:19) with 8th grader Michael Payano (23:02) and freshman Jack Lang (26:19) finishing close to their PR’s. The boys’ team record is now 2-2.
The girls’ team defeated last year’s defending Class D county champions, Stony Brook 19-37. Freshman Lindsey Gallagher (20:22), 7th grader Emma Gallagher (20:42) and freshman Caitlin Binder (20:56) took first, second and third places. Freshman Francesca Frasco (23:07) and 8th grader Elizabeth Cummings (24:38) took fifth and eighth place, shattering their previous PR’s by more than a minute and a half!
Sophomore Olivia Yeaman (27:08) set a new PR and 8th grader Lily Garrison (27:40) finished with a time to be proud of. The girls’ team record is now 4-0.
Saturday, October 11, both teams will be competing in the Suffolk Track Officials Cross Country Invitational at Sunken Meadow. Tuesday, October 14, will be our last regular season meet. We expect to face a very competitive Pierson/ Bridgehampton team, whose record is also 4-0, at Indian Island County Park. We will also be facing the Ross School this date.
Thereafter, our athletes will be preparing for the season ending championship races.
