County title for both Shelter Island cross country teams
Cross country is a sport that challenges every runner both physically and mentally to continually set new goals, overcome obstacles and, in order to be successful, to keep looking forward.
Starting way back in August with 21 athletes training six days a week, if we were able to harness all the calories burned up to this point in the season, we probably could have powered the school for a period of weeks. It has been a very successful season in many ways: we welcomed some new athletes, both the boys and girls teams went undefeated in league play (4-0), our athletes captured a few first place finishes at invitational races they ran; and Shelter Island now has a home course at Goat Hill, thanks to the Shelter Island Country Club, giving Shelter Islanders a chance to experience the sport of cross country.
Each year, a goal of most every team is to capture a county title. And Shelter Island is no different. This race was the one we ultimately trained for this season. Teams that capture the county championship automatically qualify to compete in states. Last year, both Shelter Island teams took second place in the county championships — the girls team narrowly missed by 3 points — a major driving factor for setting our goals for the current season. Last year, the Indians had four boys and four girls enjoy the experience of competing at states as individuals, and they were driven to have more of their teammates share in that experience by going as a team.
This year, the county championships were held at Sunken Meadow State Park, the same place they have always been held going back over 60 years. On Friday, the Indians made their last two hour trek of the season to Sunken Meadow for the county championships. The boys raced the 5K course first on the windy and very humid day.
The boys representing Shelter Island at the county championships this year were senior Jack Kimmelmann, junior Will Garrison, sophomore Joshua Green, sophomore Jack Lang, freshman Michael Payano, eighth grader Jonas Kinsey and eighth grader Kal Lewis.
The starting gun went off right on time, signalling it was time to convert all their nervous energy to fast forward momentum. Southold’s top runner, Owen Klipstein took a fast early lead in the race as Green and Lewis ran side-by-side patiently positioning themselves 10 meters behind the leader. Green and Lewis weren’t the only Indians using teamwork to encourage each other to keep the pace as Kimmelmann, Garrison and Kinsey ran as a pack for most of the race, as did Lang and Payano.
Approaching the last half mile of the race, Lewis made his move passing Southold’s top runner, and he never looked back. Quite a feat for an eighth grader, Lewis took first place and earned the boys Class D county champion title finishing with a time of 18:04.
Also scoring for the Indians, Green took third place with a personal record (“PR”) of 18:37, Will Garrison placed fourth (19:07), Kimmelmann placed fifth (19:16 PR) and Kinsey placed sixth (19:54 PR). The remaining Indians, Lang and Payano, ran 20:39 and 21:33, PR’s respectively for the both of them.
The team captured the boys Class D team title by scoring 19 points with their next closest rival, Pierson, scoring 42. As with golf, low score wins.
Representing the lady Indians were junior Olivia Yeaman, sophomore Caitlin Binder, sophomore Francesca Frasco, sophomore Lindsey Gallagher, freshman Elizabeth Cummings, freshman Lily Garrison and eighth grader Emma Gallagher.
Sophomore Lindsey Gallagher went out to an early lead with Stony Brook’s Miranda Harrigan and Pierson’s Hannah Jungck trailing her. Leading the entire race, Lindsey Gallagher picked up the pace in the last half mile, shaking Pierson’s top runner, but Stony Brook’s Harrigan continued to hang on.
In the last 250 meters of the race, Harrigan attempted repeatedly to pass Gallagher en route to the finish line, but Lindsey Gallagher’s strong kick to the finish was too much to overcome. Lindsey Gallagher took first place with a time of 21:07, finishing her season undefeated in league and class competition, capturing the girls Class D county championship for the second year in a row.
Also scoring for the lady Indians were Binder earning fourth place (21:49 PR), Emma Gallagher earning fifth place (22:37), Frasco earning eighth place (24:00 PR) and Cummings earning ninth place (24:29). The remaining Indians, Lily Garrison and Yeaman, ran 24:53 and 29:17, respectively.
The girls team captured the girls Class D team title by scoring 27 points with their next closest rival, Pierson, scoring 42. For the first time in school history, both the girls and boys teams each captured the Class D Champion team titles during the same season while also capturing both the girls and boys Class D Champion individual titles as well.
What made this year such a success was the team chemistry of all our athletes who worked hard, shoulder to shoulder, encouraging and supporting one another. It was the team’s chemistry that made this year end with such high achievements.
The coaches, Jason Green, Bryan Knipfing and I, would like to acknowledge our remaining athletes for their dedication and commitment as well. For the boys team, that includes junior Chanin Inturam, sophomore Darien Hunter, eighth grader Liam Adipietro, eighth grader Walter Richards and seventh grader Tyler Gulluscio. For the girls team, freshman Justine Karen and eighth grader Lauren Gurney.
Next stop is states. Our teams will be traveling to compete on a 5K course at the state championships Saturday at Monroe-Woodbury High School. Wish us health and good luck.
