Cross country teams take county, league championships three years running
Girls Cros scountry Class D County Champions. From left, Isabella Sherman, Francesca Frasco, Emma Gallagher, Lindsey Gallagher, Emma Martinez Majdisova, and Lauren Gurney, accompanied by individual state qualifiers Pierson’s Caroline Jungck, Stony Brook’s Sarah Wong, Pierson’s Penelope Greene and Southold’s Olivia Lynch.
Qualifying cross country races to move up to state finals were held November 3 at Sunken Meadow State Park.
Both Shelter Island’s teams won the county, as well as League Championships for their third consecutive year.
A “state qual” is, for many Long Island runners, the season’s most paramount race. It’s the final chance of the autumn to earn a “PR,” or personal record on a familiar, albeit challenging course.
With New York one of the nation’s most competitive states, and Long Island one of its most competitive regions, these races are tough, to say the least.
State quals presents a lofty, yet not unattainable goal: stand out, and earn a seat on the bus to Rochester, where this year’s state championship will be held.
Th Boys Class D County Champions. From left, Tyler Gulluscio, Kal Lewis, Jack Lang, Joshua Green, Domingo Gil, Jonas Kinsey and Brandon Payano.
For Shelter Island, as a small school, qualifying to run in a state final holds weight and the winners of the meet are crowned county champions. As said, Shelter Island boys and girls have maintained that title since the fall of 2015. For the boys varsity team, a renewal of their long-held title was expected. For the girls, it was less certain.
The results of the boys race are as follows (with the number representing their placement overall): 1st Kal Lewis, 17:05.79, 2nd Joshua Green, 18:02.60, 4th Jonas Kinsey, 18:57.16, 5th Brandon Payano, 19:10.58, 6th Domingo “Junior” Gil 19:19.00, 7th Tyler Gulluscio 19:31.75 and Jack Lang in 10th at 19:54.28.
Here are the girls results: 1st Lindsey Gallagher 20:56.70, 4th Emma Gallagher 22:49.26, 8th Francesca Frasco 24:36.65, Isabella Sherman came in right behind Frasco at 9th overall.
At 26:56.34 the race was a PR for Sherman, markedly lower than her previous times on “The Meadow.” Emma Martinez Madisjova finished 15th at 29:08.85, and rounding out the girls team at 16th was Lauren Gurney 29:16.47.
This was Lindsey Gallagher’s fourth straight year winning the individual girls Class D County Championship, and Kal Lewis’ third time winning the boys event.
Subsequently, in addition to making the trip to compete in Rochester, a few members of the boys and girls teams will be attending the Cross Country All County Awards dinner on Wednesday, November 8 to accept formal acknowledgement for their performances throughout the fall season.
The awards dinner, no matter how kind the praise will hold no comparison to the giddiness felt by the entire team and their coaches, when pulling off the North Ferry, returning home with the championships won, they found a waiting escort of police and fire vehicles to welcome them home.
