Shelter Island School cross country teams at state tournament

It was a sunny 70-degree day, one of those rare November days when you get a last, fleeting taste of warm weather, for the New York State qualifying cross country tournament at Sunken Meadow State Park on Wednesday, Nov. 6.

For most, it was a lovely day, but for the Shelter Island School’s varsity cross country team, it was a challenging backdrop.

Among the most difficult, and beautiful, in the nation, the course is partly set along Long Island Sound. 

The legendary Islander Kal Lewis set a state record at Sunken Meadow, and brought home a championship.

An example of its difficulty is that it has a sheer rise known as “Cardiac Hill.”

According to the Suffolk County Coaches Association, the course has a variety of terrains, starting with a flat three-quarter of a mile stretch that takes athletes around and over water. From that point on the course runs though a series of hills, including what’s known as “The Snake,” a long loop.

The young team, previously covered in the Nov. 7 issue of the Reporter, competed with five athletes: sophomore Henry Springer and freshmen Eli Green, Nathaniel Overstreet, Lily Potter, and Danielle Rasmussen.

Coaches Erin Mulrain and Toby Green, leading the varsity girls and boys respectively, were proud of their athletes’ efforts.

“Wednesday was hot, and super humid — not your ideal day for running,” Coach Mulrain said.

The team, which has worked all season to adjust to the rigors of varsity-level races, faced a new challenge with the unseasonable warmth. With limited experience running in hot weather and no chance to participate in invitational races this year due to scheduling conflicts, it was their first taste of a large-scale race, facing offagainst around 80 runners.

“While they have run the Sunken Meadow course once before, adjusting to a large number of athletes was definitely a challenge,” Coach Mulrain said.

As for their results, Henry finished in the middle of his group, with Eli and Nathaniel close behind.

On the girls’ side, Lily and Danielle ran together, finishing toward the end of their division. None of the team members qualified for state’s this year, but they gave it their all.

While there was some disappointment in the results, Coach Mulrain reminded everyone of the big picture. “The course won that day,” she said, but the team left with experience and motivation.

This promising young group has plenty of opportunities ahead to qualify for state championships, and will continue running throughout the year and during their upcoming winter track and spring track seasons.

Congratulations to all of the runners on a valiant effort representing Shelter Island, and best of luck in their future races.