HF-L girls, Pittsford Mendon boys finish top 3 at state cross country championships

Her strategy worked to perfection until the last 150 yards or so in the misty rain at New York’s high school cross country championships Saturday.

"I like to go out with the lead pack, hang back a little, then move up," said Téa Malone-Bonacci, The Harley School junior who had been encouraged by her coach, Dan Deckman, to do just that and keep an eye on the South Lewis Bernard sisters as well.

By the first mile Malone-Bonacci had scrapped her way to second place in the 3.1-mile Class D race on the golf course at Broome County’s Chenango Valley State Park. In the second mile as they crested the course’s toughest hill, South Lewis sophomore Brynn Bernard was still in sight but close behind Tea was Brynn’s older sister, Lexi.

"I knew she was there," Tea said. "I was hoping to hold her off, but I couldn’t. She caught me.

"I gave it my all, though."

Brynn Bernard won with a time of 18 minutes, 42.8 seconds. Her sister was 36 seconds back and Malone-Bonacci was in at 19:29.3.

Malone-Bonacci and Arkport/Canaseraga/Alfred-Almond’s Pierce Young were Section V’s top individual finishers, each in third. The section’s two Southern Tier powerhouse teams in Class D, Arkport-Canaseraga boys and Addison’s girls, were each runnersup.

It was only the second time in 33 years Section V has not come away with at least one state champion, individually or team, in cross country. There were none in 2018 at Sunken Meadow State Park on Long Island.

Keeping it going

Honeoye Falls-Lima, in the tradition established by its retired coach, Bernie Gardner, saved its best race til last. The Cougars girls, now under the direction of HF-L graduate Nolan Hoh, placed 4-8-11-21-23 to challenge state power East Aurora and finish second 55-67 in Class B.

HF-L holds the state record for consecutive state titles -- seven. This was its fifth runnerup finish, but just its first appearance at states since 2015, when the Cougar girls were sixth.

HF-L’s lead runner was again senior Ann Brennan, whose 13th overall finish was in 19:37.2, seventh-fastest in the section.

Best of the rest

The Rochester area’s fastest runners most of the season held true to form in Class A. Senior Candace Tytler of Irondequoit clocked Section V’s fastest time, finishing 19th in 18:46.9 while Fairport senior John Farrell was fastest for area boys in sixth (16:12.1).

Jayson Chichelli of McQuaid wasn’t far back in the B race, in fifth at 16:18.8.

Pittsford Mendon’s boys were third in Class B, Webster Thomas’ boys fifth in A and Churchville-Chili’s girls sixth in A. They were Monroe County’s other top teams at sectionals.

Jim Castor, retired assistant sports editor of the Democrat and Chronicle, has covered running in the Rochester area for more than five decades. He can be reached at jcastor@jimcastor.com

NY state cross country championships 2021 results for Section V

At Chenango Valley State Park

Chenango Valley, Broome County (Section IV)

5K (3.1-mile) open double-loop course

* - selected for New York State Federation of Secondary Schools Athletic Association championships, Nov. 20 at Bowdoin Park, Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County (Sec. I).

BOYS

Class A

Team scores (9 total): 1. Corning-IV 30, Section V: 5. Webster Thomas 141.

Individuals (107 finishers): 1. Jack Gregorski (Corning) 15:45.7. Sec. V finishers: 6. John Farrell (Fairport) 16:12.1, *7. Adam Barbato (Victor) 16:14.8, *27. Anson Butler (Brighton) 16:48.6, 29. Evan Lacey (WT) 16:49.4, 38. Timothy Sumarsono (Victor) 17:07.0, 47. Connor Thomas (WT) 17:16.4, 71. Jaden Barnwell (WT) 17:45.4, 77. Jerry Lewis (WT) 17:53.5, *80. Cooper Branch (Irondequoit) 17:56.1, 83. Aidan Civiletti (WT) 17:57.2, 90. Jalen Morales (WT) 18:07.1, 94. JJ Montemaro (WT) 18:12.3.

*Additional Federation entries: Irondequoit team, Patrick Sharp (Brighton).

Class B

Team scores (11): 1. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake-II 35. Section V: 3. Pittsford Mendon 90.

Individuals (122 finishers): 1. Gitch Hayes (LaSalle Institute-II) 15:37.1. Sec. V finishers: 5. Jayson Chichelli (McQuaid) 16:18.8, 12. Collin Brown (McQuaid) 16:37.8, 19. Broden Haltiner (Newark) 17:01.9, 20. Drew Cox (PM) 17:07.6, 21. Colin Burke (PM) 17:08.5, 26. Ben Hanson (PM) 17:15.7, 50. Nico Valentine (PM) 17:45.4, 62. Andrew Garringer (PM) 18:01.6, 70. Nathaniel Fisher (Brockport) 18:09.9, 84. Brendan Kane (PM) 18:25.8, 103. Nathan Canale (Batavia) 19:20.5, 104. Ethan Stauffer (PM) 19:25.8.

Class C

Team scores (11): 1. Irvington-I 50. Section V: 11. Le Roy 264.

Individuals (132 finishers): 1. Kyle Urban (Alden-VI) 16:144.7. Sec. V: *6. James "JD" Tette (Penn Yan) 17:02.6, 33. Caeleb Suwyn (Williamson) 17:59.9, 39. Erik Schwab (L) 18:03.7, *42. Drew Reigelsperger (Bloomfield-Naples) 18:05.0, 69. Chris Coyle (Livonia) 18:39.8, 82. Aiden Soggs (L) 18:54.6, 90. Matthew Mulvaney (Livonia) 19:08.4, 115. Ian Kepple (L) 20:42.7, 119. James Blake (L) 20:55.7, 122. Andrew Greene (L) 21:13.4, 123. Cole Friedhaber (L) 21:16.8, 129. Kyle Northrup (L) 23:05.1.

Class D

Teams (10): 1. Tri-Valley-IX 41. Section V: *2. Arkport/Canaseraga/Alfred-Almond 63.

Individuals (116 finishers): 1. Colton Kempney (Beaver River-III) 16:06.5. Sec. V: 3. Pierce Young (A/C/A) 16:36.8, 7. Connor Domoy (Oakfield-Alabama) 17:14.5, 20. Salim Ford (A/C/A) 17:46.4, 22. Ibrahim Ford (A/C/A) 17:55.5, 25. Braydon Brewster (A/C/A) 17:58.9, 26. Sebastian Kitt (Pembroke) 17:58.9, 31. Nicholas Staley (Geneseo) 18:09.6, 37. Lincoln McGrath (Byron-Bergen) 18:15.4, 39. Logan Clark (Oakfield-Alabama) 18:23.8, 48. Cameron Williams (A/C/A) 18:36.1, 94. Dylan Cannon (A/C/A 20:32.6, 98. Jacob Broughton (A/C/A) 20:43.5.

GIRLS

Class A

Teams (9): 1. Saratoga Springs-II 26. Section V: 6. Churchville-Chili 150.

Individuals (108 finishers): 1. Izzie Sullivan (Fayetteville-Manlius-III) 17:40.8. Sec. 5: *19. Candace Tytler (Irondequoit) 18:46.9, *26. Kyra Pellegrino (Gates Chili) 19:09.9, *27. Sierra Doody (Webster Schroeder) 19:12.6, 31. McKenna Arguien (C-C) 19:24.9, 33 Haylie Smith (Rush-Henrietta) 19:31.6, 34. Eilee Ossont (Brighton) 19:33.3, 48. Lindsay Donner (C-C) 19:54.1, 49. Alexa Briggs (C-C) 19:54.2, 85. Madelyn Sichak (C-C) 21:04.3, 91. Maddy Stowe (C-C) 21:28.0, 94. Mia Lyon (C-C) 21:35.0, 105. Renee Sipes (C-C) 22:05.9.

*Additional Federation entry: Brighton team.

Class B

Teams (11): 1. East Aurora-VI 55. Section V: *2. Honeoye Falls-Lima 67.

Individuals (118 finishers): 1. Emila O’Leary (East Aurora) 18:33.9. Sec. 5: 13. Ann Brennan (HF-L) 19:37.2, 20. Alia Spaker (HF-L) 19:52.5, *27. Hannah Dykens (Pittsford Sutherland) 20:06.3, 28. Paige Kidd (HF-L) 20:10.5, 31. Sarah Hanfland (Pittsford Mendon) 20:13.7, 36. Isabella Gallant (Pittsford Mendon) 20:22.8, 48. Oliver Kraynik (HF-L) 20:56.9, 49. Katie Richardson (Pittsford Mendon) 21:00.2, 54. Ginny Roth (HF-L) 21:13.2, 58. Campbell Riley (Batavia) 21:25.8, 60. Teagan Kamm (HF-L) 21:27.0, 77. Kate Brennan (H) 22:07.7.

Class C

Teams (11): 1. Bronxville-I 57. Sec. V: 10. Waterloo 266.

Individuals (130 finishers): 1. Angelina Napoleon (Allegany-Limestone-VI) 18:37.7. Sec. V: 20. Addison Bree (W) 20:25.7, 26. Katelyn Wilkes (Midlakes) 20:44.3, 39. Charlotte Blake (Livonia) 21:07.6, 71. Maggie Bacon (Dansville) 21:59.7, 82. Chance Rice Porter (W) 22:16.9, 85. Bailey Nixon (Attica) 22:26.4, 118. Maci Mueller (W) 24:19.8, 121. Katelyn VanNostrand (W) 24:58.1, 123. Haylee Beesley (W) 25:09.1, 126. Ashlyn Bovee (W) 25:53.8, 129. Ava DiSanto (W) 26:44.7. Grace Wren (Williamson) no record.

Class D

Teams (8): 1. South Lewis-III 44. Section V: 2. Addison 72.

Individuals (108 finishers): 1. Brynn Bernard (South Lewis) 18:42.8. Sec. V: 3. Téa Malone-Bonacci (Harley-Allendale Columbia) 19:29.3, 7. Faith Skowvron (A) 19:57.1, 11. Madalenn Fee (Red Jacket) 20:12.1, 12. Kylie Paylor (Clyde-Savannah) 20:26.7, 17. Julia Benton (A) 20:46.0, 20. Libby Drum (Cuba-Rushford-Hinsdale) 20:54.7, 24. Alexa Wolcott (Pavilion) 21:13.9, 30. Anna Lyons (A) 21:30.2, 34. Sarah Lyons (A) 21:52.1, 63. Sydney Ribble (A) 23:22.7, 75. Kylie Putnam (A) 24:28.9, 76. Andrea Salinas (A) 24:29.6.

Complete results online at www.leonetiming.com

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: NY state cross country championships: Honeoye Falls-Lima, Mendon excel