BEAR MOUNTAIN- Lifelong memories are born out of emotion, for it is the things that register the strongest feelings that form the tapestry of our memorable experiences.

So it is that the grandeur, spectacle and vibrant colors of the Section IX Cross-Country Championships inscribe longstanding memories in the race’s legion of participants. As the gun goes off on the day’s eight races with the girls’ races preceding the boys, athletes vie not only their personal best times, but within each class encounter, aspire for a top five individual finish or a team win that will punch a ticket to represent Section 9 at the state meet at Chenango Valley State Park on November 13.

Bright sun and no wind, coupled with perfect running temperature, proffered ideal running conditions, and by day’s end, 14 Sullivan County athletes had earned the right to represent their schools, their communities and Section 9 in that inimitable fall classic, the NYSPHSAA Cross-Country Championship. With no county schools in Class A, interest centered on Classes B, C, and D which proceeded in just that order this year. In the Class C girls race, Fallsburg’s Gisella King earned a spot on the state-bound team with her 11th place finish in 23.59.4. Onteora won the team crown and populated the majority of the top ten finishers. Individual winners are the top five finishers besides the team winner.

King finished third among those five other state qualifiers. In the boys Class B race, Monticello senior Evan Waterton took second in 15:48.3. A week after dealing with a nagging ankle strain that yielded an eighth-place finish in the OCIAA championships, Waterton battled Mount Academy winner Ike Blough throughout the course, passing him on the uphill climb, holding that edge coming down, but falling behind in the second time around the lake. “It felt good to get my speed going again and get a nice second place finish. I am going for the state title next week and I’ll be stronger.”

Waterton will duel with Blough again and other contenders. Waterton is ranked number 1 in NYSPHSAA Class B boys with his time of 15:24.64 recorded at the Washingtonville Wizards’s meet in September. Blough’s time of 15:40.8 was a PR.

Great performances in Class D produce 12 state qualifiers

As the time-tested adage informs, “good things come in small packages.” In that context, it was as the smallest Class of runners that yielded the greatest county showing. It all began with the Class D girls race won by Tri-Valley sophomore Amelia Mickelson, who bolted out to take the lead and never yielded her place in the vanguard of runners. She finished in 21:47.9. Prior to the race she was confident that she could win. “I saw my times and I was super excited and confident. The hill was the toughest part of the course but the races I’ve been in this fall and all the training helped my confidence,” she said smiling. Teammate, freshman Brynn Poley, came in second in 22:23.0. “It was a hard race, but I did it. Another runner nearly passed me on the hill, but I just ran harder,” she recalled.

Eldred sophomore Regan Kizer took fifth in the race and qualified for states with a time of 24:02.9. Teammate, senior Kaitlyn Potter finished seventh in 24:49.4 and earned a spot at states. In the boys race, Adam Furman captured gold, a week after his momentous win in the OCIAA Championship. His time of 16:13 was slower than he hoped but without anyone to push him that was to be expected. Furman is ranked first in Class D according to the New York State Sportswriters’ Association. On Milesplit he is ranked third, but he beat the two runners listed ahead of him at the McQuaid Invitational in Rochester.

Tri-Valley is the top-ranked Class D team in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) rankings. Furman aspires to win that state title next weekend as does the team which posted a 1-2-3-4 finish in Sectionals. Furman took the win in stride. “It was a beautiful day for running. It’s going to be great at states. I’m really excited for the Tri-Valley team and for my opportunity,” he noted. Coming in behind Furman were teammates 2. Sophomore Craig Costa 16:54.6, 3. Freshman Van Furman17:17.0, 4. Senior Caleb Edwards 17:36.5. Rounding out the T-V team were 7. Junior Vincent Mingo in 17:57.8 (a PR), 14. Junior Thomas Houghtaling 18:35.5 and 18. Sophomore Connor Weyant 19:15.6.

Sullivan West senior Reece Maopolski finished sixth in the race and punched his ticket to states in 17:52.2. After missing the OCIAA a week ago due to illness, Maopolski was delighted to make it to states, something he had set his sights on from the start of the season. Following in the footsteps of his brother Bryce who had his time at states and now runs for Oneonta, Reece plans to rejoin his big brother and fellow band member of rockin’ metal headed Brotality next fall in college. All told, 12 of the 14 state qualifiers from Sullivan County were from Class D.