Scoping Out The States

It looks like the NYSPHSAA Championships is finally getting the presentation it deserves. Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School is going all out for the meet. There will be video screens that broadcast the race and the organization appears to be the best I've seen going into Championship weekend. Weather forecasts are calling for some rain Thursday and Friday, but a beautiful day on Saturday with highs in the low 50s.

Who does a better job at breaking down this weekend's action than TullyRunners.com? We can't do a better job than Bill Meylan does over there, so we won't try. We'll just give you some thoughts on each race.

Boys' Class A Championships (9:15 am)

This race always has some suprises. A year ago Shaker won the title, 58-78 over Warwick Valley, with FM and Rush Henrietta third and fourth. Any injuries or illness can shake this one up even though FM looks like a strong favorite. Shaker appears to be heading in the right direction — maybe it is "shaking" off its mid-season slump.

Boys' Class B Championships (9:45 am)

The boys of B have been flip-flopping in the state rankings all season long and this could be the race of the day. East Aurora is the favorite here but if I had to bet, I'd say someone will steal this race. Pearl River's Brian Edsall dropped out of the Sectional Champs last Friday. If he can finish anywhere near his season bests, the Pirates will have a chance. The way the Section 5 teams battled to get here, I find it hard to believe they are only picked to finish fourth. Don't be shocked if HFL finds a way to win this race.

Boys' Class C Championships (10:15 am)

It's a shame that both Pawling and Bronxville can't be in the race since both teams have a chance to win the thing. Bronxville had two stress fractures and a runner get hit by a car late in the season or else it would probably be the favorite in this one. Instead B'ville lost by one point at Sectionals. But Pawling has a chance to win, along with Holland-Patent, Rhinebeck and Fonda-Fultonville. Perhaps the team that had the easiest road at Sectionals will have the best chance, but perhaps not.

Boys' Class D Championships (10:45 am)

The top school names in this race all start with the letter "B" as Barker, Berne-Knox-Westerlo and Beaver River will do battle. All are capabale of winning.

Girls' Class A Championships (11:15 am)

The story, of course, is how many points can FM score? This year it looks like it will be over 20 with the news coming that both Christine Rutlegde and Heather Martin are both out with injuries. It doesn't look like it will affect FM that much even though Rutledge is the defending state champion. Jillian Fanning and Laura Leff of West Genesee should duke it out for the title. Leff ran just four seconds slower than Fanning at September's VVS Invitational.

Girls' Class B Championships (11:45 am)

With how good Pearl River looked last weekend, it is hard for me to fathom that it could be a 50-point underdog to North Shore and 30 points behind of Burnt Hills. But that's why they run the races. North Shore has a silly-good front four that has a chance to sweep the top four places and should be able to overcome a fifth runner who could be 90 seconds behind the team's fourth finisher. Burnt Hills will come back a little on North Shore, but 40 seconds in this race probably won't be enough.

Girls' Class C Championships (12:15 pm)

Bronxville and Greenwich have combined to win 11 state titles since 2000 and have made this something of a dual meet. The Witches might be favored over the Broncos, but all it takes is one girl to run 20 seconds slower or faster to change the whole race. Bronxville sophomore Mary Cain has not raced a top runner all season and she will have her hands full with Kelsey Margey of Friends Academy.

Girls' Class D Championships (12:45 pm)

Last year Maple Grove was the cute story — a team made up of mostly ninth graders (and younger) who were new to the sport. This year that roster is a year older and looks ready to repeat as champion. Liz Valento of Pavilion, eighth-grader Hope Pietrocarlo of Maple Grove and Erin McConnell of Fabius-Pompey could all win this one.