Fairport Leads List Of New York Contenders To Begin Season

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Boys NXR New York Preview

New York state was senior-heavy last year. Corning-Painted Post, which carried the flag as the regional (and state) champion, finished 10th at Nike Cross Nationals with five seniors leading the way. 

This year, the state and the two automatic qualifying berths to NXN feels as wide open as ever. Newcomers and freshmen could play a big role in how this plays out and it may take the Manhattan Invitational on Oct. 14 to fully reveal all the teams that have big aspirations. 

As it stands, Fairport, located in the Rochester area, has a leg up with the return of two quality runners in Jake Passalugo and Owen Willard. Passalugo was eighth and Willard was 20th at last year's New York Class A cross country final. 

St. Anthony's of the CHSAA, which latched onto the second auto qualifying spot at NXR New York and then finished last at NXN, lost three of its top four but may have enough compete for another podium spot. 

Nolan McGinn, a senior at Fayetteville-Manlius, is the top returner from the regional final. He was fifth last year. 

1. Fairport. Passalugo was ninth in the 3,200 meters at the New York state meet and 10th in the 5,000 meters at New Balance Nationals Outdoor. Willard gives the team a strong No. 2 and seniors Connor Roeser and Colin Leshar are back from the team that finished sixth at NXR New York. Another senior, Jackson Warnett, and sophomore Henry Hill are important pieces. 

2. St. Anthony's. The Friars bring back three who advanced to NXN last year and finished 22nd. Senior Jack Morelli is the leader now, after finishing 11th in the 3,200 meters at the New York state meet. He is joined by senior Collin McLaughlin, who was second for the team in Portland, and junior Regan MacPherson. Seniors Gabriel Wigutow and John Melloy figure to be key contributors as well. 

3. Auburn. All seven runners come back from a seventh-place team at the NXR meet and that kind of continuity could help the Maroons get into contention for victories at big meets this year. It's one thing to return all seven, but it needs to improve in order to make it happen. Senior Chris Howard was 44th at the regional meet and the team's No. 1. Sophomore Owen Gasper, senior Jerry Czyz, sophomore Ryan Maher, junior Austin Ferrin and seniors Keegan Brady and Elliot Hickman are all back. 

4. Saratoga Springs. It would, of course, be no surprise to see Saratoga Springs punch a ticket to Portland. It is one of the state's historic programs, but the boys team has only been to nationals twice. Senior Jacob Bernd, junior Darren Pasek, senior Luke Dacey and sophomore Thomas Isenovski all return from the team that placed fifth at the NXR at Bowdoin Park. 

5. Hunter College. Last year's team finished 10th at the NY Federation meet and everyone is eligible to come back. Senior Shane Murphy was sixth at the Feds and is the top returner from that meet. He also ran 8:59.17 in the 2-mile at New Balance Nationals Outdoor. That's a good place to start for a team that also has senior Henry Koike-Sieira, who was ninth. Those two will need help and it could come from senior Isaac Cohen, sophomore Pierce Siegel and junior Oliver Flor. 

WATCHLIST

Arlington 

Corning-Painted Post

Monroe-Woodbury

Xavier 

Rush-Henrietta

Ithaca

Brooklyn Tech