Saratoga Springs, the 2019 NXN champion, remains the frontrunner following dominant stretch of performances at state, New York Federation and regional events last year; Fayetteville-Manlius faces potential challenge from Cicero-North Syracuse in quest to make 15th straight appearance at national final

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Girls NXR New York Preview

Whether the rest of the field has caught up to Saratoga Springs in the race to determine the best girls cross country team in the nation won’t be learned until Dec. 3, as long as the Blue Streaks decide to defend their 2019 title in the return of Nike Cross Nationals to Portland, Ore.

But the talent gap among Saratoga Springs and all the other programs in New York has only continued to grow during the pandemic and this season appears to be no exception.

After Fayetteville-Manlius and Saratoga Springs traded two-point victories at the New York Regional in 2018 and 2019, the Blue Streaks produced the first five finishers and six of the top seven competitors at last year’s event without the rival Hornets.

But in their showdowns at the Class A state final and New York Federation meets, Saratoga Springs prevailed against Fayetteville-Manlius by 20 and 26 points, respectively, and the Blue Streaks return five scorers with juniors Anya Belisle, Emily Bush and Alycia Hart, plus senior twin sisters McKinley Wheeler and Sheridan Wheeler, giving them a significant advantage in experience against any other team in the state.

Fayetteville-Manlius and Saratoga Springs have both appeared in 14 of the previous 16 editions of Nike Team Nationals or NXN, but there is uncertainty around whether the Hornets can add to their legacy by placing in the top two at the regional meet Nov. 26 at Bowdoin Park to earn the automatic berth to compete in Oregon and extend their streak to 15 straight national appearances.

Despite boasting reigning state cross country champion Izzie Sullivan, a sophomore, along with senior standout Hannah Kaercher, the Hornets will encounter a legitimate challenge from Cicero-North Syracuse, especially with returning state mile winner Hannah Boyle making the roster even more formidable by joining sisters Kate Putman and Gabby Putman in pursuit of the team’s first NXN berth.

New York had three teams qualify to race in Portland in 2017 and 2018, with Liverpool joining Fayetteville-Manlius and Saratoga Springs both years at Glendoveer Golf Course, and there is again plenty of potential for the region to earn an at-large bid this season.

With Cornwall Central senior Karrie Baloga and William Floyd sophomore Zariel Macchia likely focusing on earning All-America honors again at the Eastbay nationals in San Diego, and the potential for 2,000-meter steeplechase record holder Angelina Napoleon of Allegany-Limestone to join them this season, the race to decide the top teams at the New York regional could also determine the individual winner as well, as Sullivan, Kaercher, Bush, Hart, Boyle, the Wheeler twins and the Putman sisters are all expected to be in contention at Bowdoin Park.

1. Saratoga Springs. Perhaps the biggest testament to the Blue Streaks’ success is that they won Nike Cross Nationals the last time the meet was held three years ago at Glendoveer Golf Course, and there are four competitors from that lineup who are still racing this season for Saratoga Springs. Senior twins McKinley Wheeler and Sheridan Wheeler, along with juniors Emily Bush and Anya Belisle, could all potentially be three-time national champions right now had the pandemic not canceled NXN the past two years. But despite being a group that is used to shining in the spotlight, it is expected to be a more low-profile approach this fall for the Blue Streaks, who are choosing to attend the V-V-S Invitational, Queensbury Invitational and Burnt Hills Invitational instead of competing at other elite events with national-caliber fields. Junior Alycia Hart and sophomore Katie Turner possess amazing potential and are looking forward to contributing to the legacy already established by their veteran teammates, especially following the graduation of Ella Kurto, Mackenzie Hart and Claire Cuneo. Although Saratoga Springs decided not to attend the RunningLane Championships in Alabama last year to again validate its status as the top team in the country, the Blue Streaks concluded the season with dominant performances to win the Class A state title, New York Federation meet and regional event.

2. Fayetteville-Manlius. For the most decorated girls program in U.S. prep history, winning a combined 11 titles at Nike Team Nationals and Nike Cross Nationals from 2006-17, the thought of possibly not capturing a Section 3 crown in New York rarely occurs. But it is certainly high on the list of goals this season for the Hornets, who haven’t lost a section championship since 2004 and could face a significant challenge this fall from Cicero-North Syracuse, the last team to prevail before Fayetteville-Manlius began its impressive streak. The Hornets boast one of the top tandems in the country in sophomore Izzie Sullivan, the defending Class A champion, and senior Hannah Kaercher, who are capable of competing with the elite athletes on any team nationally. But concerns over a lack of depth could become a factor in the postseason for Fayetteville-Manlius, which needs as much support as possible from senior Isabella Adrian, junior Maria Khalifeh and freshman Camille Ryan in order to put itself in contention at the state and regional levels. The Hornets and Cicero-North Syracuse will become quite familiar with each other by the time the Nov. 5 sectional showdown unfolds, with at least two regular-season matchups, but having NXN return Dec. 3 at Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland, would seem somewhat incomplete without the presence of Fayetteville-Manlius, which made 14 consecutive appearances in Oregon from 2006-19.

3. Cicero-North Syracuse. A dozen New York programs have earned at least one trip to Nike Team Nationals or Nike Cross Nationals in meet history. But the Northstars are still in search of their first opportunity to race in Oregon, and whether it is upsetting the long-standing balance of power by placing in the top two Nov. 26 at Bowdoin Park and earning an automatic berth, or perhaps becoming the first girls team from the state since 2018 to secure an at-large bid, Cicero-North Syracuse enters the season with plenty of optimism and motivation. The presence of senior Hannah Boyle, who won a state title in the 1,500 meters in 4:22.48 and captured the New Balance Nationals Outdoor mile crown in Philadelphia by clocking 4:42.11, is joining the cross country team to provide support for sisters Kate Putman, a senior, and sophomore Gabby Putman. The siblings were the only qualifiers for the Northstars at last year’s Class A state final, with Kate Putman placing 14th and Gabby Putman finishing 22nd. Senior Marissa Navarra provides added experience for Cicero-North Syracuse, which still needs to improve the depth in its lineup, relying on sophomores Cameron Sisk, Katy Harbold, Ava Fisher and Allison Moran to showcase improvement throughout the season in order to give the Northstars a strong opportunity to develop into a postseason contender. Cicero-North Syracuse will be tested by other national-level programs Sept. 17 at the adidas XC Challenge in North Carolina, as well as Oct. 8 at the Manhattan Invitational.

4. Bethlehem Central. Despite having only senior Rylee Davis and sophomore Katherine Bannigan advancing to compete at last year’s Class A state final, the Eagles concluded their season by taking third at the New York Federation Championships and placing second at NXR New York. Those postseason opportunities were important in the development of senior Annie Bolke, juniors Liv Pachter and Maeve Conway, in addition to eighth-grader Anna Chrapowitzky, with the state allowing athletes to participate at the varsity level beginning in seventh grade. Charlotte O’Meara, a sophomore, provides even more depth for the Eagles, who race in Section 2, widely regarded as the deepest in the state. A cohesive lineup that runs well as a pack, Bethlehem should benefit greatly from a three-week stretch competing Oct. 1 at the McQuaid Invitational, Oct. 8 at the Manhattan Invitational and Oct. 15 at the Burnt Hills Invitational, as well as multiple opportunities to square off against Saratoga Springs before the postseason.

5. Shenendehowa Central. Although there was a lot to be encouraged about from Shenendehowa during the regular season last year, because of the depth in Section 2 and Class A, there weren’t many opportunities for the group to earn valuable postseason experience. Shenendehowa finished ninth at the New York Federation meet, but six athletes from that lineup, led by seniors Brenna McLaughlin, Charlotte Gable, Cate Donaldson and Kyla Klingbeil. The competition also provided inspiration for Leyla Bhusri and Raquelle Landa to continue improvement as freshmen this season and have a greater impact on the team success for Shenendehowa. Seniors Kara Sinnott and Sophia Colon, along with junior Madeline Swayne and sophomore Sydney Tolan all have the potential to develop into consistent contributors with a schedule featuring several smaller local meets, which could result in a more balanced lineup in the quest to compete at the Class A state final, along with the Federation meet and New York Regional in November.

WATCHLIST

Ballston Spa

Churchville-Chili

Cornwall Central

East Aurora

Northport

Orchard Park

Pearl River

Shaker