Five North Fork runners qualify for state cross-country championship
For five talented senior athletes, competing at the cross-country state championship never gets old.
Just ask Southold seniors Ryan Duffy, Liam O’Neil, William Sommo, and Emily Kaelin, who will compete for the fourth consecutive year in Class D, and Mattituck senior Marlowe Collamore, who will run for the third time in Class C.
The quintet qualified Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Section XI championships at Sunken Meadow State Park. The state championships are scheduled for Nov. 14 at Queensbury High School.
Runners had various reasons why they’re looking forward to their final cross-country race:
- Duffy: “We’ve been at Queensbury the last three years. It’s always a fun time hanging out with my friends. We’re so close with other people from Class D, especially Pierson. That’s been really awesome to get to know everybody, especially on their team. I’m really excited. It’s always a little different up there. It’s always an opportunity for me to do my best up there.”
- O’Neil: “I’ve always enjoyed going up the states, especially because the people I go up with are close friends. It’s my last chance to get a PR [personal record]. I got sub-18 on the 5K last year. I wasn’t able to get one this year yet. States is my last chance.”
- Sommo: “I love it. Every time I make this my priority.”
- Kaelin: “It’s so much fun. Everyone’s just so happy to be there. Everyone’s worked really hard all season. It’s pretty much everyone’s last race there. Everyone’s looking at PR.”
- Collamore: “It’s the highlight of my year, probably. The whole team was just helping me out. I want to honor them, everybody who’s brought me here. I want to make them proud.”
That included Gavyn Drago. Collamore was running in the spikes of his late teammate, who passed away in September. He finished ninth (19:01.3), a personal record on this course.
“Gavyn got those spikes at the beginning of this season,” Collamore said. “We were excited to try them out. Josh [Slick] has been wearing them the whole season, but he lent them to me. Running that race, it really just felt like Gavyn was running with me every step of the way, and my whole team was with me, pushing me forward.”
Duffy, who has set several school cross-country records, was the top North Fork boys’ finisher. He took third place in Class D with a time of 18 minutes and 18.6 seconds on the five-kilometer course.
Asked about his goal at states, Duffy replied: “Right now, I’m not sure. I ran 16:33 at Mashashimuet Park vs. Pierson. I was hoping to get somewhere close to that time. I don’t really have a good benchmark because last year I was pretty sick at states.”
Duffy battled flu-like symptoms last year.
“I would obviously like to beat 17:30. Hopefully, 17,” he added. “We’re just going to see what my current fitness allows me to do up there. I’m really hoping that I can have a good race.”
O’Neil was sixth in 19:39.5, followed by Sommo in seventh at 19:51.3. Other Southold finishers included Kai Bossen eighth (20:29.4), Levi Silverman 15th (22:41.8), Rory Jagel 18th (24:04.1), and Christopher Kaelin 19th (26:59.8).
“I thought I did fairly well,” O’Neil said. “I try to stick with my teammate, Will, throughout the race because I know I have a strong kick at the end. It wasn’t a PR, but it was close.”
Emily Kaelin took third (22:43.9) among the girls.
“I’m very happy,” she said. “I was hoping to place third in the division. The course was good. No complaints.”
Other Tuckers included E. Daniel Galvez 17th (21:46.8), Montgomery Lang 18th (21:47.3), Jacob Malkush 22nd (22:02.4), Joshua Slick 24th (22:16.8), Tyler Malkush 26th (22:52.6), and Justin Sheldon 32nd (25:44.9).
Temperatures were unseasonably high for early November — 68 degrees — plus humidity.
“It was just brutal out here with this heat,” Sommo said.
The Settlers, who won the Suffolk County League VIII title, had hoped to qualify for states as a team. They finished tied with Port Jefferson (39 points apiece) but were placed second due to a tie-breaker.
“It was disappointing because we’re hoping to win as a team to go to states,” girls coach Denise McKeon said. “But I am incredibly proud of all of them. Emily finished third, so that’s phenomenal. The boys ran strong times. We had four in the top 10. But it came down to a tie. It was very close.”
The Settlers and Collamore will have one more time to make their coaches proud.
