PAINTED POST - The Delaware Academy – South Kortright (DA-SK) cross country team had success at the third annual Corning Action Figure Relays held at the Y at Watson Woods, Saturday, Sept. 2, participating in four relay races.
Participants included DA-SK, Binghamton, Corning, Elmira Notre Dame, Horseheads, Northern Potter, Spencer Van-Etten, Union Endicott and Waverly.
In the girls 2x2 mile relay DA-SK’s Ellie Lees and Gretel Hilson-Schneider took second place clocking 27:02, just 31 seconds behind first place Corning. Lees’ two-mile time was 12:58 and Hilson-Schneider’s was 14:04.
Also bringing home second-place finishes were Nelson VanMaaren and Elsa Marigliano. They finished second in the 2x2 mile relay mixed division. VanMaaren’s time was 11:19 and Marigliano finished at 13:30 for a combined time total of 24:49. Corning finished first with a combined time of 22:45, four seconds ahead of VanMaaren and Marigliano.
Micah Weiss and Brennan Walsh finished fifth in the boys 2x2 mile relay with a total time of 26:26. Weiss finished with a time of 13:04, Walsh finished in 13:22.
Other DA-SK finishing times in the 2x2 mile relay and the 4x1 mile relay included:
• 2x2 mile relay: Mixed - Latham Gielskie 12:55 and Abi Tessier at 14:13 for a total of 27:08; Boys - Jason VanMaaren with a 14:01 and Eric Blackman with a 14:10 for a total of 28:11.
• 4x1 mile coed relay: 9th place - Jaden Lewis 5.58; Larry McCumiskey 6:13; Erin Coppersmith 7:30; Olivia Kruppo 7:32 for a total 27:13; 10th place – Benjamin Hadley 6:16; Lily McGonigal 6:54; Langston Comer 7:07; Aurelia Comer 7:12 total 27:29; 11th place – Seamus DeMauro 7:20; Zara Houshmand 7:35; Lilah Francisco 7:57; Henry Wilcox 9:26 for a total 32:18.
DA-SK Coach Skip Baxter said the Corning Relay Meet is a fun early meet to start the season. Runners are in 2 or 4-person teams and use action figures as batons. The team has participated in the meet each year its been held, Baxter said; and the team likes it because it’s short, fast, flat and low stress.
Nelson VanMaaren finished fifth overall (boys) and Ellie Lees had a stellar race and was second overall (girls), Baxter said.
Delaware Academy and South Kortright have merged for cross country this year, Baxter said; with SK bringing five runners - 4 girls and one boy - to the team.
SK’s Jason Comer is co-coaching and brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the merged team.
The next meet for the team is Saturday in the Oneonta Invitational held at Fortin Park. Meet time 10 a.m.
