POINT AU ROCHE — The Beekmantown boys and Saranac Lake girls are in perfect position today to sweep the honors in Champlain Valley Athletic Conference cross country after going through the regular season undefeated.
But don't expect the Eagles and Red Storm to run away with today's CVAC meet scheduled for Point au Roche state park. Indeed, both races figure to be very competitive with Seton Catholic leading the charge. The Knights will contend for both the boys and girls' team titles while Saranac and Peru will be in the mix for the' girls meet title.
The regular-season champions receive the CVAC banners whereas the CVAC meet champs earn bragging rights for being the best in a winner-take-all race. The CVAC meet dictates a change in strategy from the dual meets and puts more emphasis on a solid performance throughout the lineup.
The Beekmantown boys won last year's meet by eight points over Seton Catholic by putting its fifth, sixth and seventh runners ahead of the Knights' fifth man.
The same was true in the girls' meet with Seton Catholic defeating runner-up Saranac Lake by 10 points. The Knights claimed the top two places, but needed their fourth and fifth runners to break up the back of the Saranac Lake pack.
The Eagles lost Nick Trombley and Garrett Peterson to graduation, and team captain Ethan Waite has been out two weeks with an ankle injury. But Josh Turner, Judd Collier and Nick Tallon have come on to back up a stellar 1-2 combination in Brendan Courneene and Adam Shearer. Courneene and Shearer finished second and third behind Seton Catholic's Michael Champagne in the CVAC meet in Clintonville last year. However, they will be hard-pressed to collar Champagne today. The reigning state Class D champion served notice Tuesday with a scintillating effort over today's course, covering the 3 miles in 14:24. He broke Courneene's course record by 52 seconds and won by nearly a minute.
Beekmantown was nine points better than Seton Catholic on Tuesday, but the Knights still have the horses to close that gap today.
Peru, third a year ago, returns Charles Remillard (4th), Doug Osborne (5th) and John Cordes (7th), giving the Indians a shot at also overtaking the Eagles.
The girls' race lost 2008 champ Genna Hartung to graduation, but the next five finishers all return with runner-up Anna Rabideau looking to become the fourth straight individual champion from Seton Catholic. She has not lost a race in the CVAC this season and is coming off an 18:43 winning effort at Point au Roche on Tuesday.
Last year, only 26 seconds separated Rabideau and the sixth-place runner, Beekmantown's Bailey Weightman. Plattsburgh's Monique Arvisais-Anhalt, Kendra Leonidas of Saranac Lake and Peru's Abi Lajti are all back and expected to be in top form today.
The Red Storm indicated they were ready for a big race with a splendid performance Tuesday in the season finale at Saranac. Leonidas came in first with teammates Elena Beideck, Hillary Pond and Julie Bowler backing her up with third, fourth and fifth places.
Saranac, with eighth-grader Melissa Whyman coming on strong, will make it interesting.
States here in 2 weeks
Today's CVAC race is the first of three big meets for area runners, culminating in the state championships Nov. 14 at Plattsburgh State. Next Friday, the Section VII championships will be run over the PSU course, giving area runners a leg up for the state meet.
CVAC Championships
at Point au Roche Park
Girls' modified, 10 a.m.
Boys' modified, 10:45 a.m.
Girls' varsity, 11:30 a.m.
Boys' varsity, 12:30 p.m.
CVAC meet champions
2008
Boys — Beekmantown
Girls — Seton Catholic
2007
Boys — Plattsburgh High
Girls — Saranac Lake
CVAC Individual champions
2008
Michael Champagne (jr., Seton Catholic)
Genna Hartung (sr., Seton Catholic)
2007
Lee Berube (sr., Ticonderoga)
Mary Kate Champagne (sr., Seton Catholic)
2006
Postponed, heavy rain
2005
Jesse Berube (sr., Ticonderoga)
Mary Kate Champagne (jr., Seton Catholic)
2004
Lee Gabler (jr., Ticonderoga)
Wendy Pavlus (soph., Tupper Lake)
2003
Travis Dragoon (jr., Northeastern Clinton)
Lisa Reyell (soph., Saranac Lake)
2002
Gary Mathieu (sr., Seton Catholic)
Sarah Paul (sr., Saranac)
2001
Adam Van Nortwick (sr., Saranac Lake)
Hailey Dell (soph., Saranac Lake)
2000
Adam Van Nortwick (sr., Saranac Lake)
Hailey Dell (frosh., Saranac Lake)
1999
Jason Jabaut (sr., Seton Catholic)
Analise Zaunbrecher (sr., Saranac Lake)
1998
Jason Jabaut (jr., Seton Catholic)
Edann Brady (sr., Seton Catholic)
1997
Joe McCloud (sr., Peru)
Johanna Evans (sr., Peru)
1996
Jay Wells (jr., Ticonderoga)
Amy Tolosky (jr., Plattsburgh)
1995
Jeremy Stone (jr., Seton Catholic)
Heather Freeborn (sr., AuSable Valley)
1994
Matt Dougherty (jr., Saranac Lake)
Arien Baker (frosh., Lake Placid)
1993
Patrick Larkin (sr., Seton Catholic)
Sara Facteau (sr., Peru)
1992
Matt Goette (soph., Peru)
Sara Facteau (jr., Peru)
1991
Derek Martisus (sr., AuSable Valley)
Sara Facteau (soph., Peru)
1990
Kyle Watson (sr., Plattsburgh)
Sara Facteau (frosh., Peru)
1989
Nick Fitzsimmons (jr., AuSable Valley)
Sara Facteau (8th, Peru)
1988
Nick Fitzsimmons (soph., AuSable Valley)
Tammy Rule (sr., AuSable Valley)
1987
Patrick Watson (sr., Plattsburgh)
Tammy Rule (jr., AuSable Valley)
1986
Kevin Champagne (sr., Plattsburgh)
Darcy Barry (frosh., St. John's)
1985
Kevin Champagne (jr., Plattsburgh)
Michelle Monahan (8th, St. John's)
1984
Andy Guay (sr., Northeastern Clinton)
Sue Klein (jr., Beekmantown)
1983
Andy Guay (jr., Northeastern Clinton)
Sue Klein (soph., Beekmantown)
1982
Andy Guay (soph., Northeastern Clinton)
Sue Klein (soph., Beekmantown)
1981
Scott Lucy (jr., Peru)
Karen Lucy (jr. Peru)
1980
Andy Hastings (sr., Saranac)
Anne Pearl (soph., St. John's)
1979
Mike Esposito (sr., Peru)
Kathy Brandell (sr., St. John's)
1978
Mike Edson (sr., Ticonderoga)
Carla Sherman (sr., Plattsburgh)
