Press-Republican
PLATTSBURGH — Seton Catholic got the jump on Saranac Lake Wednesday at the start of the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference girls' cross-country season.
Anna Rabideau, the premier runner in the CVAC last fall, and Saranac transfer Melissa Whyman finished first and third to lead Seton Catholic to a 25-34 victory over Saranac Lake, which went undefeated in girls' competition in 2009. Seton Catholic, 13-3, was runner-up last season.
Saranac Lake defeated host Plattsburgh 21-38 over the Rugar Woods course at Plattsburgh State to gain a split for the day. Seton also defeated PHS 15-50.
The Seton Catholic boys also swept, downing Saranac Lake 20-43 and PHS 17-46. Plattsburgh defeated Saranac Lake 20-43.
Rabideau, who finished 10th in the state meet last fall over virtually the same course, ran a 19:47 for 3.1 miles to defeat runner-up Elena Beideck of Saranac Lake by 42 seconds. Whyman, only a freshman, was next in 21:02.
Kendra Leonidas and Julie Bowler grabbed the next two places for Saranac Lake; however, Seton Catholic claimed the sixth through 10th spots to secure the victory.
Seventh-grader Margaret Champagne, the sister of former state champs Mary Kate and Michael Champagne, came in sixth in her varsity debut with a time of 22:20.
Natalie Casey-Sanger, Kami St. Germain and Molly Defayette were the first three Plattsburgh High runners, placing 11th-13th.
The Saranac Lake boys are still rebuilding; however, the Red Storm has one of the top runners in the CVAC this season in Dylan Dawson, who won Wednesday's opener in 16:56.
The Seton Catholic boys no doubt miss two-time state champ Michael Champagne, who is running for Iona College this fall. But the Knights didn't seem to miss a step Wednesday with Mitchell Ryan, Barret Waling and Zach Ziemer finishing second through fourth with only 13 seconds separating Ryan (17:23) and Ziemer.
Plattsburgh's Tejinder Gill came in fifth in 17:46, just ahead of another Seton wave of five runners.
The meet was originally scheduled for Friday, but was moved up to accommodate the weekend invitational schedule.
