The members of the HF-L Boys Varsity Nordic Ski team display their latest Section V Championship trophy. Photo by Brian Donohue
With five of the top 10 finishers in the individual race and the winning relay, the Honeoye Falls-Lima Boys Varsity Nordic Ski team swept to another Section V title last week while the Lady Cougars finished fourth.
HF-L’s boys team won the Section V Championship with 15 points, 18 more than the second place team. The Cougars had a 10-point lead over their nearest competition, Pittsford Sutherland, after the first day of racing thanks to a 1-3-5 finish in the Individual Distance race on February 13. Braden Bellizzi won the 10-kilometer classic technique race with a time of 24 minutes, 43.7 seconds. Drew Larsen clocked 27:28.7 for third and Henry Burke 28:02.3 for fifth. Calvin Burke was right behind Henry with a time of 28:37.7 for sixth. Riley Cushman was 10th (29:31.4). Sawyer Ferraro came in 14th at 30:39.9 while Amer Armbruster posted a time of 31:50.2 for 17th place. Braeden Weaver rounded out the Cougars in the top 20 with his 19th place performance in 31:58. Gavin Letendre was 30th (35:37.7) in the field of 48 skiers. In the 3-kilometer skate technique relay on February 14, the trio of Larsen, Henry Burke and Bellizzi clocked a winning time of 20 minutes, 32 seconds. Calvin Burke, Armbruster and Cushman claimed fourth in 22:24. The group of Ferraro, Letendre and Weaver recorded sixth at 24:17.
“The boys did great in sectionals with a decisive win,” coach Mark Armbruster said. “We have five boys going to the state meet: Braden, Drew, Henry, Calvin and Riley.”
The Lady Cougars finished fourth with 61 points. HF-L’s girls were in second place with 26 points after the Individual Distance 7.5 kilometer classic technique race on February 13, only 15 points behind leader, and eventual winner, Pittsford Sutherland. Molly Kraynik was fourth in 32:39. Cayla Lawrence cracked the top 10 with a ninth place effort in 33:15. Jayne Williams followed in 13th (33:56), Jenna Lawrence 14th (34:25) and Hazel Jokl 16th (35:02). Emma Rozzi took 27th at 37:31. Kate Dailor registered 28th at 37:44. Kate Brennan came in 33rd (38:59). Dorthea Ackerman garnered 36th at 40:12 in the field of 55 skiers. In the 3-kilometer skate technique relay, Cayla Lawrence, Kraynik and Jenna Lawrence combined for fifth in 26:01. Brennan, Williams and Jokl teamed for seventh (28:18). Rozzi, Ackerman and Dailor were right behind their teammates, taking eighth in at 28:19.
“Molly and Cayla qualified for the state championships,” coach Armbruster said. “The girls were in second place after the distance race but fell off in the relay. While the conditions were tough, it actually created an opportunity for us. The wax and skis were fast and probably better than many of our competitors. It is hard to say what happened in the relay, but we just didn’t capitalize that day.”
Bellizzi, Larsen, Henry Burke, Calvin Burke, Cushman, Kraynik and Cayla Lawrence compete in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Championship on February 27 and 28 with the championships being scheduled to be held at Bristol Mountain.
