The HF-L girls nordic ski team (photo above) and the HF-L boys nordic ski team (photo below) pose with their newest Section V trophies and banners. Photos provided by Nolan Hoh
The Honeoye Falls-Lima Girls and Boys Varsity Nordic Ski teams have been pretty dominant all season this winter and a delay due to frigid temperatures did not delay either one’s march to another sectional championship.
HF-L’s girls compiled a two-day total of 13 points to beat seven other schools for the Section V Championship at Bristol Mountain. Their closest competitor, Pittsford Mendon, had 36 points. In the individual distance race on February 9, the Cougars put six girls among the top 12 with Jenna Lawrence winning the race in 24 minutes, 26.8 seconds. Hazel Jokl followed in 25:12.2 for second. Emily Lawrence claimed third (25:39.9). Becca Rozzi clocked 27:48.9 for eighth and Grace Francis 28:24.5 for ninth to round out the Cougars in the top 10. Irene Sesnie finished 12th (29:13.5). Finley Neenan came in 13th at 29:25.1 and Smith Schaefer 14th at 29:29. Anneleise Corey placed 19th (31:25.6). Their performance almost made the relay a formality the next day. Nevertheless, the Cougar “A” group of Emily Lawrence, Jokl and Jenna Lawrence won the relay with a time of 32 minutes, 16.1 seconds. The “B” relay of Rozzi, Francis and Neenan came in with a time of 39:08.5 for third. Corey, Sesnie and Schaefer were fourth (39:29.6).
“Going 1-2-3 in the individual distance skate race was outstanding,” coach Nolan Hoh said. “Becca, Grace and Irene finishing in the top 12 was also helpful as all six qualified for the state championship. Their performance made the classic relay almost a non-factor, but the girls kept their focus and our “A” relay beat Mendon’s “A” relay by almost four minutes.”
The Cougar boys recorded a two-day total of 19 points in besting the eight other schools for the Section V title. Linden Bellizzi won the individual distance race in 21:06. Jack Lighthouse secured fifth in 22 minutes, 13.5 seconds. Thomas Cushman took sixth at 22:27. Collin Bellizzi placed 13th (23:17.1), Linus Burke 24th (25:03.6), Andy Fosler 28th (25:39.2), Liam Dailor 32nd (26:32.3), Connor Nells 33rd (26:39.1) and Abram Armes 44th (28:20.2). In the classic relay on February 10, HF-L’s “A” group of Lighthouse, Cushman and Linden Bellizzi won the race in 27 minutes, 50.1 seconds. The trio of Collin Bellizzi, Nells and Burke captured fifth (31:31.3) and the “C” relay of Dailor, Fosler and Armes came in 12th (34:42.3).
“Unlike the girls, the boys needed to win the relay,” Hoh said. “It was nerve-wracking because it was a close race through the first two legs. When Linden was tagged, he was down 15 seconds. He closed that gap pretty quickly and went on to open a gap between himself and the Sutherland skier. In the individual race, the boys skied consistently. It wasn’t really a shocking result since Linden won every race during the season. Jack and Thomas finished about where they have been finishing and Collin had a nice race, just finishing one spot back from qualifying for the state meet. They were really dominant performances by both the girls and the boys. The snow conditions were quite different for the races with the individual race being very cold and the snow being hard while some rain had softened the snow for the relay the next day. For two of our seniors who are not going on to states, they had great races at sectionals. Andy has never been to sectionals and was originally our ninth guy going into the meet and he wound up being our sixth skier to finish. Finley almost qualified for the state meet as she was just 12 seconds behind Irene. It was a great way for both to end their careers.”
HF-L will send six girls and three boys to the state championship February 23 and 24 which will be held at Bristol Mountain.
