The Haldane boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams each placed second last weekend at the Putnam-Northern Westchester small-schools title meet at Milton.
Briarcliff won the six-team boys’ division and Hendrick Hudson was the three-team girls’ champ.
“The boys’ team out-performed any boys’ team I’ve had so far,” said Coach Tom Locascio. “They outdid themselves.”
Everett Campanile placed fourth in 17:21, followed by Luke Parella at seventh (17:39) and Walter Hoess at 11th (18:06). John Kisslinger finished 16th (18:41, a personal best), Rowen Kuzminski was 17th (18:48), Julian Ambrose was 19th (18:54) and Ben Strol was 31st (20:38).
The girls’ team “had underachieved a bit because of a series of injuries,” Locascio said. “But as the season went on, they built confidence.”
Shannon Ferri led the Blue Devils, finishing eighth in 20:23. Caroline Cates was 11th (22:49, a personal best), Celia Drury was 15th (23:55), Helen Nicholls was 18th (25:45), Allison Nichols was 20th (26:37) and Elizabeth Nelson was 22nd (27:43).
The teams will lose five seniors to graduation, including its best runners, Campanile, Hoess and Ferri. “They’ll be tough to replace,” Locascio said.
Locascio, who retired last year as a Haldane teacher and commuted from Albany to coach the team, said this may be his last season after 14 years — although he said that last year, as well, and was convinced by the runners to stay.
“When I started as coach, there was talk of the team folding,” he recalled. “Early on, I discovered some runners were going for pizza or doing other things when they were supposed to be training. So from the second season on, I ran with them, and now I’m a marathoner and a 5K runner. I’m happier and healthier. I’ve benefited as much as the kids.”
