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Section 2 Harrier Website Foothills Council Preview
Foothills Council Boys Last Year's Team Champion: Queensbury Last Year's Individual Champion: Tyler Raymond (Scotia-Glenville)
Returning State Qualifiers in bold Looks to be Queensbury again with a young Scotia-Glenville team taking second. Most teams are looking to improve their numbers and their depth. Queensbury already has it which will once again make them the Foothills Council favorites. Individually, Queensbury's Alex Hyde is the only one returning who's run Saratoga under seventeen minutes (16:44) so he should be the favorite. Matt Kowalski of Glens Falls, Scotia-Glenville's Josh Pawlik and Queensbury teammate Mike Nardini should challenge. Ballston Spa: Last Year's Record: 6-2 Sectional Place: 14th place - Class A Top Returnees: Mark Jensen Jr., Jake Merrill Jr., Bill Paley Sr. Outlook: Only return three from last year's sectional team but should have some freshmen in to fill up the lineup. .500 record is a good goal for the team this year Broadalbin-Perth Last Year's Record: 2-6 Sectional Place: 9th place - Class C Top Returnees: Jon Wilcox, Fr. Stephen Lyons Jr., Nick Sallas Fr., Jacob Hentnik Jr., Mike Borden Fr., Anthony Cosentino Jr. Outlook: Very young team but will definitely improve from last year. A couple additions strengthen their line-up and could move up even higher with their increased depth Glens Falls: Last Year's Record: 3-5 Sectional Place: 10th place - Class B Top Returnees: Matt Kowalski Sr., Andy LaFrance Sr., Keith Lotich Sr., Pat Sutphen Jr., Charlie Szablewski Jr. Outlook: Kowalski is a solid number one but only return five from last year's sectional team.. With a little more depth and some improvement from their third through fifth runners, they could possibly move up to second in the league Gloversville: Last Year's Record: 1-7 Sectional Place: incomplete - Class B Top Returnees: Brendan Harrison Sr., John Kenworthy So., Kai Hoss Sr., Jeremy Batty Jr., Jay Doran Sr. Outlook: Ran incomplete at sectionals last year but add some seniors this year to help out with their depth. New runners still unproven so time will tell on how well they can do this year. Hudson Falls: Last Year's Record: 5-3 Sectional Place: 12th place - Class B Top Returnees: Matt Foster Jr., Ryan Barber Sr., Tom Colvin Sr. Outlook: Return four from last year's sectional team. Needs some more bodies and some improvement with their depth if they want to move up in the league. Johnstown: Last Year's Record: 1-7 Sectional Place: incomplete - Class B Top Returnees: Jacob Duesler Jr., Jack Reynolds Sr. Outlook: Ran incomplete at sectionals last year so it looks like they will hopefully be rebuilding this year. Queensbury: Last Year's Record: 8-0 Sectional Place: 2nd place - Class B Top Returnees: Alex Hyde Sr., Mike Nardini Sr., Nate Underwood Sr., Cole Bramely Jr., Brandon Fisher Jr. Outlook: Have the personnel and depth to take the league title once again. Should also challenge for the Class B title once again. Could use a little improvement from their fourth and fifth to help out their Class B campaign. Very good modified from last year should also help them. Scotia-Glenville: Last Year's Record: 7-1 Sectional Place: 3rd place - Class B Top Returnees: Josh Pawlik Sr., Andy Hamm Sr., Steve Pawlik So., Tim George So. Outlook: Were hit incredibly hard by graduation. Only return four from last year's sectional team but they will be strengthened by a very good modified team from last year. May be a year or two away from challenging Queensbury again. South Glens Falls: Last Year's Record: 3-5 Sectional Place: 13th place - Class B Top Returnees: Ryan Connor Sr., Eric Seabury Sr. Outlook: Only return three from sectionals last year. Need to rebuild but they did have some modified from last year that should help them out.
Foothills Council Girls Last Year's Team Champion: Queensbury Last Year's Individual Champion: Megan Olds (Gloversville)
Returning State Qualifiers in bold My God is this on tough to figure out. Let me tell you, if I get these nine on correct order I'm quitting my job and moving to Vegas, it's that simple. Any of the top four teams are poised to take the league title. I give Ballston Spa the early edge based on the depth that they have coming back. I may have Queensbury fourth but you can never count them out of the Foothills race. Individually, look for Scotia-Glenville's Caroline King, Ballston Spa's Olivia Beane and Queensbury's Erika Hague to battle it out.
Ballston Spa: Last Year's Record: 5-3 Sectional Place: 10th place - Class A Top Returnees: Olivia Beane Fr., Hilary Brosnihan Sr., Maria Stipano So., Lindsey Smith So. Outlook: Early favorite based on their team depth. Return nine out of ten from last year, plus, they have some modified coming up that should bolster their depth even more. Their big question mark is their fifth runner, if that get someone to step in their then they will be tough to beat in the league. Broadalbin-Perth Last Year's Record: 0-8 Sectional Place: incomplete - Class C Top Returnees: Lindsay Rappleyea, Jr., Nicole Ferlazzo Jr., Krystal Oare Jr., Andrea Hart So. Outlook: Should have a complete team this year which is always a big step up. Rappleyea is a great number one and adding her to the cross country team is huge. Glens Falls: Last Year's Record: 3-5 Sectional Place: 13th place - Class B Top Returnees: Maura Titterington Sr., Katherine Fracchia Sr., Shannon Friere Jr., Meghan Hooker Jr., Kindra Giroux Jr. Outlook: Return five from last year but will probably be stuck behind the first four teams. Need a runner that can run in the front. Right now they don't have that but they have a decent pack with the runners that they have. Gloversville: Last Year's Record: 6-2 Sectional Place: 6th place - Class B Top Returnees: Caitlyn Phillips Jr., Rebecca Ellis Sr., Melanie Ho So., Emily Leitt Fr. Outlook: Report that I got was that they only had four runners but that can change once school starts up. Meghan Olds was a huge loss but the four runners that they have returning are very good. May even be good enough to crack the top four if they can get a decent number five runner. Hudson Falls: Last Year's Record: 2-6 Sectional Place: 12th place - Class B Top Returnees: Jessica Delk Jr., Mallory Baughman Sr., Natasha Landon Sr., Maggie Sclafani Jr. Outlook: Return five from last year but they are in the same boat at Glens Falls. they need someone that can run with the other team's number one runner. Also need improvements from their fourth and fifth runners if they want to move up Johnstown: Last Year's Record: 1-7 Sectional Place: incomplete - Class B Top Returnees: Kelsey Baird So., Erica LaMere Jr. Outlook: Only return two from an incomplete team from last year. Time to try and rebuild. Queensbury: Last Year's Record: 8-0 Sectional Place: 3rd place - Class B Top Returnees: Erika Hague Sr., Erin Coffey Sr., Jen Taft Jr., Sara Germain Jr. Outlook: Lost a ton to graduation but you can never count them out of the league. They usually have good depth though I don't think they have as much depth as they have had in the past. Did have another solid modified team last year so some of those runners could possibly help out this year. Scotia-Glenville: Last Year's Record: 5-3 Sectional Place: 7th place - Class B Top Returnees: Caroline King 8th, Danielle Schaub So., Janine Laskoski Jr., Lana Crapo Jr., Katie DeAprix Sr. Outlook: Had a solid year last year and should have State 3000 meter qualifier King coming up from the modified team. She, with Ballston Spa's Olivia Beane should be the early individual favorites. Need some improvement from their fourth and fifth runners and could get some more help from last year's modified team too. South Glens Falls: Last Year's Record: 6-2 Sectional Place: 5th place - Class B Top Returnees: Brittany Perry So., Amanda Glazebrook So., Janelle Bashant Jr., Christine Elms So. Outlook: Last year's surprise should still be up near the top again. Only return four runners from last year's sectional team but should get some help from last year's modified team. A little more depth and they will definitely challenge for the league title.
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