Congratulations to McQuaid Jesuit Cross-Country team, as they finished runner-up in the Class B division. McQuaid was beat to the finish line by Pittsford Mendon with 37 points to the Knights 64 points. This was Mendon’s 8th title in 10 years.
The runner-up finish was McQuaid’s best finish since they last won the title in 2015. However, McQuaid had a winner in Jayson Chichelli (22′), who easily pulled away in the last mile of the race to win by 24 seconds over Mendon’s Nico Valentine. Chichelli’s time of 16:04 on the newly minted Letchworth State Park course would hold up on the day as the top time in Section V and a new course record.
In Jayson’s rearview, he could spot teammate Collin Brown (23′) surging in for a strong 3rd place finish and a chance to advance to the New York State meet along with Jayson. Chichelli and Brown have been Section V’s top 1-2 punch for much of the season. They will join forces with 3 other individuals and team Mendon at Chenango Forks golf course at 11:00 a.m.
Other scoring members of the team included Jacob Anderson (22′) with a strong 13th place showing. Not far behind was rookie Alex Steele (24′) making a strong debut for his first sectionals in 17th place. Fellow sophomore Ambrose Weidmann (24′) would round out the scoring group with a 30th place finish. Just behind him was Dillon Klee (22′) finishing in 37th place. and sophomore Luke Schickler finishing in 53rd.
McQuaid finished 63 points ahead of 3rd place Newark.