Leading off today: I'm either getting old or there's just too much happening on weekends these days. Undoubtedly it's a combination of the two, which is why it took an extra day to wrap up some of the highlights:
Triumphant 'Toga: Racing at the Great American Cross Country Festival for the first time since 2005, Saratoga's girls scored a dominating victory on Saturday in Cary, N.C.
Saratoga scored 53 points to top Blacksburg, Va., and Midlothian, Va., with 122 and 138 respectively. Monroe-Woodbury (141) took fourth and North Shore (214) was seventh in the Race of Champions.
Individually, Samantha Nadel of North Shore came off a DNF the previous weekend to place a close second. Saratoga placed Keelin Hollowood (seventh), Sydney King (ninth), Cassie Goutos (13th) and Amanda Borroughs (15th) in the top 15. All ran at a six-minute or better pace.
McQuaid Invitational: Alex Deir messed up. If you don't think so, just ask him.
The Honeoye Falls-Lima standout made a gutsy dash to the finish line Saturday in the McQuaid Invitational and finally left Jeff Stone of Brampton (Ont.) Turner Fenton Secondary School a step behind with just a few strides to go. The problem was that he didn't take a quick look to his right before triumphantly raising his arms (photo here) and easing ever so slightly about three strides in front of the line.
And that was all the room that Cougars teammate Steve Mangan needed to win in 14:58.8 on the three-mile course at Genesee Valley Park. Mangan's time was second only to Morgantown, W.Va., ace Cody Pelliccioni (14:53.2) for the day.
"It doesn't feel good, but at least it was Steve," Deir said. "I'll just learn from this."
It was a rare mistake by Deir, a senior who has a chance to go into the books as one Section 5's greatest distance runners ever. He won the sectional Class B meet last fall, finished a strong second to Chris Stogsdill at states and was third in the Nike Cross Nationals regional qualifier. Outsdoors, he has a 5:53.12 2K steeple to his credit en route to the Nike Outdoor Nationals crown.
As a coach I'm happy and sad," the Cougars Bernie Gardner said. "I'm super-excited for Steve. Yu know he's been pushing through all of these years as well. And then you feel like, 'Aw, man, Alex.'"
Gardner knows Deir will shake this one off, but the more interesting question right now has to do with Mangan. A senior, Mangan has usually been just a few strides behing Deir these last few years, but he nevertheeless has an outstanding resume -- second in sectionals and eighth at states last fall, the mile champ at the Eddy Games and a consistent contender in nordic skiing events.
The McQuaid victory could be the confidence boost he needs at the end of the season, but it won't disrupt the top of the lineup as Cougars aim to beat Shoreham-Wading River in the state Class B meet next month.
"They're really smart," Gardner said. "They don't wear themselves out at practice trying to beat each other. They work together in practice and then just let it happen on race day. It's not one of these things where if Steve runs
