The Lake Placid girls cross country team poses with the awards the team won this season. Pictured from left are coach Mel Frazer, Maya Garrison, Jenna Fay, Holly Erenstone, Leila Fey, Norah Francis, Kai McKinnon and Rose Wenzler. (Photo provided — Sandy Huber)

LAKE PLACID — The Lake Placid girls cross country team capped off its extraordinary season with a second-place finish at the NYSPHSAA cross country championships on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Queensbury High School.

The Blue Bombers were the lone team in the Tri-Lakes region to send a full squad to the NYSPHSAA cross country championships. The Lake Placid boys team, along with Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake’s boys and girls teams sent individual runners. The Red Storm competed in the Class C race, while the Lumberjacks and Blue Bombers were in Class D.

Lake Placid’s girls squad finished as the state runner-ups with 60 points, narrowly falling to Mount Academy, which won with 52. Beaver River was third with a score of 105.

Leila Fey was the first Blue Bomber runner to finish, and the first team scorer. She placed 10th overall out of 112 in 19 minutes, 50.4 seconds. The nine runners before her all ran as individuals.

The Blue Bombers also had three other runners crack the top 40 with Kai McKinnon (20:09.1) placing 15th; Norah Francis (20:58.5) in 31st; and Maya Garrison (21:09.5) earning 35th.

Tri Valley’s Anna Furman (18:10.7) was the overall winner. Furman was followed by Pine Plains’ Violet Bliss (18:40.2) in second and Tully’s Anna Congelli (18:47.0) in third.

On Nov. 16, the Blue Bombers were rounded out by Jenna Fay (21:29.1) in 48th; Holly Erenstone (23:50.5) in 90th; and Rose Wenzler (28:14.8) in 110th.

While the Blue Bombers girls fell short of their ultimate goal of earning a state title, the team recorded one of its most dominant seasons in recent years. This season, Lake Placid earned its sixth consecutive Section VII, Class D title, the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference crown, as well as winning the Division I Burnt Hills Invitational on Oct. 12, and the Division 2 race McQuaid Invitational race on Sept. 28, both against some of the top teams in the state.

The girls team also won the Ray Holmes Team Sportsmanship Award for Section VII, and Fay was the section’s Class D Sportsmanship winner.

“Their success was not just due to talent and hard work, but also due to the encouragement and sportsmanship they provided each other,” Blue Bombers head coach Mel Frazer said in a statement. “I hope they know how proud they have made me, their families and community — as they are a record breaking team for Lake Placid and Section VII.”

Meanwhile, Tupper Lake’s lone girls runner, Ava Facteau, finished 104th in 26:29.8.

On the boys side, Lake Placid’s Aidan Fay (16:52.3) placed 19th overall out of 120 runners. Teammates Colin Francis (17:36.2) was 47th and Connor Mannion (20:13.6) was 116th.

Aidan Fay was also named the Section VII, Class D Sportsmanship winner for the boys side.

The Lumberjacks Jonah Kendall (16:41.2) had the best finish among area runners, placing 13th overall. Teammate Sean Wood (18:52.8) finished in 87th.

Tri-Valley’s Van Furman (15:17.6) was the overall winner, followed by Arkport-Canaseraga-Almond’s Ibrahim Ford (15:53.5) in second and Haldane’s Owen Powers (16:04.8) in third. Port Jefferson won the team state title.

In the girls Class C race, Saranac Lake was represented by Asa Bruno and Cadence Kennedy, who both recorded a solid performance.

Bruno placed 61st out of 129 in 21:11.2, while Kennedy was 80th in 21:42.3.

Hastings’ Caitlin Thomas won the girls individual state crown in 17:53.8, East Aurora’s Emilia O’Leary (18:10.9) was second and Springville’s Kirsten Melnik (18:29.6) was third. East Aurora took home the Class C title.

After winning the Section VII boys cross country championships last week, Jake Kollmer was the lone Saranac Lake boys runner to compete on Nov. 16. He placed 17th overall out of 129 in the boys Class C race, finishing in 16:22.4.

Schalmont’s Carter Flowers (15:32.5) won the individual state title. Stillwater’s Anthony Zazzaro (15:45.4) placed second and Alden’s Evan Feider (15:47.9) was third. East Aurora also won the boys Class C title.