Brian Yurkewecz of Fonda-Fultonville High School and Krissy Welch of Amsterdam High School have been selected as winners of the Fulmont Roadrunners Club’s annual Cross-Country Runner of the Year Awards, according to an announcement by Fulmont Roadrunners president Joyce Poulin. The awards honor 2004’s top male and female cross-country runners in Fulton and Montgomery County high schools.

For their achievements, the athletes received award certificates and specially engraved walnut plaques. Winner of the award for the second year in a row, Welch was honored at the club’s annual Winter Wimp foot race held last month in Hagaman. Yurkewecz was unable to attend the event due to a track meet.

Yurkewecz was senior leader of Fonda-Fultonville High’s cross country team, the Class C, Section 2 champions in 2003 and 2004. Among individual achievements last year were seconds at the Fonda and Fort Plain Invitationals and Class C, Section 2 championship meet, and a third at the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Invitational. He went on to finish 19th in Class C at the New York State Championships and was named a WAC first-team all star.

Welch, a sophomore, was number one runner on Amsterdam High’s three-time undefeated Big 10 Conference championship cross country team. During the year, she was first in all of the school’s Big 10 dual meets, and she was first at the Fonda and Big 10 Invitationals. She set a 5K personal record of 18:56 during the year and was name a first team Big 10 all star and a New York State Scholar Athlete.

Outstanding XC Runner Awards

In addition to the overall winners, the Fulmont Roadrunners select the top male and female cross-country runners in each of the Fulton and Montgomery County high schools that field cross-country teams.

Winners of these Outstanding Cross-Country Runner Awards for 2004 were Alex Brooks and Kim Negrich of Mayfield High School, John Kenworthy and Melanie Ho of Gloversville High School, Brendan Petty and Kelsey Stockwell of Fort Plain High School, John Moore and Vanessa Henry of Fonda-Fultonville High School, Patrick Ferrara and Emily Smith of Canajoharie High School, Jon Wilcox and Liz Ferlazzo of Broadalbin-Perth High School, and Jeff Palmerino and Jenna Krong of Amsterdam High School.

The Fulmont Roadrunners Club initiated the high school cross-country awards program several years ago as part of its efforts to encourage and reward young runners in Fulton and Montgomery Counties. It also awards scholarships to outstanding high school seniors in the area who compete in varsity running programs and are going on to college. - 30 - Caption: Cross-Country Runner of the Year Award winner Krissy Welch with Stu Palczak, head of the Fulmont Roadrunners Club’s award selection committee. Male winner Brian Yurkewecz was unable to attend the awards ceremony due to a track meet.