High School Cross-Country
Award Winners Named
Opal Jessica Bogdan and Justin
Ferguson, both from Broadalbin-Perth 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 Ginny
Mosher. The awards honor 2009’s top male and female cross-country runners
in Fulton and Montgomery County high schools.
The Fulmont Roadrunners also
honored the boy’s cross-country teams from Broadalbin-Perth High and
Fonda-Fultonville High who were Section II New York State champions for 2009 in
Class B and C, respectively. The Broadalbin-Perth team was coached by Jeff
Richards and the Fonda-Fultonville team by Mark Therrien and Mike
Benton.
For their achievements, Bogdan, Ferguson, and the
two teams received special recognition at the club’s annual Winter Wimp foot
race held January 9 in Hagaman.
Bogdan, a sophomore, was number one runner on
Broadalbin-Perth High’s team. She finished second overall in the Class B
sectional championship race and was 36th (of 132 competitors) in the New York
State championship race that followed. During the year, she finished first
in the Fonda-Fultonville Invitational, second in the Queensbury Invitational,
eighth at the Burnt Hills Invitational, and ninth in the Foothills Cross-Country
Championships. Her 5K (3.1-mile) personal best time for the year was
19:02.
Ferguson also is a sophomore at Broadalbin-Perth
High and number one runner on the team. Highlights of his cross-country
year included a fifth-place finish in the Section II, Class B Championship race
in which he and his team qualified for the State Championships. In that
event, he finished 57th overall (of 132 competitors) and the team was seventh.
In invitational competitions during the year, Justin also distinguished himself
with a second-place finish at Queensbury, a fifth at Fonda-Fultonville, and a
seventh at Burnt Hills. His 5K personal best for 2009 was
16:09.
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. They too were honored at the Winter Wimp.
Winners of these Outstanding Cross-Country Runner
Awards for 2009 were Rebekah Johnson and Ian Thane of Amsterdam High School,
Emily Baker and Adam Rasefske of Broadalbin-Perth High School, Cora Soodsma and
Terence Petty of Canajoharie High School, Kim Genetti and Zak Godfrey of
Fonda-Fultonville High School, Kellie Lawton and Patrick Peterson of
Gloversville High Schools, Emily Fettinger and Anthony McCarthy of Johnstown
High School, and Jessica Glode and Jesse McNamara of Mayfield 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 annually to outstanding high school seniors in the
area who compete in varsity running programs and are going on to college.
Amsterdam High track and cross country coach Stu Palczak heads up both programs
for the club.